Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-05-10
CHAPTER XVII.

Notwithstanding the excitement OF
the incident in the fair, Sir Heron Is
mindful Of his promise, and the
Dutchman is allowed to eat the
ground" as sporting men say
The sun has scarcely touched the
tops of the Void elms as the dog-cart
bowls along the high road 10 Gresham
house.
Apparently May has forgotten her
fright, though her face is SUN rather
pale and there is an expression in heI
eyes that is str: cgely like a faint re
fiection of the lCOk IN laose OF the
haunted man.
Her hand is still hidden in the pro
tactiIg one Of Sir Heron, and ahuosi
unconsciously she has nestled closer
ID his side. Not unconscl0usly as tan
as nc is concerned. for the contact OF
her warm arm thrills through MIN.
Carrie as long since rclapsed into
that contented silence which a long
drive after an exciting day usually
produces.
So far as she is concerned, the two
lovers might be alone.
Heron glances around occasionally.
and throws her word, and get a word
in return, but By bending towards her
he can whisper in Mays ear without
rear of being overheard
Are yon happy, my darling?" he
says.
The little hand within his hand
oIocl ,,y11. !, ie Gpora,..
Quite happy?"
Quite" she breathes.
He looks thoughttully al The beauu-
full face.
Il wonder" he says, IF it is possible
Tor woman to be as happy as man?
doubt it. don't think it. don't think
they can be either so intensely wretch
ed or so intensely happy There is
always some make-weight, something
to console them if they are unhappy.
something 10 detract from their per-
feet happiness ] wonder If you could
possibly be as happy a. / am tonight?"
She looks up at him CEly for a mo
ment; her eyes cannot meet the pas
sionate love which burns in has
Are YOU happy2" she says
Happier than | ever thought 1t pos
sible for me to be happier than de
serve even TO be, he answers, icrvent-
~. May, | used to laugh al love?
Think of it: | used 10 say that there
was no such thing as love, that it was
all fiction of loving and being loved;
that no two persons could really love
each other with perfect, equal love,
That if a nan loved a woman with all
his heart and sOul-as / love yon. my
darling she would naturally repay HIS
worship with GOODNESS or that she
would prove false. That is the creed
of most of the men of the day. What
a shallow creed it isl | used to think
that love, perfect and equal, without
reserve or concealment on one side or
the other, was impossible" and he
laughs.
She looks at him, her eyes drinking
in the beauty OF his face. made noble
not by his high birth and patrician
breeding, but by his love which She
she,-had awakened.
All and he signs. TO think that
l have lived all these years with that
belief in my heart,-to think that | /
should have wasted so much of my
life, Bah, it will not bear thinking
Of, an Involuntary his face fushes
a deep red as scenes of the wild pass
arise accusingly before him.
"Concea lment," he saws. musinglv:
yes, there must be some conceal
ment on ny part. | could not wish |
that the veil should be drawn aside. /
and that you should see the follies OF /
an ill-spent life Life! it was not life /
Il did not live until met you, my
darling"
oh, no--no! do not say that, she
whispers, humbly.
It is true, he repeats: 4 had no
bject-nothing to make life sweet
Now---' and he draws a long breath.
The intensity Of his passion almost
irightens her; her color comes ana
goes.
~Oh. why-why," she pants, do you
love me so2"
Why" he says, and he smiles
Town at ner That's a question thar
some abstruse calculation. 1
owe YOU because you are-yourself: /
owe you because you are my second
self. hat one soul for which mine has
1een searching-isn't that wha; the
poets say? use to laugh at the
poets, there is something in them
after all. May, you viii never love me
IS l love you," he says, almost abrupt
"
She looks up at him, with something
lalf SAD IN her wistfnl smile
IF he could but know,
It could not be he says. haf
Il loving YOU. love nor
My Yourself. but the purity when
'ou Personify-that's philosophy, n
eve you because ali your life lies be-
ore me like an open plainly,
writ. plain 10 read. MAJ rbough vou
rave told me 50 little Of your past. /
eel that there are no conceaIments,"