The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-11-19
The Hearts
Highway .4si 1;
Copyright. 1900. by DOUBLEDAY. PAGE a CO.

| 1t was we'll toward morning. and in.
| deed a faint pallor of dawn was in
| the east and now and then a bird was
| waking. Not a slave on the plantation
/ was astir and the sounds of sIumber
| were coming from the quarters. So I
| myself put my borrowed horse in sta
| BILE and then was seeking my own
room, when, passing through the hall,
white figure started forth from a
| shadow and caught me by the arm,
and ii was Catherine Cavendish. She
urged me forth to the porch. I being
bewildered and knowing not how, nor
indeed if it were wise, to resist her
but when we stood together there, in
that hush of slumber only broken now
and then by the waking love of a bird,
and it seemed verify as il we two
were alone I'm the whole world, q sense
Of the situation flashed upon me. l
turned on my heel to re-enter the
house. Madam I said, this will
never do. If you remain here with me
your reputation
What think you I care for my repu-
tation:' she whispered. What think
you? Harry Wingfield, you cannot do
this monstrous thing. You cannot be
so lost to all honor as to let my sister
You cannot, and you a convict
Then indeed for the first time in my
life and the last / answered a woman
as IL she were man and on an equal
footing of antagonism with me.
MADAM" 1 replied, II will maintain
my honor against your own" But she
seemed to make no account Of what l
said. Indeed 1 have often wondered
whether a woman when she is in pur-
suit of any given end can progress by
other methods than an ant, which
hath no power of circuitousness and
will climb over a tree with long labor
and pain rather than skirt it If it
come in her way. Straight at her pur-
said still in that sharp whisper, "you'
will not, you cannot-she is but a
child"
Then before I could reply out ran
Mary Cavendish herself and was close
at my side. turning an angry face upon
her sister.
Catherine" she cried out. how
dare you? I am no child. Think you
that 1 do not know my own mind?
How dare you? You shall not come
between Harry and me. I am his be-
fore the whole world. will not have
it, Catheriner'
Then Catherine Cavendish, awaken
ing such bewilderment and dismay in
me as I had never felt, looked at her
sister and said IN q voice which can
hear yet, 'Have thy way then, sister;
but tits over thy own sisters heart"
what mean your Mary asked
breathlessly.
II love him. said Catherine.
/ felt the hot blood mount TO my
head, and 1 knew what shame was. I
turned to retreat. knew not what to
do, but Mary's voice stopped me. 1t
rang out clear and pitiless with that
pitilessness Of a great love.
"And what is that to me, Catherine?"
she cried out "Sure it is but to thy
shame if thou hast loved unsought and
confessed unasked. And if 1 had ten
Thousand sisters and they all in love
with him, as well they might be, for
there is no one like him in the whole |
world. over all their hearts would I |
go rather than he should miss me for |
but a second II he loved me. Think |
you that aught like that can make a |
difference? Think you that one heart |
can outweigh two and the misery OF
one be OF any account before that of |
threeT'
Then suddenly she looked sharply at
her sister and cried out angrily:
Catherine Cavendish, l know what
this means. IT'S but another device
to part us. You love him not. You
have hated him from the 1rst. You
have hated him, and he is no more
Catherine wildly weeping