The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-10-07

ward. took one of her hands and. be-
fore she was conscious of his intention.
kissed it againg and again.
oh" she said, starting.
Roma. my Roma. I love YOU" he
began, and would have continued but
that he heard sounds of footsteps and
voices in the passage outside. on which |
he hurried to open the door just as it
was reached by Neneto. who entered,
followed by Sasari.
Roma" her father said, rubbing his
hands joyously, his wellworn velvet |
coat thrown back and showing his |
flannel shirt With its deep collar and !
flowing scarf. Roma, here is our |
good friend again giving us a happy
surprise. Bid hin, welcome, my daugh-
ter
Count Sasari is always welcome"
she replied.
AS the visitor took her hand he felt |
it tremble. and he was not slow to no. |
tice signs of unusual emotion in her |
face, while her eyes shone, those beau |
tful eyes that at that moment We're |
the color of a purple pansy leaf. For
brief heart-stirrinG instant he Won
dered If these signs We're due to his ar
rival. Then he remembered that Bur-
bage had been With her as he entered
Quickly mastering himself, he spoke
of the pleasure it gave him in seeing
them again; when Neneto unconscious
ly came to his relief by calling out:
He brings me news; unexpected
news--poor old Zoffani is dead. All,
you We're but a little girl when last
you saw him outside the Porta Nuova
| in Pisa. The most skilful doctor and
the widest dreamer in Europe, gen.
| JUS and q mailman; killed by his own
| folly. But what has our good friend
done for me? You will never guess.
At the auction he bought all the old
| mans books and chemicals that he
| might give them to me. You see how
rich he has made me. What can we
do to show him our gratitude, my
| daughter"
Roma made no answer. The rich
color that had rushed into her face a
moment before had vanished, leaving
her pallid at the thought that the man
who was heaping faNors on her father
had never received the reward he de-
sired
There should be no thought of graft
tude between friends" Sasari was say
ing. in his quiet, composed voice
| Neneto put an arm round his should
err affeCtionatelv.
and YOU" he said have always
been a true friend. We never forget
all that You have done for us. Do we,
| Roma?'
Never. father" she answered fer
vently, making an inward effort to re-
cover herself
when last l saw Zofrani he gave me
an old volume that had belonged TO
Jacob Boehme. You must see it.
There are his notes on the margins.
DUnstan will bring it to me-" Veneto
said. Then turning round to find that
! his secretary had left the ROOM he ad-
Ged. Il will fetch it myself"
Il will come and see it presently"
Sasaci told him; but first let me say
Il few words to Roma"
My dear Sasari, say as many as
you like and when you join me may
you have that to say which will glad
den my heart Neneto answered, as,
shaking the counts hand warmly, he
hurriedy left them.
Roma stood confused before Sasari,
her lips quiVered. and a quick look
that gagged him flashed from her eyes.
10 her surprise, she noticed in his
manner Il hesitation and embarrass-
ment he had never known before, and
while she was wondering at this she
heard him say:
Il am going to stay but a few hours,
for leave tomorrow morning; so had
to take this opportunity Of speaking to
you alone"
Her heart began to nuttcr so much
that she could not speak, SO she merely
bowed her head, prepared to hear a
fresh avowal of his affection. To her
surprise he said: Il know, Roma that
you can never love me; l do not blame
you; 1 could not blame you for any
other man"
She stroVe to speak, but before she
could set out word, he went on: II
hope, you Will not hate me for what
am about to say, but l cannot resist
the temptation of claiming you at any
cost, for l love you above all things
better than my honor, better than my
soul"
She saw that his natural dignity and
calmness had deserted him, leaving him
abashed. And something in his words,
though she did not understand them,
startled her.
Roma" he continued, hurriedly Il
know you love him, and that loving
him you must above all things desire
to have him freed from all suspicion of
the crime for which he was tried
believe l can DO that"
You know the murderer" she cried
out in establishment.
Il belive l do-a confession has been
to mel can-'
And you will-you will clear Dun
stan?"
"Yes-providing you will marry me-"
he blurted out.
A SILVER suddenly passed through
her, she shrank from him and averted
her eyes. That is the price at which
l am to be bought"
The hardness of her voice and the dis
dain of her face made his blood boil
from shame. and for answer he bowed
his head, not daring to speak. The sec
onds that fitted by seemed centuries,
their silence became uncomfortable to
him.
Don't answer me now: wait until
you have time to consider" he said as
confused. Inundated and msera BILE, he
hurried toward the door; but before
reaching it he looked back with depair-
ing eyes, then with u cry, he retraced
his steps and flung himself at her feet.
where she had remained pale and mo-
tionleSs as if frozen.
Roma. Roma, forgive me for so base
a thought" he calico out in a brok en-
voice. Il was mad with longing for
you, but could not sacrifice your hap
piness-no, not even to secure my own
| salvation. Oh, my dearest. you do not
know me, you never understood me. 1t
is not passion, but affection l feel for
you. | reverence, l worship you, but
| will never marry you, as you cannot
love me-
She was strangely moved, but re-
straining her feelings, she said with
such calmenss as she could command:
But you will clear him %
Il Will clear him." he answered, no.
ticing her pallor, her agitation.
For my sake?" she suggested, long
ing to hear him say the words.
For your sate-can you doubt me?"
he said appeaingly.
mo. no." she answered. I don't
doubt you and | think l undergtanI
YOU"
He looked up struck by some tone of
her voice; and seeing the inward glow
of her face, he took her hand and
kissed it TREMENDOUSLY, reverently, CRATE
full that she allowed him such happi-
ness
Suddenly, while battling with her
emotion, she said: There is something
l must tell--yes. you must hear it do
not love him.
II ~,