Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1904-07-14

NJ de Kergariel shook his head and
answered slowly:
"Women's acts cannot be reckoneI
with. We sometimes slipped away to.
gether, Marquise, yet l did not become
your happy husband. | shall wait for
Marguerite's decision"
The next day at the time they
usually took their walk along the edge
of the cliffs, Marguerite and the two
young men, followed by M. de Kergariel
and Nine. de Millery-the latter &C.
companied by her faithful Coquette-
were exploring the lofty rocks over.
hanging the sea.
Howls of terror suddenly arose.
No one knew how the accident hap
pened, but Nine. de Millery's dog had
fallen into the sea and the waves were
already bearing it away.
The old lady shrieked, wept, wrung
her hands and offered her whole for
tune to any one who would save the
poor animal.
1T would be useless" said Georges.
That is a dangerous place. No sensi-
BILE person can risk his life to save a
dogs"
AS If the words were some magic
spell, the indecision portrayed on Raoul
de Villier's face during Nine. de Mil
lery's appeal suddenly vanished and,
before there was time to stop him, he
threw off his coat, climbed down the
bluff and plunged into the terrible sea.
Cries of terror escaped every ones
lips. Marguerite's heart almost STOP
ped beating.
Georges alone remained unmoved,
his eyes fixed upon Raoul, guessing
what excessive vanity, united to the
desire of pleasing his p~atroness, had
suddenly decided this mans action.
But the fears of the others became
intense as they saw that Raoul,
though ar excellent swimmer, after
having seized the animal, could no
longer struggle against the waves;
his strength was failing and the spec
tators of the drama fairly held their
breath.
Marguerite was on the point of fall
ing when a hand was laid on. her arm.
Turning, she saw Georges, who was
looking at her i%ntently. He was
frightfully pale, but his voice was firm
as, pointing to Raoul, he asked:
do you love him?"
Marguerite answered angrily-for
she read in her cousins ayes his hate
for Raoul and thought it unworthy O!
him at such a moment.
Eyes; l do love him!"
Then, to her b%ewilderment, for the
words she had just uttered should
have d%eepened the gulf between the
two men, Georges in his turn rushed
to the strand and breasted the threat
ening waves.
Swimming with unusual power, he
succeeded by great exertion in reach
ing Raoul and dragging him out on
the shore.
The whole scene had taken place in
a few moments, but to the terrified
spectators the time seemed endless.
When Georges had returned to
the cliff Marguerite gazed proudly at
him, a radiant expression illumining
her face.
In witnessing the danger he had in
Cured merely to save her from suffer-
ing, in spite Of the hatred ne bore
Raoul de Villiers, her cousins disin-
terested love shone VIGOROUSLY before
her eyes. .
And by the intense emotion she felt
she realized that she, too, loved him
and that his love had taken possession
of her whole soul.
The next morning when Georges
and Marguerite. were alone the young
girls eyes expressed heartfelt affec-
ton, radiant joy. He thought that she
was going to thank him for restoring
her lover; and before she could speak
he said bitterly:
Not a word of gratitude, I beseech
you! 1t was against my will that l
saved the man you love. If you are
happy, SO much the better, for I had
no other object than to secure your
happiness! But I would have rejoiced
If, after saving this man, the ocean
had closed over mel"
"And the answer to your question:"
said the young girl. "Then you do
not desire to know it. Yet l had pre-
pared it, hoping that you would be sat
not speak of it,"
But you told me that you loved
cried Georges, his eyes spark
ing with joy-for at last he under
stood.
Then, bending toward him, she muir
INJURED in a low tone, so low that the
very air scarcely heard:
ut was a trial"
Far away a confused chant of voices
seemed to rise from the sea, lauding
n a hymn of infinite joy the destruc-
ion of vanquished cupidity and the
brilliant triumph Of love.-N. Y. Sun.