Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-01-04
CHAPTER Kill.
Continued.

lnere you MISTAKE. COulQ L nave
brought myself to consider so hurried
and uulooked-for nuptials 1 should
have come to you to stand by her at
the altar. As it Is come for your ad-
vice as to the best way to refuse her
request without shocking her feelings
too deeply. have a mother whom I
love. ] cannot bring myself to marry
without her presence. Shall l tell
Jenny so? only want three days in
= which to bring her. Jenny can easily
wait that long. But how to propose 1t
when her heart is so torn and lacer-
ated?"
Mr.. Degraw, lot us go to her. You
will have words given you. If she sees
that you love her and only wish to wait
a suitable time that she may be mar
ried with honor and you with satisfac-
tion she cannot be so unreasonable as
to feel hurt. She shall stay with me,
as she did before, until she is mar
ried.'
When they drove up to Jenny's
house Hilary remained in the carriage.
"Ah, you have come!'
The exclamation sprang from lips
that had turned suddenly rosy at his
step. He looked up as he heard 1t and
saw Jenny before him in dress sug-
gestive of a modest bridal, and carry
ing In her hand bonnet and pair Of
gloves. His heart for the moment
stood still.
"My daliing" he murmured, taking
her in his arms, and. as he did so gen
tly withdrawing the hat and gloves
from her clasp and laying them on a
table near by, "you are mine. then-all
mine! No one competes with me for
this small hand, and I may hope, in n
few days-indeed, before the week has
closed-to call you by my name before
the world. as l now do in the inner
most recesses Of my heart"
He had spoken without thought and
he had spoken well. If her delicacy
only was to be considered. But there
was another passion lying hid within
that beating heart, and she started
back wounded and frightened at his
words, saying, wildly:
II was mistaken, then, in thinking
you would wish me to be beholden to
no man but you. l must stay in this
house for days, eating Mr.. Degraw's
bread and giving orders to Mr. De-
graw's servants! II wonder you can
wish it. But il you say So
81 do not wish it, and it must not be.
Hilary stands ready to open her house
to you. She is outside now in the car
riage which stands in front of your
house. She wants. and | want, that
you should have every honor surround
ing your marriage; and this could not
be if we rushed off inconsiderately to
a minister's house tonight
"HiIaryv Jenny's voice sounded
strangely. 81 had much rather not
marry you from Hilary's house"
''And why. my beautiful? Had ever
a girl a kinder friend than she has
been to you?'
"You do not understand" was the
quick reply. II appreciate Hilary,
but" Jenny stole look at him.
Should she utter the words that were
trembling on her tongue? Would il
gain her her wish and lead him to solve
all her difficulties by marrying her DC
fore the fatal letter could reach him?
He did not give her the opportunity for
testing this possibility. Seeing her
hesitate, he took her by the hand and
passionately declared:
"My heart and life are yours, Jenny.
You must know it from my look and
clasp. I have no doubts. Yet with all
this love and all this hope, recognize
that there is such fact as duty. You
are not all l have in the world. l have
friends, 1 have my good name, l have
something like a career to consider.
But I do not consider these; consider
only my aged mother. who lives in a
little country home among the Con-
necticut hills, and who would be heart
broken If her only son married without
her knowledge and blessing"
"Ohw
Jenny dropped her face in the hollow
of her two hands. She knew that her
cause was lost.
''Do you not see" lie went on, his
voice sounding with richer cadence az
he dwelt upon the two deep loves Of
life, ''that l could not be a good hus-
band if 1 did not start right by being
a good son? And she has been such
a devoted mother to me. MY heart
warns as l think of her ceaseless care
and patient love. If have any good
in me it came from her: and if l have
any gratitude I must show it to her.
Am not right, jenny"
She pressed his hand. Fatal as this
delay was likely to be to her. she could
not deny the mothers claims.
"Go to her." she murmured, family.
II dare not ask you to remember my
wishes in preference to hers"
He stopped to kiss her.
"And / dare not do SO. Jenny. l
idolize you. love every hair OF your
head; every glance of your eye. In
deed, indeed, my love, 1 have no life
without you; but the more feel for
you the more / must feel for my
mother, since you two are the only
beings in the world that have ever
made me forget MY art. Some day
you will be the only one to consider;
till that day comes let me pay my duty
to both"
She sobbed, but attempted no fur.
\ thcr remonstrance.