Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-08-28
Continued.

pleads, his voice low, and trembling
with passionate entreaty. will you
not look at me? It is Heron
come back; l, who ought never to
have gone-fool. that l was May, my
darling, I am not fit to touch you-l
have wronged you, wronged you cruel
Iy! Forgive me, my darling, my own
sweet May"
And he lifts her to his lips; but be-
fore they meet in the passionate kiss,
the spirit within her frees itself from
the spell, and with low cry of agony
and pain, she puts ner hand against
his heart and forces her head back
from him, her eyes fixed on his with a
wild despair, her lips pale and tremb-
ling.
Mono" she pants.
''No!" he echoes, hoarsely. May, for
Heavens sake, do not drive me mad!
Lock, how at your feet l beg your
forgiveness!" And he drops on one
knee, his arm still wound round her
waist and imprisoning the little figure
that writhes in his grasp. May, look
ut IIG. ncINS Ii lSoltCO1IOl y Ous
ought to have written; but I would
not dash my joy with one drop of cold
caution Look at me, May, here at
your feet! You-you have not for
gotten me! You still love me! You
will--you must forgive me! I can
explain everything! No, I will not
insult you with explanations I am
here at your feet-see, at your feet,
my darling! You will forgive mel"
Hoarsely, brokenly, he pours out
the passionate entreaty Wildly she
trembies and looks at him; his words
surge like the roll of the sea in her
ears; his face seems in mist before
her eyes; but his hands-ah, his hands
hot and eager, as they cling to her
imploringly-ar tangible enough, and
she thrills beneath them.
May" he says with a pause, during
which his eyes have wandered over
her face with greedy, hungry longing
May" and his voice is calmer, but
still trembles and quivers with the
storm of passion that reigns within
him, 81 have come back to implore you
to forgive me, and to make you my
wife. 1t is all summed UP in that.
will make the rest clear as the sun at
MONDAY; rresently-presently now
now I want to hear you say: Heron,
I forgive you. I will be your wife
take mel"
At last her voice finds sound. and
"Too 1ate-too late!" breaks from her
pale lips.
For a moment the sense of her
words fail to reach him. then a spasm
convulses his face, and he staggers to
his feet.
'"roo late-too late!" he echoes,
hoarsely. "What-what do you mean?
Ali" and with cry of dread he seizes
her arm. care you married."
She shakes her head slowly and
shrinks back, for, with cry of relief
he is ready to seize her again.
"Too late!" she says, and over her
face comes a shamed look of sorrow,
and into her eyes a look Of pitiful
anguish.
|, 'Why-why?" he demands, passion
atelv. ~ i~~ -
Then, still holding her, he turns
and looks around the room with an
eager, yet vacant, stare; but suddenly
his eyes fall on the white dress, ON the
lace AMI ribbons, on the unmistakable
signs of bridal attire.
With shudder his hand drops from
her arm. end he st2n1s as il smitten
by a sudden leatn-stroke.
Silence falls like a pail; the clock
ticks loudly; Carries Young LOchin-
var" floats down in bitter 'nockery,
and there they stand, those two, so
near, and yet so divided.
At last he looks up.
"Tell me-" he says, his eyes fixed On
hers with dumb, pitiable entreaty-
is-this-then-'' and his arm
moves in the direction of the heap of
white satin, aud then falls to his side
lis yours?"
He reads the answer in her eyes,
yours! You are going to be mar
ried? Is that so? When?"
Tomorrow" she breathes, family.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS" he echoes,
vacantly; tomorrow" and his hand
wanders to his brow-his hand that is
thin and wasted.
Then he turns with lowered head.
"By Heaven" he breathes, Il am
punished"
White and rigid, one hand holding
the chair for support, she watches
him.
eyes," he mutters, more to himself
than to her. ri deserve it"
Then he looks at her over his Shout
der, as man might look when he
takes his last look at the Paradise
from which he is expelled-forever.
His eyes take in every line of the
beautiful face, and slowly, with bent
head, he moves toward the door.
Alas! she cannot let him go! The