Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1906-01-12

tance II have no plans az vet have
no home, no friends, no relatives"
Dear, dear, dearP said the colonel
In evident emotion.
linen he got up and took couple of
turns across the room. Suddenly he stop.
ped In front of her, regarding her earn
estly and fxedly with his keen. blue eyes.
My dear Mrs. Earle | am going to
say something that l had not meant to
say to you, not for long while, that
possibly had better not say at all, and
yet what You tell me about yourself
compels me to say it to you now"
She looked up at him utterly bewil-
dered and perplexed.
Il am plain man, Mrs. Earle-a man
OF actions and not of words. l have
peen soldier all my life, as you know,
and when say thing mean it. What
l am going to say now has been my fixed
intention for many months past. Twill
try and make my meaning clear to you.
l know well that it is not yet whole
year since the great trouble of widow
mood befell you-the greatest grief that
woman"
She lowered her eyes, while faint
nush stole into her clear, pale cheeks. II
ne only knew-if he only guessed-she
thought, with a swift pang of self-re-
morse, what this trouble of widowhood
mad brought to her, who had always
porne herself as a good and faithful wife
should bear herself! Oh, if the world
knew in what light she herself regarded
her bereavement!
| 1es," she said slowly and lingeringly,
though consenting to his words. 2
Il know that it is soon-cruelly soon
even-and yet your utter friendlessness
and desolateness force me to speak to
you. L want you to know and to feel
that you have in me one to whom you
| can turn at any moment. l can offer
you, at least, whenever you choose ta
take 1t, earnest devotion, a home, which
| l Will strive to render a happy one to
you and your child, and heart which
until l knew you had never yet been
| touched"
"Oh, Col. Trefusisp'
Nay" he said quickly, perceiving per-
haps the unspoken words in her regret
full eyes, may, give me no answer now.
do not press it. do not even wish it.
l, know that l am speaking far too soon
to heart that cannot have recovered
| yet from its wounds, and l know also
that l can never expect anything like
the first and deepest love of your life
which has been already spent"
Sha chivarad ond ohroDly owor nouor
ing her face with her hands.
"Ah, now / have hurt you, my dear,
dearest Mrs. Earle" he cried in distress.
Il am brute to touch upon your recent
sorrow, am l not? only want you to
know and feel that you are dear to be,
and that l would fain devote my whole
life to the task of giving you back, il
not happiness, at least something of your
lost peace, and l will expect so little in
return If you will oniy trust me with
your life. Do not answer me, only say
that in six months or In year you will
let me come to you again with my peti
ton, lad meanwhile that you will let me
be your friend and your protector, and
that you will rely upon me in every.
thing"
"Oh! Col Trefusis l am so sorry
for you are SO good to me, so very good
No, no; do not let me deceive you with
false hopes"
81 have spoken too soon, but will be
silent now. By and by l will speak
again"
"No, 1t would do no good. What you
ask is impossible or ever"
Then he rose from her side and tooh
her hand in both his.
Nothing impossible, dear friend" he
said very earnestly, "and time softens
all sorrow. l shall never despair, and
shall never give you up, never, at least,
he added, with smile, "unless what is
indeed unlikely, that you are to love
again, and to love another man"
And then, not knowing how his words
pierced her through and through, he left
her and went away.
And all day long ROsamond Earle sal
indoors and waited for the lover of her
youth, all day long in vain, for it was
nearly Z o'clock before Brian Desmond
turned leisurely in at The door of his
club.
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