The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-07-24

This remark certainly had the effec'
of throwing the holder of the fortress
off her guard. 1t swept away the trib
uIation from her brow. After all, tht
case might not be so serious as she hat
thought, and jubilantly she welcomed
the respite, for she had no wish to add
q homiliation TO the wrong which fate
had decreed she should work upon him.
She breathed sigh of relief and said:
What guise? I'm afraid | do not
understand"
You see. hitherto we have been
shielded by a pass. Its wording was
such that little inquiry was made about
either of us. Now, for the first time,
we have no protection, and what we
say to those who acccst us must prove
our safeguard. / shall be asked who
you are. / told your brother that |
would treat you as if you were my own
sister, but / cannot call you my sister
at oxford"
"Why not?''
FOR one reason, because you go to
meet friends who know that l am not
your brother, and if inquiry is made
we are at IL disadvantages.
True. true. | had forgotten"
Another reason is that IL we claimed
such relationship no one would believe
us, for your hair is as black as the
ravens wing and mine is like the vel
low corn"
Il had not thought of that" she
said.
But I thought of it, and also of a
way to circumvent it. If they ask
who the lady is 1 shall tell them she
is my betrothed."
mo, no, nor gasped the girl
He was now close by her side and
endeavored to take her hand, but she
held it from him.
You say no because you will not
truth. You are robed in truth, my be-
loved, as an angel is
"Oh, cease, cease, l beg of you!"
Frances, this is the song that bub-
bles in my heart, and if my lips could
worthily fulfill their prompting I would
put it to such words and such music
as woman never listened to before
But, lacking eloquence, can only say.
My lady, l love you"
and l can only say l am sorry if
this be So
eff! Why do you say if? Do YOU
not know it to be true?'
Il know it now that you tell it to
me-"
You do not love meY
mo"
"And cannot"
"And cannot"
You would even rob me Of all hope,
the lovers guiding starr"
IF you call it robbing to take from
you what should never have been pos
sesSed."
why should I not have possessed
that hope? Is it because l am untitled,
while you are the daughter Of the man
who was the proudest peer in Eng
land"
Titles have naught to do with it."
Titles are but breath-still, men
have intrigued for them, have sold
their souls for them, as others have
bartered for gold. That shall do. I
thought never to beg from any man,
yet for this king / stake my life, and
1t Is but fair he should cover my wager.
/ will say to him, l go to Scotland on
your behest, through an enemy'S coun-
try. Death or treachery dog every
footstcp l take. / may win or lose,
but If / win then l demand the stakes,
which will not take n silver penny
from your depleted treasury. Make me
Earl of the Southern Marches"
You ask a just reward, but 'twould
be useless as assistant to the quest you
now pursue"
Frances, no lover truly entitled to
bear that dear name thinks himself
worthy of her on whom his heart is
set, and l do not plead my own WORTH
ness when l sue for your favor. But
I am buoyed up by the thought that
every day we live some woman mar
ries some man, therefore are women to
be persuaded, and there are none on
earth but us to persuade them. Why
should my fortune be worse than that
of my fellows?'
''Sir, you forget or ignore that every
VI Jul lives Soluc ISIuStS
some man and never marries him
Why should your fortune differ from
that of so many of your fellows?'
You have pierced the armor there
my girl, so l own my simile defective
and fall back on my own unworthi'
ness, to beseech your pity on it and
point the way to that amendment
which will iaake me deserving in your
eyes"
"Sir, you force me unduly. You drive
me toward confession. Plying God
is my witness that 1 hold naught
against you. You must accept my
answer as final and let us have an
end of this fruitless and embarrassing
conversation. / can never marry you"
There is but one circumstance to
prevent it,"
'rhen believe that circumstance ex-
lists
"You love another?"
Il do not"
The young man laughed joyously,
but no corresponding smile disturbed
the set lips of the girl. When he ac-
cused her of loving another she glanced
up at him for one brief moment and
answered before she thought, wishing
her reply recalled as soon as it was ut,
tered, for If she had agreed with him