The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1904-03-18
xl4 liz the Horrors J
- of War
y0C14Af 49. !
0A0A4 NIJI ByH B. WELsH 4
CHAPTER Nv.

CHAPTER ~.
Margaret" he cried, what is It?
What sit, my darling? Speak to metz
1T is nothing she breathed pain
fully. "You must let me go. Doctor
Cleland; you must leave me. M "
II shall not let you 'go!" Paul. an
swered .vehemently. "You dare not
send me from you, Margaret-you can
not! II nothing else gives me right
TO you, surely my love does?"
She made no answer, but shivered as
IL with cold.
Cleland went on passionately:
III you can say to me, Margaret, that
you no longer love me, that the past
is dead and buried to you, or that you
have been self-deceived when you
imagined you did love me, then l shall
60 away and trouble you no more. 1t
may be that shall shortly be leaving
this country, perhaps forever; and
felt I could not go without knowing
the truth
He felt her shiver again, but her
strength came back, and she stood
erect, looking at him with eyes that
had something of the look Of a hunted
animal at bay in them.
Margaret" he went on slowly, after
pause, you must tell me, now and
here, have you ceased to love me? BY
your answer / will abide; it will be
dnal with me-"
A strange look crossed the girls
face.
IF refuse to answcr?"
Il shall not leave you till you an
swer," said Cleland. Margaret, II
you can say these words after me
Paul, no longer love you'll shall be
satisfied and 60 my way. 1t is all
ask
Again the white hands moved con
vulsively. 1t gave Cleland curiou:
sensation-as if she had wrung then
! piteously. She began slowly:
paul, I-no-longer--" Then hel
voice dropped and broke into hal
sob and her face fell between he!
hands,"
In the silence that followed Pau
Cleland felt his heart quicken its beat
| ing, with an emotion that was hal
Joy, half pain. She loved him still
then! These proud, pure lips of her
could not utter an untruth. But tn
agony that could wiring that sob from
self-contained Margaret Crawford al
most frightened him. He could no
even guess at its cause.
He spoke at last, in q voice un
steady and uncertain.
"Then you love me still, Marga
ret?"
She looked up then and at sight o
return. That one pitiful yielding t
weakness had startled her back to he
old self. And her woman's heart, for
getting its own pain and trouble, tric'
to find some comfort for his.
paul." she said. gently laying he
hand upon his with a touch tina
thrilled him through and through, .
cannot hide the truth from you. l d
love you-I shall love you always; bu
there is reason why | can never al
low you to speak of this, why we Cal
never, never be anything to eacl
other. There is terrible barrier be
tween us which can never be removed
Do not ask me what it isl canno
tell you. Do 1 seem cruel? Believ
me, it is because l wish to save yo'
pain that I cannot tell you more
Paul, God has laid on US both heav.
burden; but he will surely give u
strength to bear it,
"You ask hard thing of me, Mar
garrett" said Paul Cleland, huskily
'You ask me to give you up forever
and / am not even to know why. If
knew your reason, might submit t
your decree; but you cannot expec
me tamely to give you up withou
knowing why am to do sou
Margaret was silent. She felt tina
It would be easier for her also coul,
she tell him the whole truth; but wha
cruelty it would be to inflict on hin
the knowledge that his father ha,
died-or taken his own life, as Pau
himself seemed to think believing hi
son guilty of SO fearful crime?
No. she must never tell the truth
For Paul's own sake, for the sake Q
the dead, she must not.
will you not take my word for it?'
she said at last, very gently. 'Th'
barrier between us is insuperable, ant
! cannot, must not, tell you the natur,
Of 1t. Oh, spare yourself and m,
further pain, Paul, by leaving me now
We must try to forget y
81 shall never forget" said Paul, :
little harshly. He was scotchman
and "dour" and obstinate rather thar
passionate. you are sacrificing you
own happiness and mine, Margaret, tt
some absurd notion Of honor. 70,
think am coward enough to shrinl
before the sneers Of the world over :
dead mans memory; you have. per
haps. learned after all your father wa
guilty, and you will not confess it tt
me. You would rather wreck my lif,