The San Francisco call., 1906-12-30

THE sympathy OF our common care
for his happiness; nothing more, moth
Ing less. You talk of your ridiculous
affection for him; you. who would ruin
him"
u swear to you he shall never hear
of IT."
ANY moment you may betray your
self. You were very near 1t this even
ing!" (The other made a weak gesture
of denial.) Worse than that" cried the
baroness. ANY moment he may. Girl,
men are such fools. / tell you, II he
were fool enough to speak OF honest
love to you-and, I know him, he
would speak of no other--then you
would be fool enough, | warrant you,
to accept his sacrifice, to ruin his
future"-
love for him. I love hint I-there,
you see, keep back my secret no
longer. I will save him. 4! My love
: IL like furnace next to your little,
puny tallow candle. What? You
couldn't sacrifice your poor little love
for him. while I-I-fool. see what I
did, / love Baron Oscar!'s
The pent-up cry broke forth at last.
1t seemed as If it rent the heart from
which 1t came.
For Gods sake. hushr' cried An
neke, but too late. for Blitterswyk
stood before them. In the courtyard
the carriage could be heard rumhllng
out.
Only for a second he stood there,
motionless. before them. Then he
burst forth. blood and thunder. who
said love Baron Oscar? The voice
was''-
Nine" said Anneke.
L was very young she went on,
eagerly. He was very handsome and
tab IL Ia IA ~,~e TT l.
Helen). 4 trust to your kindness and
the Baron's to keep my silly little .slrl-
ish secret. No one knows Of 1t but
you and he"
And. of course, the feeling is long
over" said Blitterswyk, tapping his
boot with his cane.
Does your noblcness think / could
have spoken OF 1t else?"
quite so. quite So" said the Baron
Blitterswyk. And besides. m your
uncle tells me. you are soon going to
marry your cousin, Joop.''
mo, no.' said Anneke. II an not
going to marry at ALL
AT least" interposed the Baroness,
coldly, let her wait till he summons
UP courage to ask her"
Blitterswyk laughed moodily. which
the BOBBY swears he never Will. You
can avail yourself however. Of the
privilege of this night. AnnekA."
They left Anneke alone with her
glasses She hogan clearing away again.
in the cold winter night
The girl remained. motionleas. by the
doorway. The thoughts she was think
ing overwhelmed her SO increasingly
that she whispered them. In soft ut
terance, aloud:
'Anneke, you have grown even low
lier than you promised" she repeated.
mo. he wasn't laughing 1t me. sNona
half SO beautiful ~ you. Anneke--et
least, ! didn't see any. How sweet Il
sounds--how sweet! Oh, Virgin Neither
Of God. thou xnowest In my hA9rt
am his wife" She started. frightened
by the sound of her own voice ovlr
those words. Her thoughts wer4 az
the lc,9 ave years OF hcpeleaa love
and doubt and sorrow.
For such desoiAtion ~ hers there
could be no earthly relief.
She crept to the gloomy portal. With
the heavily shadowed Image, silent,
above 1t. she leaned a9ains& oue of
the half-rounded pillars. on the worn.
chill steps. And slowly, Ia her numb
misery and hopaleaa yeArning, ot3e un-
fastened q shoe from Der foot, helo II
aloft. and hung it on q projection Of
the stone.
'Oh, Virgin Mother OF God" she
murmured, and now the tears streamed