Mower County transcript., 1906-06-27
enveloped him. G,.> Il. =
out toward him was the cane


! you! But don't you see how fmpos-
sible it is? It can not be; no, no!
| My father and I are proud. What we
owe we shall pay. Poverty, to be ac-
| cepted without plant, must be with
out debts of gratitude. But it was
noble and great of you; and I knew
that you intended to run away without
ever letting any one know"
who told you?"
"No one. guessed it,"
And he might have denied all knowl-
edge of it!
won't you-won't you let it be as
it is? have never done anything
! worth while before, and this has made
me happy. Won't you let me do this? (?
Only you need know I am going away
| on Monday, and it will be years be-
fore I see Washington again. No one
need ever know"
"It is impossible!"
"Why?"
She looked away. In her minds eye
| she could see this man leading a
| troop through a snow-storm. How the
wind roared! How the snow whirled
and eddied about them, or suddenly
| blotted them from sight! But on and
| on, resolutely, courageously, hopeful
| ly he led them on to safety. ..
He was speaking, and the picture dis
solved
Wont you let it remain just as
| it is?" he pleaded.
IIar hood rcuo1 rorot;1-o11y op1 oroa
more she extended the note. He took
| it and slowly tore it into shreds With
| it he was tearing up the dream and
| tossing it down the winds.
1.-THE money will he placed to your
credit at the bank on Monday. We can
not accept such a gift from any one
You would not, know. But always
shall I treasure the impulse. 1t will
| give me courage in the future-when
| I am fighting alone"
"What are you going to do?'
'1? I am going to appear before
| the public with assumed lightness;
II and my violin.''
He struck his hands together. The
! stage? ?'-horrified.
Il must i've, -calmly.
"But a servant to public caprice?
| It ought not to be! l realize that !
| can not force you to accept my gift,
but this shall do; shall buy in the
horses and give them back to you."
"You mustn't. I shall have no place
to put them. Oh!"-With a gesture
full of despair and unshed tears, why
have you done all this? Why this
mean masquerade, this submitting to
the humiliations I have contrived for
you, this act of generosity? Why?"
Perhaps she knew the answers to
her own questions, but, womanlike,
wanted to be told.
And at that moment, though I am
not sure, I believe Warburton's guard
ing angel gave him some secret advice.
"You ask me why have played the
fool in the motley? ?"-fnding the
strength of his voice. "Why I have
submitted in silence to your just hu-
miliations? Why l have acted what
you term generously? Do you mean to
tell me that you have not guessed that
riddle?"
She turned her delicate head aside
and switched the grasses with her rid
ing-crop.
'Wen"-finging aside his cap which
he had been holding in his hand Il
will tell you. l wanted to be near you.
I wanted to be, what you made me,
your servant. 1t is the one great hap
piness that I have known. l have done
all these things because-because, God
help me- love you! Yes, love you,
with every beat of my heart!'-lift-
ing his head proudly. Upon his face
love had put the hallowed seal. DO
not turn your head away, for my love
is honest. I ask nothing, nothing; I
expect nothing. ! know that it is
hopeless. What woman could love
| man who has made himself ridiculous
in her eyes, as have made myself in
yours ?"-bitterly.
"No, not ridiculous; never that!"
she interrupted, her face still averted.
He strode toward her hastily, and
for moment her heart almost ceased
to beat. But all he did was to kneel at
her feet and kiss the hem of her rid
ing-skirt He rose hurriedly.
"God bless you, and good-by!" He
knew that if he remained he would
lose all control, crush her madly in his
arms, and hurt her lips with his de-
spairing kisses. He had not gone a
dozen PAGES, when he heard her call
pathetically He stopped.
"Mr. Warburton, surely you are not
going to leave me here alone with the
horses?"
"Pardon me, I did not think! l am
confused" he blundered.
"You are modest, too Why is it
that, at the moment man succumbs
to his embarrassment, a woman rises
above hers? Come nearer,'-a COM
rend which he obeyed with some hes
itation. You have been a groom, a
butler, all for the purpose of telling
me that you love me. Listen. Love
is like pillar based upon dream:
ona hv one we Law the stones of beauty