Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1905-1906, 1906-02-20
. .
THE MAN ON The BLK
= BY HAROLD MacGRATH.
BY HAROLD MacGRATH.

II ought not to be! I realize that
| can not force you to accept my gift
but this shall do: / shall buy In the
horses and give them back to you"
"You mustn't l shall have no place
to put them. Oh!"-With a gesture
full of despair and unshed tears. why
have you done all this? Why this
mean masquerade, this submitting to
the humiliations l have contrived for
you, this act of generosity? Why?"
Perhaps she knew the answers to
her own questions, but, womanlike.
wanted to be told.
And at that moment. though l am
not sure, | believe Warburton's guard
ing angel gave him some secret advice.
You ask me why have played the
strength of his voice. why | have
submitted in silence to your just hu-
Mutations? Why | have acted what
you term generously? DO you mean to
tell me that you have not guessed that
riddle?"
She turned her delicate head aside
and switched the grasses with her rid
ing-crop.
"Well'-fiinging aside his cap which
he had been holding in his hand Il
will tell you. | wanted to be near you.
wanted to be. what you made me,
your servant. 1t is the one great hap
piness that have known. | have done
all these things because-because, God
help me, | love you! Yes, l love you,
with every beat of my heart!"-lift-
ing his head proudly. Upon his face
love had put the hallowed seal. DO
not turn your head away, for my love
is honest. ask nothing. nothing:
expect nothing. know that it is
hopeless. What woman could love a
man who has made himself ridiculous
in her eyes, AS l have made myself in
yours bitterly.
mo, not ridiculous; never that"
she interrupted, her face still averted.
He strobe toward her hastily, and
for a moment her heart almost ceased
to beat But all he did was to kneel at
her feet and kiss the hem of her rid
ing -skirt. He rose hurriedly.
God bless you. and goOd-by!" He
knew that If he remained he would
lose all control, crush her madly in his
arms. and hurt her lips with his de-
spairing kisses. He had not gone a
dozen PAGES. when he heard her call
pathetically. He stopped.
"Mr. Warburton, surely you are not
going to leave me here alone with the
horses?"
Pardon me, did not think! am
confused" he blundered.
"You are modest, too" Why Is 1t
that, at the moment a man succumbs
to his embarrassment. a woman rises
above hers? Come nearer,"-a COM
mand which he obeyed with some hes
itation. "You have been a groom, a
butler, all for the purpose of telling
me that you love me. Listen. Love
Is like a pillar based upon dream:
one by one we lay the stones Of beauty.
Of courage, Of faith, of honor. OF stead
fastness. We wake, and how the beau
tiful pillar tumbles about our ears!
What right have you to build up your
pillar upon dream Of me? What do
you know of the real woman-for
have all the faults and vanities of the
sex; what do you know Of me? How
do you know that l am not selfish
that I am constant? that | am worthy
q mans loving?"
Love is not like Justice. with pair
of scales to weigh this or that. do
not ask why | love you: the knowledge
is all I need. And you are not selfish,
: inconstant, and God knows that you
are worth loving. AS l said, ask for
nothing"
"On the other hand" she continued,
as if she had not heard his interpola-
ton, II know you thoroughly. I have
had evidence Of your courage. your
steadfastness. your unselfishness. Do
not misunderstood me. I am proud
that you love me. This love of yours
which asks for no reward. only the
right to confess. ought to make any