The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-05-01

late. You know, and you forgive me-
Jane, win you7
II forgive? Oh, Mr.. ToIlett-oh, sfrl
can you indeed care anything about me
stir"
IT care for you as have done for
the last dozen years. love you 50
much that ask you for the second
time, to be my wifel And now, Jane,
If you are going to refuse me again, do
It quicklyw He caught her hand-her
cold, trembling hand and held it firm
", but with never the ghost Of a pres
snre in his II am strong. child. Don't
fear to pain me- ! can bear all that
you have got to say"
II don't think am worthy Of you,
sir. Remember whose daughter I am
remember / am growing old and faded
and worn! Mr.. Follett, you should
look for some one of better birthstone
one fuller of life and freshness than
poor Jane Grand"
II remember whose daughter you are,
jane" and SO steady was the wears
voice that she knew he was not speak
ing out of the passion of the moment,
but rather delivering an old and we'll
considered opinion. Il remember whose
daughter you are, child. / have re-
membered it ever since the time you
were six years old. But know, too,
that every human beings life dies with
him-your fathers, Jane, or mine! I
don't believe in any moral attainder,
any transmission of guilt. A mans
honor lies in his own hands; a mans
dishonor can rise from his own deeds
alone not from any heritage that
comes to him from another. For the
rest. / know quite well what Jane
Grand is-how worn, how faded, how
old. Does Jane Grand love me?-that
is the only question whose answer it
concerns me to hear"
"She does, sir. She loves you with
her whole hearti She knows now that
she has loved you longw
Very unlike heroine chat class OF
human creatures never giving any re-
ply to the most momentous question OF
life except by a monosyllable, too low
for any save the delicate ear of love
to CATCH. But poor Jane was not a
heroine; only a, supremacy tender, and,
at length. supremely happy woman;
and Mr.. FolIett seemed so entirely con-
tent, both with the substance and man
ner Of her reply, that don't think any
outside spectator Of the scene can have
a right to cavil at it.
"And you were not dreaming Of Gift
ford when l came in2 And you were
not dreaming of him, or mourning, to
the last, over his approaching mar
riage? Tell me true, Jane. ] would
like to hear every syllable Of the
truth"
II was thinking of you, and of you
alone, Mr.. Follett. was wondering
how you would take it when you heard
/ meant to go away from Chesterford."
"And you will stop in Chesterford
now?'
II believe so-but will let Mr.. Mo-
hun have the cottagep
Two hours later, when the vicar was
to leave, she united the black
ribbon from her neck and took from it
her wedding ring.
II can send it back to him, you know,
Mr.. Follett" she remarked, after going |
through all the story Of that ill-omened |
gift of Mohun's. "Some way it seems |
to me like a remembrance left from my |
own youth, not from him, andI feel it |
would be hard to put it away now. But |
l will do as you wish" she added |
quickly; "and if you will tell me. |
will send it off to Cheltenham by to-
post"
"Send to Mr.. Mohun's hands the ring |
that you have worn and made your
companion for seven years! Nay, Jane,
keep it, and look at it as often as you
will-so long as you wear my ring upon
your hand and my love in your heart!
The past is dead, child. l am not
afraid that Mohun's first gift shall
bring It back too wildly from its
grave again."
This was all the vicar answered.