The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-03-18
CHAPTER XVI (Continued.)


Stepane grew livid.
my dear friend, my brother?"
cried Wanda, what is the matter
with you?"
Nothing. / know l am ridicu:
lous. Look! Here are hundred
thousand roubles for your work;
and intend to give my whole for
tune to the same object. Goodby!"
"Stepane! Stepane! you shall not
leave me-"
THAT man loves you!" said
Stepane, in choking voice. II
know it. And he is jealous of me.
Have you given him the right to
be JEALOUSY"
"No more than I have to you;
but you take the right" said Wan
da, laughing.
"Is this fellow married?"
mo"
"Then you may fall in love with
him; perhaps you are already in
love with him."
II have a real friendship for him,
as l have for you"
"As you have for me! do not
want an affection exactly like the
one you give to another man."
"Why not?"
you ask me why not? Because
. woman can only love one man.
And the love that l feel for you is
absolute. Tell me the TRUTH" cried
Stepane, "if this man loves you,
and you love him, l will leave you
forever!"
II do not love him as I do you,"
murmured Wanda, in a low, trem-
bling tone, which resounded in Lit
xanoffs heart, and made him trem-
BILE.
He tried to throw his arms
around her, but she drew back, and
pale, trembling, she said do not
touch me, or I will go away, and
you shall never see me again. You
forget Nadege."
- mo; this very morning Nadege
came to me and proposed a d.
vorce, She knows that l love you"
IF she did propose it, 1t was
only to try you,' cried Wanda. "She
wanted to find out the truth. A
separation! Poor child! it would
kill her. And besides, cannot
marry you. l have taken a solemn
oath never to marry"
"You?"
EYES,"
when? Why did you do IT."
II cannot tell you"
"And what Is the meaning Of this
oath?"
1.-THE meaning of 1t is that the
apostles of this great cause must be
men and women free from all fam
lily ties; with them the love fol
humanity must absorb every other
passion. If woman loves, she can
not keep secret"
Litzanoff felt overwhelmed by
the simplicity with which Wanda
spoke Of her great sacrifice. He
felt how low, how vile he was to
speak to such woman of his own
personal sufferings.
Forgive mel" he cried. II un-
derstand that you cannot lower
yourself to my level; but try to lift
me up to you. may at least be
allowed to model my mind after
yours, since that is the only thing
you will allow me-"
Eyes, Stepane; were we free, l
would allow no more, for the most
violent passions are those which
last the least; this love of yours
may be but the result Of the OBJ.
stacles that separate u.s."
"Ah, Wanda!" cried Stepane,
"give me one kiss-only one--and
you can take my life; or l will dis
appear from the face of the earth
forever. Wanda! am, as It were,
bewitched: one kiss will break the
charm, and my reason will return -
Wanda. exhausted by this long
struggle. fascinated by his intense
desire, stood still, but she muir
INJURED with trembling lips: II do
not want to- do not want to-"
He suddenly seized her In his
sinewy arms. At has touch Wanda
shuddered, and tried to free her.
self, mo! MOI" she cried.
II will have one kiss!" cried Lit
xanoff hoarsely: II will have one
only one!" and he touched her lips
with his.
Wanda seized a little dagger that
she always wore at her waist, and
struck Litzanoff with all her
strength on the shoulder.
He did not even feel the pain. He
crushed the young girls lips
against his own and held her in
one long. passionate embrace.
III hate you!" she cried, indig.
nant. enraged, magnificent in her
anger. you are Infamous, Leave
me-"
But Lltzanoff heard not word:
-e>ethad tainted dead away, with the
A-,Iood etrpaminD from hic uo,nd