Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1904-10-07

the asserted authority Of his father made
him resentful and extravagant while she
-ah. she could make him a successful
man: she knew she could: she knew her
power. Did not all the people OF the cir
Gus look up 20 her? Did not Barney de-
pend upon herr The circus She wrench
ed her hand from his. The circus.
"Your father was right" she said.
"You know little or nothing about met
He sprang to his feet. What do you
meanr he demanded
She regarded him. He was man. every
Inch man. loving man. And In her
heart was a crying cut for love. for re-
finemsnt such as his. for all that he knew
and she knew not. for freedom from the
life that was hers.
He caught her by the arm. Tell met"
he said.
Surely she might ruin his prospects by
marrying him And yet he loved her. and
there was so much happiness In that
thought!
Tell mer he repeated
You took too much for granted" she
said hoarsely and rose TO her feet. And
yet r.
You shall marry me-" he Numbered
by heaven, you shall!'
81 will not" she said yet"
He stepped back from her.
You do not love mel he cried as
that it?''
She fingered the buttons of her coat till
one Of them came OF and rolled TO her
feet
IL cannot" she said. NOV"
"Cannotr' he echoed. What do you
mean by cannot? Do you mean that you
cannot love me? You dare not? Is there
any obstacle7 What do care for all the
obstacles In the world?'
THAT may be it," she said. IAN obsta-
| Gle. and yet love-
AN obstacle he repeated. There is
no obstacle short Of a legal one
"A Legal one?'' she interrupted.
| Tell me- he said. you are free; you
are not bound to any one: you are not the
| wife of some one else?'
The wife of some one else!
II was al though he gave her a cue
| Yet could she tell that lie? He was sc
young; she was not OF his world Dared
she withhold any lie when all his future
trembled In the balance?
Tell me-" he was saying. ~ will never
give you up uniess-unless you are bound
to some one else. had not thought Of
that. Tell me 1t Is not true
She was white to the lips. She made ar
Intellectual effort to speak.
Think Of met he pleaded.
Think Of him! Then she said boldly
Barney. the owner of the circus"-ant
| paused.
What of him." he demanded.
"He is my husbandv' she said
She could have cried out at the lool
that came to his face
"And you never told me-" he said. "Yoi
led me on all this time. You are the falls
est woman ever createdr'
He is my husband" she said as before
He gave her long look.
my father" he said. was right"
He was leaving her when she called hi
name. She might tell him the truth evei
yet and-haye him sacrifice everything 70
her. And dared she forsake her own du
ties? She snapped the string about he
neck and held out the ring he had givel
her.
mol" he cried, repulsing her. II woul,
not touch Ii after II has lain over you
cruel heart"
TT was your mothers" she faltered
at was my mothers. but she neve
wore 1t. The Jewels my mother wore shal
be worn by the woman who shall be m,
wife, not by the one who has been falls
as q woman can be!'
She heard his footballs become fainte
and fainter She did not see him leav
her, everything was so blurred before he
eyes.
She gave a deep sigh. Something hur
her hand. She looked down and saw Va
she had pressed the ring so tightly that
cut her palm. She regarded the jewele
circlet.
at will pay the salaries" she said
land buy shoes for Teddy and Chrissy.
promised Eliza And now I must max
haste to the tent and get supper or / sha
be late for my stunt" And mo, nol' an
again mo. nor and she laid her lips O
the ring In her hand. then threw 1t as ia
as she could into the dust OF the road. Sh
hurried away. holding her coat tight
across her breast as though the ferc
pressure helped her.
Mile Clementins looked old for the frs
time In her life.