The Washington herald., 1908-09-03
LOVE THE CRIMINAL
By J. B HARRIS-BURLAND
BY
By ]. B. HARRIS-BURLAND.

res Sne replied, aVeru1S ner Iace.
7 think it VIII be best for you to go
I can start life elsewhere" he said
sercely. '-in a new country. perhaps But
1 cannot breathe the air Of this place 7
wished 70 tell you this at once. and 70
ask if you viii marry me within the
next month, unless-unless anything
should happen at the inquest Tomorrow"
She was silent. and. looking out across
the valley Of the Steyns. she prayed 81
iently for strength TO carry out her pur-
pose
VIII YOU marry ne. Laura2" he re-
{ peated, laying his Ind on her shoulder
You know what I an I have told you
all You did not shrink from ne then
You spoke brave words Of comfort I
thought that perhaps you had forgiven
me, ana thst-LaUra. for Gods sake an
swer me-"
But st.H the woman was silent She
had not the courage 10 speak the words
that would have 70 be spoken: &c tell the
lie that would have 70 be told
Laura he cried. you do not mean
you cannot mean that" He sripped her
I hard Dy the shoulders Zith both hands.
and turned her face 70 his. She closed
! her eyes with a little moan Of pain and
would have fallen 10 the ground but for
Z the strong fingers of the man who held
her. But he could read the answer n
her white face.
Laura" he said gravely. do you
mean that you refuse 70 marry Ue2''
She opened her eyes and he knew the
truth He took his hands from her
/ shoulders and looked away from her
I There were deep lines about his mouth.
and his face was no longer the face Of
I boy
And thea the woman found the strength
to speak
Z cannot marry you. Jack" she said
slowly IT would b. impossible after
always lie between US I have been
/ thinking over many things in the night
/ I have decided that I can never marry
you L viii BE- hest Tor both Of Us 70
part. and part forever
DO you mean" he c-ied hoa-sely.
that you do not love me because Of
o. thls7"
Il stu love you. jack she replied
/ II shall always love you. but our ways
must lie apart a great shadow has
fallen on our lives. and I shall be in The
darkness as wei as YOU
+ For answer he reached out his hand
20 open the gate so that he could pass
/ through and come 70 her side. but she
I laid her hand upon his arm
Do not come this side Of the gate
she said do net make the parting
harder Tor ne
He dropped his hand from the latch
and laughed bitterly
"This safe. then" he said With
[ gEasIIy smile. is The symbol OF the life
Z that is 20 be- But could break Il down
could wrench IL from It's hinges and
I splinter il. and reach your side Laura.
tel me what IS this barrier between US.
and why, e you still love uae, you VIII
not marry meT'
7 have told YOU she replied Can
you rot understand You have made our
marriage impossible There Is nothing
{ n nay heart but love and pity for YOU.
Yet II I married yo-. this secret. shared
By Us JwO-by Us Two aIoIe-wCuId d.
vide rs so surely 50 completely. that lie
would be he'll 70 both of US Cood-by.
my dear lover
she held out her hands 70 him and
he pressed his lips % them Then the
madness OF q great passion seized him
BE i9ose6 her fingers. and. gripping the
! gate with both his hands. he exer-e5 his
enormous strength and literally tore the
woodwork away from IT'S iron hinges Il
came apart with a loud crack OF splinter
ing wood, and he flung the fragments
ta- from him on the grass. The whole
action was instantaneous. brutal terri
be 70 witness Before the SRI could
move from the SPOT on which she stood
he had clasped her n lis arms and was
covering her face with passionate kisses
You are nine" he cried hocrsslv.
I and I will hold you against all the
ToTld-aye. II spite OF yourself. Fl the
Z face Of every obstacle You love ne and
I VIII Co anything 10 make you my wife
7 VII break down all barriers as broke
[ this sare- I viii suffer anything. I viii
risk anything You are mine, Laura
/ TIL death"
TIE SRI trenbled IN his arms. but her
courage was great IN the hour OF her
! temptation
7 have said that 7 VIII not marry
you she replied softly, and nothing
you can say or Go VIII force ne 10 90
I back on my word"
Nothing he asked. strsining her 70
him in his powerful arms. Are you sure,
Laurae"
7 an sure she replied quietly 7 an
quite. quite sure. JACK"
He let 90 Of her, and st-iding away
few PAGES, came back to her side
II your decision Is final" he said IN 4
/ hard voice, my life IS nothing TO ne.
am yours, and II you cast ne away from
YOU am nothing I VIII. therefore. act
the part OF an honorable nan and make
peace with ny own conscience Tc-uo--
row, at the inquest which IS to be held
On Hollands body. 7 shah speak the
truth I shall tell the Jury what hap
pened- and leave them 20 judge whether 7
an murderer. Do you understand me.
Laura -
I understand you" she replied. you
are using this as q threat. You think that
/ by this means you will turn me from nv
purpose But you are mistaken. Jack
viii only tel YOU that you have fallen IN
my estimation You know how much
your life-yOur happiness means to ne.
and, knowing this, you use your knowl-
edge 10 achieve your owr DESIRES
He was silent and bowed his head
Jack" she said softly. you are stfu
the loyal, true-hearted Jack whom 7
promised 10 marry SO short a time ago7''
cheek flushed with shame Then he took
hold Of her hand. very tenderly, and
raised it 10 his lips.
Forgive ne" he said gently. forgive
ne. my own dear sweetheart am al
ways your loyal lover. will serve with
out questioning GOod-by. dear heartr'
'GOod-by," she answered. ''aud God
bless your
For few moments he held her hand to
bis lips Then he dropped II, turned sud
denly on his heel. spranE into the saddle
and dug the spurs into the horses side.
The animal sprang forward. stumbled.
reSained its feet, and IN a few moments
both horse and rider had disappeared
from sight
TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW.
The American Girl