The daily Alaskan., 1906-01-03
My Promise

Nothes had just died and left me the care Of her daughter Cynthia, eight years old.
 "Margarct," said our mother the day before she died, you know what l have done for youT
 Indeed Go," I replied.
 NOW is your opportunity to make a return. Cynthia has no klth or kin to rely on. Without your care I know not what will become of her. Promise me that you will be mother to her"
 T will"
 ''TO do that you must not have chil- dren of your own. know woman's nature. We will never permit any child's interest to stand In the way of our own. Promise me that you will not marry until Cynthia comes of age"
 I was silent,
 At least until she has married"
 Again I made no reply.
 "Will you not promise me thlsP
 'I promise you that will not marry till Cynthia has d love of her own--un- til she is engaged.
 My foster mother sighed and turned away. She knew she had no right to ask such a sacrifice. What had prom Ised was equivalent almost to not mar rying at all. Eight or nine years at least must pass before Cynthia would love, and she might never love at all.
 Had l not met Irving Peck I would have promised my aunt all she asked without hesitation. had only known him a little while, but It was long enough to tell me that had met my fate. The truest love, to my thinking, is that which comes upon both the man and the woman from the moment they meet. Irving Peck and l each recognized In the other q mate, and month after my foster mothers death he asked me to be his wife. When l told him of my promise he did not ask me to break it; Indeed, he told me that if I did he would not respect me. He said that he would marry no other wo- man, and if Cynthia stood always in our way he would never marry. We did not think 1t best that we should remain near each other, and Irving went away.
 I neither saw nor heard from him till Cynthia was seventeen then be wrote me that since she was of mar rlageable age we might meet again. l replied that Cynthia promised to be a coquette. and there would be little hope of her choosing a husband. l continued after thls to hear from him occasionally, but could give him no hope. At nineteen Cynthia had firted with every young man In the village, and. like Alexander. there were no more conquests for her to make. At this time a friend in Caldwell invited her to q visit, and Cynthia gladly ac- cepted the invitation. l wrote Irving while she was away that he might come to see me. The truth is, Cynthia was so full of witche"y and withal was so much younger than that feared to have him come while she was at home. l was disappointed to learn from him that a special project would prevent his coming till about the time Cynthia would return.
 When Cynthia was fifteen she had discovered the secret of my promise. We slept together, and I talked in ny sleep. I had never told her, fearing that she might feel constrained to mar- " on my account. But did not know her. Realizing that l looked to each of her love affairs to release me, she seemed to take a malicious pleasure in tantalizing me. I wrote Irving of this, and I should not have done so, for < made him furious.
 One morning l received a letter from Cynthia, and, to my great delight 1t told me that she had met a man whom she fancled she could love. She had not thought to give me his name, but this was of little consequence to De, for would not know him. Her next letter. written two weeks later, an
 
 nounced her engagement, which meant that at last was free. Before finish Ing reading her letter threw 1t down and took up my pen to write Irving announcing the good news; but, turn ing to the letter again for the name Of Cynthia's lance, the room swan, and I fell in a swoon. The name was Try ing Peek.
 What strange coincidence had brought mese two together? Did Cynthia know that her lover had been my loV- CT? Did Irving know that Cynthia was the girl who had stood between usF Cynthia could not know the truth un- less he told her. Irving might and might not know her. He had not seen her before since she was little girl but he must surely know her by name.
 Another week passed, and nothing from Irving. Then one morning car riage drove up to the door, and a man allghted. I knew at once that it was Irving. He came to the door with a quick step, pulled the bell and without waiting for 1t to be answered strode Into the house. On seeing me he step ped forward to take me in his arms. l drew back.
 "we are free" he said. Cynthia Is engaged"
 "What Is our freedom worth since ,,o,, ore nnOa cod as vVpllT'