The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1908-11-03
ton that he was requiring too great

ton that he was requiring too great {
sacrifice Of her.
One day when she was more thar
usually distract he offered to release
her. She told him that, while she
could not give him what his truth an6
devotion deserved, she would be true
to him If such was his desire.
at is my hearts dearest WISH" ht
answered fervently. "And love like
mine must have its reward by and by
1 will be patient"
Deeply touched, even more by his
tone than the words, she answered
gently, "Geoffrey, / wish might dc
more, but all that can give shall be
yours"
After this for his sake she strove tC
bring back some Of her old time cheer
fulness And when she succeeded, as
In part she sometimes did, his happy
face paid her for the struggle. But
when alone In her room, where she
could be herself her sore heart cried
out against the fate which forced this
hollow life upon her.
On the evening Of the day before
that set for her wedding she was sit
ting In a rustic chair on the lawn.
Wrapped In the contemplation Of her
strange position, she did not know that
man was approaching her until he
had called her name. AS she turned
the face of Fred Nevius, full of hun
CRY longing, met hers.
With a little cry Of gladness she
sprang up, and the next moment his
arms were about her. How long they
remained thus they could not have
told when they saw the grave eyes Of
Godfrey Burns, not In anger, but full
Of unutterable sadness. resting on
them.
Tearing herself from Nevius clasp,
Cora went to Burns and put her hand
upon his arm.
Forgive me, Geoffrey," she said
humbly. Forgive me. forgot" Then,
turning to Fred. she added, 'Tomor-
row night l am to be his WIFE"
Nevius recoiled as II she had struck
him and, like one dazed, stood, with a
dumb misery on his ashen face, look
ing from one to the other. At last he
broke the painful silence.
"Great God" he cried passionately.
did ever man have such bitter fate?
On a scrap of paper a few days ago /
saw an account of the cruel jest which
ruined my life 1 hurried home, hop
ing to find what evil fortune had
.snatched from me. / thought l had,
but, oh, my Cod His words ended
with wall Of despair, and, turning.
he staggered away like one who had
lost all hope.
Burns, watching them, saw that
while Cora still kept her hand upon
his arm her eyes followed the retreat
ing form, and all her heart went with
them.
Impatiently the guests, sitting In
Mrs. Dixon's parlor, waited the com
ing of the bridal party. The groom
had been with Cora fully half an hour,
and the clock had announced the hour
for the ceremony more than that long
ago.
Presently 1t was whispered they
were coming. The organist made
ready, touching the initial chords. The
clergyman took his place. All eyes
turned on the door saw Godfrey Burns
come in alone.
The establishment of the assembled
company found expression in one
smothered murmur. Then all grew
silent as the chamber of death as they
saw Burns was about to speak.
With a mighty effort to be calm, he
began: Friends, there will be no we'd
ding tonight. l had thought that this
hour would crown my life with the
fulf1llment of its fondest hope, but
God wills otherwise. Ny love for
Cora Dixon has not abated one jot,
and she stands ready to make good
her promise to be my wife. But he
whom God hath Joined to her is now
returned, and, though it leaves my life
a barren waste, l have released her
from her VOW"
Shortly after Fred and Cora were
quietly married. And the first news
they had of the noble man whose sac
rif1ce had made their union possible
was that he had been killed in Cuba,
and in his will he had left his property
to Cora