The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1906-11-08

ciety. Now, you know could never be-
come that sort Of woman. I am only
an obscure girl. I don't know how. I
cannot talk brilliantly. I couldn't i'm
press people as your wife must I am
not even educated in any regular way.
I've just grown up in my own fashion
in the shade, as it were-and the
strong sunlight would only emphasize
my insignifcance."
"Will you let me say one word at
this point, Barbara?" broke in Duncan
in spite of her effort to prevent. "You
are wronging yourself and you are
Wr0nging me. As God lives, tell you
there Is no woman in the world so fit
to be my wife as you are. My only
wish is that I were worthy to have
such wife! I intend, Of course, to
achieve all that can-to make the best
use can Of such faculties as I possess,
but nothing imaginable could so great
~ 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
trickling down the girls cheeks. How
could it 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 be open to any
doubt? How could it 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 If her voice had been
under control. As it 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 q man achieves is
Of far less consequence than what q
man Is. That which I ask Of you is
to help me be the best that am capa-
bic Of being, and for you to be it with
me. want to make the most, the
best, the happiest life for you that is
possible. Oh, Barbara, you will never
know how longingly I dream Of a
home with you at its head! You can
not know how absolutely the WORTH
ness Of my life depends upon such q
linking of it with yours
The girl had completely given way to
her emotions now, but with that reso-
lutte self mastery which was dom
inant note in her nature she presently
controlled herself.
''You do not know ALL" she said.
"You have not heard all have to tell
you. You haven't heard the most i'm
portant part Of it. I have only told
you what thought on that evening
when-when you asked-questions. I
still think that ought to settle the mat
ter, but you seem to think-perhaps
you might have convinced me, or at
least-oh, you don't know! There are
other reasons stronger reasons, rea-
sons that nothing can remove"
'Tell me Of them. I can imagine no
reason whatever that could satisfy
me-"
ut is very hard to tell. You know
I never knew my parents. Both my
mother and my father died on the day
I was born. seem to know my moth
er, because auntie loved her so much
and has talked to me so much about
her all my life. But she never talked
to me much about my father. His
family was good one, his father hav-
ing been a banker, with some reputa-
ton as an artist also, and my father
was his partner in business. But that
Is all know Of my father-no, that
isn't what meant to say. I meant to
say that that is all my aunt ever told
me about him and all knew until the
night when you asked me-questions.
After you went away that evening I
went to my room and thought the mat
ter out. have already told you what
conclusions I reached. When I had
decided went to auntie's room and
sat on the side Of her bed and told her
everything. She cried bitterly-I didn't
understand why at first. After awhile
lhe said she didn't at all agree with
me in my conclusions and added:
eff the things you mention were all,
Bah, should tell you to stop thinking
Of them and let Mr.. Duncan judge for
himself, but there is something else,
Bab-someth1ng very dreadful. new
er intended to tell you Of it, but now I
must. You would find it out very soon,
TOR Tandy's wife knows It, and if she
heard that there was anything between
you and Mr.. Duncan she would make
naste to talk Of It, particularly after
what has happened between Tandy
and Mr.. Duncan. Then you would
never forgive me for not telling YOU
"She went on then and told me what
must tell you. She told me, Mr..
Duncan, that am the daughter Of a
theft"
The girl paused, unable to go on.
Duncan saw that she was suffering
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