Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-06-03

am not worthy to touch your hand,
and I have dared! Lucille, I have
won your love, and I am lower than
your hate! Oh, Heaven forgive me!
Heaven forgive mel" and he bowed
his head upon her hand.
Harry! Harry" she murmured.
mo, no! Don't speak to men' he
groaned. "Lucille!-Miss Darracourt!
Oh, Heaven! how shall l tell you? l
am not worthy even To kneel at your
feet! l love youl I love you! But
you-yOu must not look at me
touch mel There is gulf between
US that even such love as mine can
not cross! Lucille, I am lower than
the lowest of your servants-there is
a stain upon nay life"
He broke of, painting and breath
less, and for all response she muir
INJURED once more:
Harry"
"A stain which death cannot wipe
OUT" he went on, hurriedly, almost
fercely. Don't tempt me, Lucille, or
I shall forget that I am an outcast-
and-nameless!"
She shrank back, more from the
vehemence of the words than any
significance which they conveyed.
DO you hear?" he cried hoarseIy.
"Nameless! Do you know what that
means? Do you know the depth of
degradation in which I am sunk? And
do you think I will drag you down in
to it? No! Rather than that l would
bear your scOrn and contempt! Lu-
ellie, have pity ON me! Send me
away in anger, with the contempt I
deserve! Don't tempt met
With a low cry, she shrank still
farther from him and leaned against
the tree in almost her old attitude.
Lucille for I will call you SO for
this Once-listen to me. Don't speak
to me, don't look at me. or I am lost!
Lucille, I did not know, I did not
dream that-that you loved me! If I
had 7 would have cut my tongue be
fore it should have uttered a word
to betTay you. Lucille-oh, my darI-
ing, how can I tell you? All, I cannot!
I can only tell you that we must part.
A cruel fate divides us! I love you!
Tn those words all my wretched
story is told! I love you, so truly, so
deeply, that even though I have won
your love l viii not drag you down to
my Level! No; there is enough of
manhood left in me still for that!
What! drag my goddess to the level
Of my mire! No, Lucille! Others will
tell you what I am. Spare me the
story from my own lips. Enough that
any love between you and me is i'm
possible. Oh, Heaven. how hard it is.
bnt, hard as it is, I shall save you
against myseIf-yOuTself! I will go at
Unve-rOmorroW the day afterward.
You viii see me no more. Dearest. let
this day be bIotted out Of your mem
DRY; let it be as if it had not been!
You will never see me again. Forget
that ever such a man as Harry Herne
existed. Be happy dearest, and I shall
be happy! Ay, though thousands Of
miles divide us, though we shall
never look into each others eyes
again, I shall be content. For l have
this to comfort me, LuciIIe-that if
Fate had been less cruel to me. /
might have won you!'
He stopped, heartbr0ken and
crushed by the struggle.
Gomez" he said at last pale and
trembling. still but firm and infex-
ible in his noble resolve to save her
from herself. Come. This shall be
as if it had never been. You-yOu
the Lady of Darracourt, and l am
dO-weII, Harry Herne."
she came, and put her hand on his
shoulder.
rs that the last word?' she whis-
pered, TREMENDOUSLY.
The last" he said, hoarseIy.
There is no help for it, But, as he
took her in his arms, he bent his
head and kissed the fold of her habit
as it touched his face.
The last?" she repeated, and her
face went white as death, as she
looked heavily, vacantly before her.
Then you have broken my heart!'
CHAPTER XIV.
Five minutes after Lucille and
Harry Herne had ridden away from
the glade, and when the sound of the
horses steps had died out on the
grass, a tall figure rose from the
bracken. 1t was that most honorable
the Marquis of Merle.
For a moment or two he stood
looking in the direction they had
taken, his face white to the lips, his
eyes cleaning rage and malice; Their
he sat down. and clasping his hot
burning forehead IN hi hands. muir
INJURED. Let me think! Let me
Think
Now. chance, which is dreadfully
impartial. and. like the sun. favors
the jus aid the unjust had befriend-
ed the marquis that morning. He had
rot followed Lucille and Harry Herne,
but he had happened to be walking in
the glade. and on their approach.
had in the most gent emanly manner.
slipped down amid the high ferns
close to the sTot where hey stood,
and-listeneG,
ne had heard every word. and
every word had added fuel to the fire
of hate which burned in his heart
against Harry Herne.
0Dce or r,Uice aS Harry'S imp2S-