The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1904-03-21


Forgive me: You need not finish,
Lady Elizabeth" he said, with a sud
tri1e or die. Life in the freshness of
the morning, the white capped ocean
stretching before us in the sunlight,
the gentle breeze playing across our
faces. is sweet to think on. With youth
and rank and station IT would be hcav-
emily spent with you. Without you I
welcome the death your guardian will
undoubtedly infict upon me-"
yet you waited SO Tonga year and
a half-why did you not come? r.
She stopped. She had spoken in n
low. tender whisper, looking down at
the sea beneath them and plucking
~nervously at the loose plaster of the
old walk. Death SO imminent for love
and lover-Eay. not for love; that were
e%tcrual-brpke down petty convention.
Where were death and love there. too,
should truth and honesty be-and hon
or.
He laid his strong hand gently down
on the small white one outlined upon
the gray weather beaten rock of the
parapet. With upturned palm she met
his grasp. Her eyes were lifted now.
She drew strength from his strength:
4 dawning hope f1ickered into being in
her torn heart. He was so strong and
true lie surely could do something
there must be some other way. 1t was
the tribute woman pays to man.
He read Alright. with eyes keen from
affection. the mute. piteous appeal In
her sweetly lifted face. but he could
only smile sadly In answer, with q ST.
lent shake Of the head. There was no
other way. then. in the marked path
she must walk. Have mercy. Lord!
"Was II long to you. dearestT' he
queried. his dark face afiame. ITO
mel have been a fool. Nothing should
have kept me from you. To trust TO
messengers. letters-a fool--too later
Silence! The hands unclasped; ties
were broken. TOO later BE turned
bitterly away.
"would that we had met in happier
daysr' she murmured sadly, making q
brave effort at self control.
mo r~eproaches. Lady Elizabeth" he
answered. the touch of formality in the
address showing his own equal strife.
"What must be must be! At least |
have met you before | die. and for Z
year and a half | have thought Of you
and dreamed of you and held you the
lady OF my heart. Fen death itself
cannot rob me Of that sweet joy-for 1t
Is past"
They looked apart. and heard above
the voice of the great deep. the I'M
fathomable found of the moaning
surge TAR beneath them. chatting against
the pebbles In the still morning. the
wild beating OF their hearts. After a
little pause be continued more softly:
"And you-you will forget the young
Irishman. the soldier of fortune. whom
untoward fate threw across your path
way. and In your OWL English home
and In the love of your noble husband
may you be happy"
"Nny. not So" she said softly. taking
bis hand again. her eyes filling with
tears-this time she was the stronger.
"My heart IL not made of such tickle
stuff. | shall do my duty. keep my
plighted word-even you would have
me do no less than that-but no; more
steadfastly than shall keep you with
In my recollection. But do not talk or
death: you must not. I know the ad-
miral-he has q kindly heart
IL would not llve.' replied the young
mar quietly: 'for life Is death when
the heart is dead"
Tell me-" asked the girl. ~nervously
breaking the almost ~lnsupportable 81
lnnce. ''were you there when my moth.
e.'s picture fell last night?'
"Yes. so near to II that II almost fe.i
ioto my arms" he answered. smiling.
"a bad onien!' she murmured. shak-
itg her head.
what! That 1t should fall into IL,
L.ms?"
"No. that It should fall at ALL"
"well, I do not believe in omens, and
It's I'm the arms Of another that you
tall. at any rate. He gets the sub
stance, | the shadow, the i~llusion-and
yer that is broken"
"And so even the shadow Is lost"
said Elizabeth.
Not yet. Open my heart. you will
find 1t there" he answered quickly.
"But how like you the portrait was"
Eyes. l am said to look like my moth.
err" she answered, striving, as we all
do In tragic moments. to reach tho
height of the commonplace. I'm the
dress l now wear. under the changing
fashions. the likeness Is not so strik-
Ing. but when | am gowned as she
was, in the identical costume. which Is
still In existence. by the way. and SIT
as she did. in the dim light in that old
chair. the resemblance Is even more
striking"
would that I might see you thus
In that dress Of the olden time! Moth
ing except your actual presence In the
hall has ever startled me so much as
that image Of the past did last night.
\ - ~ -. L-A