Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-03-31

word in my dictionary as far as you
are concerned; my love scars far
above patience, Ida"
Il know it know it," she said.
humbly, contritely. Il know how well
and truly you love me. and the knowl
edge only adds to my self-reproach.
oh, | wish that / had never"
Never what?" he said his voice
quivering a little.
Never promised to do this" she
said almost inaudibly.
He stood for a moment, his lips
compressed tightly.
You regret it-for your sake?" he
said, huskily.
| mo, but for yoursl' Joan replied. /
do not think of myself. My happiness
does not matter. l should be happy
enough if could feel that there was
some chance of my being able to re-
turn all the wealth of love you have
lavished upon me, but-but-"
But what?" he said.
But / cannot" she said, her hands
twisting together, her lips quivering
under the strain of her emotion. 81
know it o-night-when it a. so
near! Oh, have pity on me and on
yourselfl-have pity before it is too
,, late, and cast me off as I deserved"
Mordaunt Royce's face grew dark as
night, and an ominous light glittered
in his eyes.
! AS he stood looking down at her his
] hand wandered unconsciously toward
his breast pocket, where lay the will.
| Was she going to escape him at the
last moment? Was the prize about to
slip from his grasp even as he felt his
/ fingers closing over it?
PITY" he said. you ask me to
have pity, Have you none? Are you
going to ash me to relinquish the hope
of making you mine, which is indeed
as my very breath and life! Oh, my
dearest! Cast you off! 1t is you who
would cast me off! Ana here, on my
knees at your feet''-and he knelt to
her and seized her hands-"T implore
you to be true to me and to your
plighted word! Why should you be
afraid to trust yourself to me? What
is this that haunts and troubles you?
You-you do not love me as you think
you should? Is that it?"
"Yesi" said Joan, feeling like a bird
that has tried to free itself from the
net and finds the meshes only the
more tightly round its feet. Yes!
do not-love youl / have tried!-ah,
If you knew how l have tried! There
/ is not an hour of the day that l have
not told myself that / am cold, and
wicked, and ungrateful, that l am un-
worthy the name of woman, so cold
and heartless | seem to myself But
sadly, wistfully, despairingly-"lov
will not be forced! All! draw back
while there is time! Something tells
me in words that burn into my brain
that only misery can come of our mar
riage. Tonight it seems as if a voice
were saying to me, Draw back while
I there is time! Tomorrow will be toe
/ late. Draw back
| He smiled sardonically.
"And a voice says to me, dearest:
Seize the happiness that awaits you
and fear mott! Shut your ears to the
voice, a false voice, that haunts you
! and listen to mine. Ida, you ask me tc
release your"
! YES! yes!' she said, eagerly, sadly
| her hands clasped.
! And | answer MOI he said, in &
| low, calm, set voice.
She drew back from him. his face
/ set pale and cold.
Il will save you against yourself
| dearest" he went on. These fancies
are unreal and unnatural; they are
not worthy of you. You have beer
overworked of late; you have studied
too hard, dearest; and then there was
that excitement and strain of the fire
All Ida! trust yourself to me.
cannot give you UP, dearest; ! vii
not! See, hold your promise!" and hi
grasped her hands tightly and kissed
them. ''Once you are my wife you vii
learn TO love me. | will be content Il