Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1907-05-02

how much above my poor deserts he
esteenns me, So much that, in place
of condemnation and rebuke, ne spoke
Heaven bless himr'-ke looked
gratefully toward the wan, drawn
face lying back on the pillows-"he
spoke words of comfort and encour-
agement. All. Lady Norah, none but
I and those dear to him can ever
fully appreciate the nobility CT his la
ture, at was l who shrank with I'M
feigned humility from confessing my
love; it was he, the noble father, who,
IconsentiDg to forget the difference in
our rank babe me hope"
Norih's gaze grew more full of hor-
ror.
Even more than that he went
on after pause; The was good enough
to tell ME, with all the frankness Of a
father, that he had seen my love for
you, and that he would not only give
his consent to MY suit, but his coun-
tenance and generous approval. Lady
Norah, it is with the sanction OF your
father, with the knowledge that / have
his best wishes, that / kneei at your
feet and avow my love," and he drop
ped on one knee and held out his
hand to her almost in the attitude of
worship.
II have surprised you, alarmed
you! | should have prepared you,
and yet-ah, Lady Norah surely you
canont have been blind to the love l
bear you. During all these months you
must have seen how completely and
entirely / have been your slave.
There is no hour in which / have not
thought of you; no moment In which
| have not striven to find some way
Of proving myself less unworthy of
you. Yes, though / have tried to crush
/ the love out of my heart, and have
told myself that there could be nj
hope, no CLEAN of hope for me,
could not succeed. Such love as l
bear for you cannot be crushed; it is
| the life of mans life; it abides with
him unto death. could no more help
loving you THIN I could help breath
ling. Think, then. with what joy
heard that noble-hearted man tell me
that | might plead with you, might
lay my love and my life at your feet.
land, if | could, win you for my wife,
Lady Norah it is not only l who
speak and implore you to say Yes
but the father who loves you and
whom you love-
| Norah woke from the nightmare
that seemd to hold her in it's grip,
and her eyes flashed.
Tit is false." broke from her
! lips.
You doubt me, You disbelieve!"
he murmured, sorrowfully
''You say that-that my father sane
toned, consented
More than sanctioned he said.
softly, pleadingly Must tell you
all? You force me. Lady Norah, it
has long been his wish that you
should be my wffel"
Heaven above knows whether the
stricken man, whose presence Guilford
Berton had disregarded as completely
as If he had been already dead, heard
and understood: but at that moment 4
sound like a faint moan broke from
his shriveled lips, and. as Norah
sprang up and turned to him with a
cry. a shudder ran through Guilford
Berton and his face b'anched But N
a moment he Ind shaken off the dread
which had seized upon him.
'You see, you hear! All, if he couli
speak-and would to sHeaven ne
could,--he would bear me witness"
1t was fiendish stroke, and its very
laudaclty made it successful
Norah looked into the earrs face,
working with piteous effort to re-
gain the power of speech, and she ac-
cepted Guilford Berton's interpretl-
ton. With a low cry of despair and
ihorror she flung herself down, and
hid her face upon the old mans hands.
and he looked across her at Berton,
his face still working, but with W.
can't expressionless eyes.
''Norah, for Heavens sake, for his
>sshr, w uol-uC uoi tftste Ute IKE
this What have done-what am
l. that you should shrink from me?"
He stopped suddenly and started, for
la voice. audible to his own ears, only.
seemed to whisper in CHASTITY tones.
Murderer
"Norah. speak tom e. Tell me that
you forgive me. at least. Is 1t such
AN objectionable crime to have loved
you? All. how could ! help 1t?
who lived in the sunshine of your
lpresence''
"Go-go' dropped from her lips.
"You-you will not hear me?' he
said, hoarsely.
II have heard you,r she said, al
most inaudibly.
tiff he could but speak, he muir
INJURED. sorrowfully.
She turned to her father. and caught
at his arm. as If imploring him to re
call his consent or deny it.
why should you hate me so? IS
Eit--it is because | have come too hte,
hqcanse there is arc sher9-