Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-09-08

| SAAASSA'
! Yes, but you do not love him?"
How dare you catechise me in this
manner?" she cried, piteously, shrink
ing from his persistent questioning.
y Will withdraw, sir. What warrant
have you"
But she made no motion to leave
the apartment On the contrary, he
saw her body sway uneasily toward
MIN. She could not control her feel
lnss II he had not been so Ill, so
weak, so pathetically helpless, he
would have appealed less strongly to
her, she might have resisted better.
ohe was angry at herself for her lack
OF control, and bitterly mortified. Was
This man her master in truth? And
ne wore another woman's picture!
! shame on her, shame! Could he COM
pei her to break her word, defy every
! thing, and marry him against her will?
An, but was it against her will? There
was the rub.
She STOOD helpless before him. The
whole current of her being flowing to-
ward him, only her stubborn will and
pride holding her back. But the strug-
gle could not be maintained for long.
He marked the rise and fall of her
breast. Her fingers moved restlessly.
her knees trembled, her eyes swan,
! her color came and went. The con-
stralnt she was under was terrible
| The girl loved him with all her soul.
Yet she struggled on; she would not
| yield. Twas an unequal combat. She
! fought two: his will and her love- The
! end was certain. He felt it was almost
cruel as he watched her and knew it
would come. All she needed in that
moment to bring her to him was time
He was wise enough not to be hasty.
He put equal constraint upon himself;
| indeed, his love was 10 less than her
| own.
Il have only the warrant Of my love
Tor you TO plead my cause" he an
swered at last.
Have you loved me all the time"
she cried, coming step nearer.
Il know not" he answered honestly
before her truth-compelling gaze, but
| W 1851 nave lOfcu liO Oue clSG, ana
since the night in the tower there
has not been q day in which have
not thought Of you. But never in my
widest visions did you appear so beau
tlful as you are to-day. Anne, sweet
Anne! Dear Little France! My heart
knew you, even though my false eyes
told no story to my bewildered mind
Twas God that brought us together
again. We cannot be separated, my
sweet, my own:"
But Monsieur de Wire, my engage
ment-"
Il ask you again why it was you en-
| tered upon it so suddenly"
II saw that locket you wear over
your heart, Sir Philip, whose secret
you guard SO jealousy, from which you
will not be parted. You did not know
me. You had forgotten me. There
was some one else she murmured.
y cannot marry the enemy of my
country. should be an .outcast, de-
spised You tainted in the hall of tile
chateau. Monsieur de Wire was there.
When knelt beside you I--I--looked
at you, monsieur. l forgot myself-.a
little. betrayed myself unsought-
unknown even. Monsieur de Wire
cried out before them all that 1 loved
you. The thought stung me-my
pride, you know. could not bear it.
There was but one way. He had be-
sought me for my hand / dared not
trust myself before you unpledged.
They looked at me SO earnestly. It
was foretaste of what I should meet.
stopped every gossiping tongue,
stifled every suspicion by saying Yes
to my brave courtryman. II do not
regret it."
She forced herself to lift her head
| and look at him white-faced and trem-
bling. His bold, burning glances
plunged through her defenses like a
swordblade.
This from the truthful de Rohan!"
he murmured coldly, but with break
Ing heart IF you looked at me dying
then-and perhaps dying now after
that word-if you looked at me then
rs you look at me this moment, there
We're no ground for de Wires suspi-
cion. Is this your fidelity! Go! You
have not-you do not love me-"
She buried her face in her hands
/, beneath his stern accusing gaze-his
| reproachcs scared her heart. She had
not told the truth to him
GO, mademoiselle!" ne continued,
! pitilessly, ruthlessly turning the
weapon he had thrust into her heart.
"The other n;ght--does my imagina-
ton mock me, or did dream of
| Heaven, OF your kisses? Were the lips
that now betray those that met my
own? Was it that sweet hesd that lay
/ upon my breast? Was it all vision?
DID ! ever live for an hour with you
In that old dark tower by the sea?
Was | indeed the knight of that gen.
tie child who wrapped herself around
my heart? You weep, mademoiselle.
Why? Happiness opens before you.
You are the betrothed of, de Wire"
No morc!" she cried, tearing her
hands from her face and springing to-