Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-02-12

Suddenly she came H.i5ss to sergius
and, looking up Into his strong face,
and dark, handsome eyes, SO full of
tenderness for her, she said:
"Sergius, am your promised wife.
Do you love met"
"You know, Vera" he said simply,
"but why do you ask?"
why" she said passIonately, why?
Because you must prove your love for
me. You must show that you love me
better than all else. You must allow
my brother to escaped"
"Yera!" he cried.
you must allow my brother q es-
cape" she said again. IN
But Vera, you cannot ask It Of me,
my honor, my duty know I love
you, but cannot forfeit my word for
any one"
You must allow my brother to es
cape"
II will not" he answered.
"Then, sergius. you have lost you,
wife"
you cannot mean that, Vera"
Il mean 1t. You must choose" she
replied.
He gazed at her long and earnestly,
as II trying to read her very soul. But
her gray eyes were steady and not for
one moment did she waver. He held
out his arms appealingly, but she did
not answer him. He turned slowly
and opened the door.
Come and search" he commanded
After they had hunted and failed to
find Orlonf, sergius ordered them to
start on the trail Immediately. He lin.
gered at the door and said slowly, ut
is my duty, Vera. Good night"
'Good-by," she corrected.
1T was month afterward. Orion
Stevanowltch had never been found.
Vera had received word from him and
he was safe on his way to America.
The girl was very lonely, but there was
jubilancy In her very manner and her
eyes were Joyous and happy. Orion
had escaped and soon Serglus would
come. Why had he not come before?
All, she had known that he would do it
for her.
One evening at sunset she saw man
coming toward her hut. 1t was Ser
gius. She ran to meet him, love and
JOY in her manner. He caught her
hands, and gazing into her eyes, said I:
"Ah. Vera, you do love me, do you
not? You have welcomed me back?
You have retracted your words?'
"Of course" she said, and led him
into the house.
"Then let us forget that night, Vera.
1t is stamped on my brain in letters
Of fire, but your love will wash 1t
away. We shall forget, shall we not?"
and he drew her toward him.
"As you wish, serglus," she replied,
"but I knew you would do 1t for me.
I knew you would let him escape"
LET him escaped" he cried, .'but,
Vera, did not p
"You did not7" she repeated, dazed-
".
mo. Oh, now see. You thought
and he stopped, all Joy dying from
his face. The girl turned from him.
Vera, understand. You misunder-
stood. But you must know the truth.
1t was an accident. / did my duty to
the best of my ability. We searched
and searched, but he escaped, where
do not know. am sorry that you do
not understand. Women cannot under
stand. Men have code of honor and
duty which they must follow, and ii
they break this law they must pay the
forfeit, and the forfeit is this: that
they are no longer worthy to love a
pure and honorable woman. Our love
honor are linked together and true
love is lost when honor is severed from
1t. But you are woman. You can
not understand. will leave you.
Good-by."
At this Vera turned: "Stay, Ser
gius.' she cried, II do understand.
Women, too, have their code of honor.
/ once promised to be your wife. Our
code demands that we never break our
word. And /, Serglus, am faithful
follower of this law !"--Wayerley Mag
azine.
When n man makes Wlll he has a
righf IN ha uolf.Utllad