Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-07-20
Continued.

hands In rs and atanuB lOOkInR dOWI
at her, an eager light in his eyes.
Miss Dalton-May! Why should
strive to hide my heart from you?
have known that loved you for
months past think loved you the
first time saw you. ] 10 love you
most passionately. Dare ] hope TO
win your love In return
Startled and agitated. she stands
trembling and IN silence.
She has endured much already to-
night, this revelation Of good, pure
honest love oVerwhelms her,
Nothing dauntei by her silence, his
clasp on her hands tIghtens
Il brighten YOU" he says, gently,
evidently depressing his eagerness
with great effort. II do not mean
TO do So did not mean to tell you
this tonight. ] meant to keep silent
for some little time to come. until
until You had learned to know ME bet.
ter. But such love as mine is hard
10 silence. ] have carried 1t about
with me, part and parcel Of myself,
for months past. Sleeping and walk.
ing, your face, your dear voice, has
been beside me. Forgive me If ! am
too rough and imperatiye----' for May
shrinls back and strives. family
strives, 70 withdraw her hand. This
love Of mine has taken such posses
sion of me that am blind to all else.
May, dear May, how could one help
loving you? Not 4. at least! do
love you with all my heart and soul,
and now--what are you going to deal
out to me-"
He pauses, his handsome face pale
AMI anxious.
May looks up suddenly, her lips
tremulous, her eyes moist, looks up
with an appealing, imnlor.ng gaze.
"Oh, no-no" she murmurs. Don't
don't say thls!"
His lips culver, but he smiles with a
little earnest gesture.
But must say It. You--you will
not tell me that ! am not to hope
Hope! | do not ask you to say that
you return the love ! bear you! No,
how could your But ask you, most
humbly, to let me try ana win your
love-"
May covers her face with her hands,
and the tears course down her face.
She knows M surely as II IN angel
whispered In her ear that there IL a
love offered to her which tho proudest
woman on earth would do we'll to grasp
and cherish--u lovo which falls to
the lot Of few OF the daughters of men.
IL she could bur put away with a Arm
hand that other wild, passionate, hope
less love whose lame huns with the
torture Of despair In her innermost
heart
Silently the tears course down her
cheeks. each tear falling like molten
lead in his heart MS lie stands ana
looks at her,
May" he says. Mt last, Is there no
hope? Am too late? Are you go
Ing to tell me what have dreaded to
hear; that there is some one else
some other claim upon you?' ana his
voice breals.
With = wild gesture Of sorrowful re-
gret she raises her face to his and
clasps his hand
"Oh, why did Won tell me this? Why
why should You love me? You who
are SO noble and good, sc far far
above me am not worthy OF such
love as yours, Too late! Is 1t too
late? | wlsh--l Wish ! hal been
dead before | came here to make you
unhappy"
"Hush-hush," he says, ana he
raises her hand to his lips. "Do not
say any more. Unhappy! You have
not made me unhappy. My greatest
happiness lies in my love for YOU II
is better to have lovei and lost than
never TO have loved at all Hush.
DO not cry cannot bear that"
NO" says May. Il am not cry.
ms, Brt--hnt | am so unhappy" and
II The depth Of her self.rerroach she
draws nearer to him ard lays her hand
upon Is arm.
Her hulf-earess scatters his selr.con,
troll TO tho winds
With low cry he takes her hand
tHh HUNS N'NH ~ HCE WIFI nHNSlnnulG
longing.
May, 10 not send mo away quito
quite hopeless! canrot bear It. Tell
me that | may nope, that may hope
N time years forward. If you like
TO win you' DO not take all hope
from mot"
May looks from side to side, tor.
tured by his passionate entreatles. her
heart melting with pity and reproach.
trl tenderness. IL cannoy tell YOU"
she says. DO not say another wnrL.
l-l--let me so now DO not say an.
other word"
mot one word he says, earnestly,
q CLEAN Of hope flashing In his ewes
mot one word. | will wait yes.
patiently Leave me but hope Good
night, dear-dear May!" and with a
reverence and tenderness which would
have hefttei a Knight Of oh, he lifts
her hands to his bps. and lets her 10.
Gordon stands and looks after bpr