The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1907-03-21

to cause pain, had her mind been at ease
then she got up and stood by the. fire
/ all In the effort to nerve herself to her
task; 1t must be done. Now, or never.
Il have a communication to make to
you, Sir Everard-"
/ ''Sir EHrard!" he interrupted, stand
ing near her.
And l don't know how to do it, she
continued, unmindful of the reproof.
Had you been any other than-than-
| what you are, / could not have made 1t.
l have been very wicked; very wrong. l
have let things go on, suffering you to be-
lieve that 1 would-that 1 was going to
marry you; and find cannot do So"
A dead pause. Sir Everard thought
that he had never seen any one so con-
fused; so painfully agitated.
| II do not understand you" he said.
But l think you had better sit down" "
he added, gently -leading her to the sofa,
on which he took place beside her.
at is your coming home which has
awakened me-" she continued, scarcely
knowing what she spoke. Indeed, did
not mean to do wrong, or to act dishon-
| orably; but when you came yesterday
| evening found-that could not
marry you. Let me tell you all" she
resumed, gathering some courage now the
ice is broken, as nervously sensitive peo-
| pie will do. 81 found / did not love you !:
that it would be wrong to myself, and
doubly, doubly wrong to you, IL fulfilled
my engagement and married you; and
lay awake all night, thinking what ought
to be my course. l did not dare tell papa
he is very severe and decided to
tell you; to ask you to give me up. 1t
is what l am now trying to ask you to
do. Oh, Sir Everard," she added, burst
ing into tears 81 do like and esteem you
very much and it nearly breaks my heart
to have to say this"
you must forgive me if / repeat that
| do not understand you," he said, in a
low, kind tone, ''and your last words less
than all. You like and esteem me- but
you g not love me? am quite content
to take the esteem and the liking, Mary;
to trust that the love will follow"
at never WILL" she almost vehemently
answered, lifting her eyes to his for a
moment in her eagerness, "It cannot do
So"
''You love another ~
''Oh, forgive me-" she whispered. "It
was not willingly done it seems to have
come on without my having been aware
of it. He did not know it, either-until
last night when you came. At least-at
least-he had never spoken of it,
You have betrayed yourself, 1 sus-
pect, unwittingly. You speak of Mr..
Baumgarten Why did you accept me?"
why, indeed!" she murmured. But
l did not know that / was doing wrong.
/ liked you very much, l admired and
respected you you were SO different, so
superior to the frivolous men we mostly
meet. 1t is true 1 did not love you, and
even then knew that liked-only liked,
mind-Charles Baumgarten; but
thought it would all come right in the
future. 1 was acting in a species of
dream or bewilderment, which was the
effect your offer had upon me. 1 had
taken wrong view of your frequent visits
to US. 1 fancied you came for the sake !
of Gertrude Baumgarten."
Gertrude Baumgarten % he repeated |
in a curious intonation. Gertrude would |
not have cared for me. Nonsense, Mary |
She was rapt in that italian prince
had more money than brains"
Mary shook her head. "She did not
care for him; and when he asked her to
be his wife she refused. After it was all |
over-I mean. when l had accepted you
and we were away, and on our return
home again, an idea came over me that it
was you Gertrude had really cared for. l
was not sure; and l judged it better not
to continue the train of thought but this
| know-Gertrude has never been quite
the same girl since. suppose l ought
not to tell you this fear l am forget
ting myself in more ways than one"
Everard Wilmot paused. do you
know, Mary" he said, that this commu-
nication in regard to yourself places me
in a very painful position"
Il can only throw myself upon your
generosity; only plead for your forgive
ness"
you wish me to understand that You
ind Mr.. Baumgarten are irrevocably at
ached to one another? Then will it not
,e better to tell the simple truth to Dr.
Oynevor? l do not suggest this to avert
to myself, but"
1T is the very thing that must not be s
lone," she interrupted, in agitation. {
Charles Baumgarten is as yet too poor
o ask for me, and papa would go wild at Z
he bare idea of it. He, of course, con-
iders it most desirable thing-oh, par
on me for having to say all this-that /
-should-become Lady Wilmot, l
nd l dare not tell him l object |
bought il you could do it-as if the OBJ
ection came from you-you would not be c
fraid of him, for he could not be harsh L
nd peremptory with you, as he would
18th me. l know it is a great boon to
SIX of you," she added, her eyes filling
gain, buff you knew how unhappy,
ow perplexed am-perhaps you would o
OF refuse to help me-" n
"You forget one thing" he returned in t
low tone, shat the odium of being re- z,
lsed had far better fall upon me than n
pom you. The world is not generous in :,
lese matters, but l can fight it better =
ian you can"
~ forget all things" she answered s.
)ut the bare fact before me-that | d.
ust not marry you, and dare not con- pj
IS to papa the true cause. The world m
N only say that you repented of your re
Igagement to me. Let it be So" :,
Sir Everard was silent. He knew that =,
e worlds ability to say it would not "
owe so pleasant as she thought. ~ must n
we time to consider this" he said, ris- In