The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1908-03-20


even than that"
AS she had grown more remote
Conrad became more fervent. It was
as II he fastened after her, to draw
her back as often as she eluded him
Il must go on" he said excitedly
I've gone too far, now, not to put you
to the test, even if make the blunde1
of my life. I'm risking my whole hap
piness, my whole life, on the throw.
can't live without you, and l won't
It's threat, if you LIKE know wha,
I'm saying. You will have me, won't
you, Aimee?'
There was knock at the door,
Come I'M" she called, welcoming
the delay. Conrad rose in anger.
A maid entered, bearing a letter
which she put in Miss Allison's hand
than left the room. In an instant
Aimees poise had asserted it's dom
ination. She looked curiously at the
address.
You must answer me now" Con.
rad exclaimed.
She held the evelope in her slim,
tapering fingers, delicately, as il re.
celVlng some subtle, sentient impress
sion. will you excuse me for mo-
ment while l read this letter." she
asked, trembling
mo, l WON'T" he cried, distracted.
ly. why should you trifle with me
at time like this? If you mean to
refuse me, you might at least do it
quickly and mercifully."
I'm not sure what l may. do" she
said, softly. 1T may be better for
you if you wait, though l don't prom
Use it will. l don't recognize this
| handwriting at all, but somehow
have feeling that it will help me to
answer you. OF course, though. l
may be mistaken. l wish you'd let
! me try it, Conrad"
He walked to the other end of the
room and stood, moodily, at the win.
dow. looking out. She tore open the
envelope and found two Enclosures
At the sight of one, as it fell upon her
lap, half-opened, her color changed,
and her breath came faster She read
the other one first, however:
my Dear Miss Allison: I am sending
you herewith letter which would have
been sent many months ago. had 1 been
able to determine positively for whom it
was intended 1t was written by Lieut..
IRENE on the night of the engagement
in which he was killed. He was prob
| ably compelled to fall in suddenly, be-
fore he had time either to complete or
address the letter. attended Lieut..
IRENE in the field hospital, and was with
him till he died. He recovered conscious
ness for a little while after the operation.
but had strength enough only to ask me
to deliver this letter. without being able
to communicate the proper address. You
will understand that it was a delicate
matter to find the person for whom it
was meant as none of his friends knew
OF your engagement to him. 1t was al
most year before 1 was able to be sure
that 1t was meant for YOU. I hope that
you will forgive the delay and will be-
lieve me worthy of his and of your
| confidence. MARGARET TABARD."
Miss Allison cast a swift glance
] towards the window before she took
up the second sheet. Conrad had not
| stirred. She held the penciled paper
to the light.
MY Dear, Dear: I have only few
| minutes. perhaps, before we 90 into ac-
ton. and some presentiment, which by
tomorrow will probably prove to have
been nervousness. makes me want to
write a word to you before the fun COM
mences. 1t may be that 1 won't pull
through this time. The officers have been
picked off in rather nasty way of late.
| So, in case anything should happen,
| there's one thing l want to tell you if I
could only know how to do it. In spite
of all that has happened. it may be pos
sible that you don't quite realize just
| how much I care for you, dear girl It
! may be more than you think It's so
much more than l can realize No one
| ever can want YOU as much as I want
| YOU. but even more than that, 1 want
YOU to be happy-in your own way, not
mine only. l don't want my love ever
| to bind you or to come between any two
| selves you may find at war with one an
other. Your happiness is all 1 have to
! care for in this world: it's your only
: rival. II You asked me to kill you,
could do it to make you happier. AS for
my own life. that's one Of the least
things I'd sacrifice. If it would make
you happier. I'd even live, when dying
| would be much easier. So I hope you'll
! understand me when I say that. if there's
ever any other man who can make you
| happier than I, or can even make you
happy after I'm gone. my greatest hap
piness will be yours. Don't ever try to
hold yourself faithful to a memory for
my sake! Believe me- this comes from
i; my heart: believe that it is. as we'll as
can measure it, the height and the depth
of my love for you.
wise as you are. and subtle as you
are in the mysteries of love. I doubt
il you could ever quite stand this If I
should say it to you, face to Ease: you
might think I was lacking in strength
and intensity of desire; but If should
die. you'll have time to think it over. and
you'll understand. So I'll not send this
unless I'm pretty badly hurt. There's
something about sorrow that"
Miss Allison looked up through her
tears to see Conrad watching her
from across the room. He came over
to her eagerly, his eyes shining, and
took both her hands.
She spoke as steadily as she could
making a great effort to master her.
self. Conrad saw her now, for the
first time, perhaps, struggling openly
with an overpowering emotion. She
had come into the light.
81 was right" she said, this letter
has helped me, and told me what my
answer should be. have known, in
my life, one truly magnanimous man
You have asked me If there were any
better way that a man could love- and
he has told me. There is a better
way, Conrad, and I can never accept
anything less than that, for hays
had the most that woman can have,
He understood"