The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-08-05

4 Again Duncan spoke soothingly, and
presently tho girl began again.
"Well, first, can nevcr--I mean /
mustn't--i mustn't say yes to the
questions you asked me that other
time"
'You mean when I asked II you
would be my wifeT'
"Yea. That's II. Thank you very
much. That's tho FIRST thing am to
toll you"
"Who bnde you tell mo thatT
"0h, nobody, or, rather. | mean no
body told mo mustn't say yes but
after / had made up my mind that
mustn't. then auntie said was bound
10 tell you about II all. wanted 10
write II, but she said that wouldn't DO
fair and that ! must toll you myself."
"But why did you make up your
mind that you mustn't say 'yssr Can
you not lovc mo, Barbara"
"oh. ycs--I mean moor, rather, I
mustn't"
"But II you can. why IL II that you
mustntT'
That question at last gave Barbara
courage 10 speak. IL seemed 10 nerve
her for tho ordeal and at the Same time
to point q way for the telling.
"Why. mustn't love you. Mr.. Dun
can. because cannot marry you. You
see. shat would BIO very wrong. When
you.~well, when you asked me those
questions. II startled me, and didn't
know what to say. but after you had
gone away that night ! saw clearly
that mustn't think Of such thing. II
would be 40 unfair to you"
"Bnt how would Il be unfairi II
would be doing the one thing In the
world that want you TO do. II would
DO giving me the one woman In the
world whom ! want for my wife, the
only woman shall ever think OF mar.
rying."
"But you mustn't think OF that any
more. You see. Mr.. Duncan. | am not
Ht 10 be your wife. should be ter
rible drag upon you. You are already
q man OF prominence. and everybody
says you are soon TO become a man Of
great distinction. You must have a
wife worthy Of such q man. a wife who
can help him and do him credit In 30.
clety. Now. you know could never be.
come that sort OF woman. am only
an obscure girl. don't know how.
cannot talk brilliantly. couldn't i'm
press people as your wife must. | am
not even educated In any regular way.
I've just grown up In my own fashion
lin the shade. as II were~and the
strong sunlight would only emphasize
my insignincancc,"
"Will you lot me say one word at
this point, Barbarai" broke In Duncan
In spite Of her effort to prevent. "You
arc wronglng yourself and you are
wronging me. As God lives, l tell you
there ls no woman In the world 80 At
10 be my wife as you are. My only
wish is that were worthy to have
such wlfel | intend. OF course, to
achieve all that can--to make the best
use | can Of such faculties as possess,
but nothing imaginable could so great.
ly help me TO do that as the inspiration
OF your love and the stimulus of know
Ing that you were to be always by my
side"
An occasional tear was by this time
trlckling down the girls cheeks. How
could II be otherwise when the man
she loved and honored above all others
was so tenderly saying such things Of |
her and to her with a sincerity too
greatly passionate to DO open to any
doubt? How could II be otherwise
when she knew that she must put |
aside the love of this man, her hero,
the only love, as she knew In her In
most soul. that she could ever think Of
with rejoicing so long as she should |
live?
She would have interrupted the pas.
sIonate pleading II her voice had been |
under control. AS 1t was she sat ST.
lent while he went on.
II have spoken of my ambitions first |
and of your capacity to help them not |
because such things are first In my esti-
nation, but because you have treated
them as worthy of being put first.
There are much higher things to be
thought Of. What man achieves Is
Of far less consequence than what
man Is. That which ask Of you is
10 help me be the best that am capa-
Die of being, and for you to be 1t with
me. ! want to make the most, the
best, the happlest life for you that is
possible. Oh, Barbara, you will never
Snow how longlngly dream Of n
lome with you at Its head! You can.
lot know how absolutely the WORTH
less of my life depends upon such a
mixing of 1t with yours"
The girl had completely given way to
Ter emotions now, but with that reso-
ute self mastery which was a dom
nant note In her nature she presently
controlled herself.
"You do not know ALL" she said.
Won hDya not heard MI hova to foil