Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1907-05-14

mis- eyes. '-rhere Is the gl'otio- see. i,
is seclus!on itself. VIII you GONE with
me? must tall You I'll tlat is in my
heart. 1t will burst II | do not"
Slowly they made their way to the
fairy grotto deep in the thlcket of
trees. 1t was Yetlve's fayorite dream
ing place. Dark and cool and musical
with the ripping of waters, 1t was an
Ideal retreat She dropped upon the
rustic bench that stood against the
moss covered wall of powders. With
the gentle reserve of man who re-
veres as well as loves. Baldos stood
above her He waited. and she under
stood. How unlike most impatient
lovers he was!
"You may sit beside me-" she said,
| with wistful smile of acknowledge
ment AS he flung himself into the
seat his hand eagerly sought hers. his
courtly reserve gone to the winds
Beverly, dearest one, you never can
know how much love you," he whis-
pered into her ear. "It is a deathless
love, unconQuerable, unalterable. 1t Is
In my blood to love forever. Listen to
me, dear one. come of a race whose
love is hot and enduring. My people
from time immemorial have loved as
no other people have loved. They have
killed and slaughtered for the sake
of the glorious passion. Love is the
religion of my people. You must, you
shall believe me when say that l will
love you better than my soul so long
as that soul exists. | loved you the
day met you. 1t has been worship
since that time"
His passion carried her resistlessly
away as the great waves sweep the
deck of a ship at sea. She was out In
the ocean Of love- far from all else
that was dear to her. far from all har-
bors save the mysterious one to which
his passion was plotting her through a
storm of emotion.
~ have longed so to hold you in my I
arms, Beverly Even when you were a
princess and / lay in the hospital at |
GanlOok my fevered arms hungered
AOA gOus hCNCl OCCn q
ment that my heart has not been reach
ing out in search of yours. You have
glorifed me, dearest, by the promise
you made a week ago. know that
you will not renOunce that precious
pledge. 1t is in your eyes now-the
eyes shall worship to the end of eter
nifty. Tell me, though, with your own
lips, your own voice, that you will be
my wife, mine to hold forever"
For answer she placed her arms
about his neck and buried her face
against his shoulder. There were tears
In her gray eyes and there was sob
In her throat. He held her close to his
breast for an eternity, it seemed to
both, neither giving voice to the song
their hearts were singing. There was
no other world than the fairy grotto.
Sweetheart am asking you to
make great sacrifice" he said at last.
his voice hoarse but tender. She look
ed up into his face serenely. "Can
you give up the joys. the wealth, the
comforts of that home across the sea
to share lowly cottage with me and
my love? Wait, dear-do not speak
until am through You must think of
what your friends will say. The love
and life l offer you now will not be
like that which you always have
known. 1t will be poverty and the
dregs, not riches and wine. 1t will
be"-
But she placed her hand upon his
lips, shaking her head emphatically.
The picture he was painting was the
same one that she had studied for days
and days. Its very shadow was ia
miliar to her, its every unwholesome
corner was as plain as dayf
''The rest Of the world may think
what 1t likes, Paul." she said. "It will
make no difference to me- / have
awakened from my dream. My dream
prince is gone, and find that it's the
real man that love. What would you
have me do? Give you up becase you
are poor? Or would you have me go
up the ladder of fame and prosperity
with you, a humble but adoring bur-
den? know you, dear. You will not
always be poor. They may say what
they like. have thought long and
we'll, because am not a fool 1t is
the American girl who marries the
titled foreigner without love that is a
fool. Marrying poor man is too serl-
GUS business to be handled by fools.
l have written to my father, telling him
that am going to marry you." she an
He gasped with unbellef.
You have, already| he cried.
"Of course. My mind has been made
up for more than week. l told it to
Aunt Fanny last night"