The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-07-11
the dead. Could you marry another l

"Of course not" said the girl; you know I could not"
 Say that again." he said passion ately. Say it again. Tell me that whatever may happen-yes, I repeat it-whatever may happen, you'll nev- CT marry another"
 "Radford, what is the matter with you?" she cried. His face was as pale as death, and his eyes shone with strange light.
 Matter with me-" he cried. "It is our wedding-da tomorrow; just think of 1t. I am going to be at the church early, and I am going to wait there till noon, and then you will come, and the minister will read the marriage service. and you will prom ise to take me for better or worse, and you will VOW to keep me as long as we both shall live. Yes, I've been reading the marriage service. My God, the wonder of it. That's why am afraid. If lost you, I should sink into a deeper hell than ever Dante saw in his wild journeyings. No thrilling regions of thick-ribbed ice,' no bottomless pit full of fire and birthstone could be as terrible as the hell to which I should go if I lost you. That is what is the matter with me. And you promise me, don't you? Whatever may happen, you'll never marry another man?"
 "No," she said, 'I will never mar ry another man.
 "You could not, could you?" he said, almost plaintiyely.
 "No," she replied, '1 could not"
 And to you a promise is sacred, isn't it? You are not like other wo- men, to whom a promise is no more than garment which is out of the fashion,
 "Of course, a promise is sacred to me-" she replied.
 He looked at her with fierce, de- vouring eyes. He tried to read her very soul.
 Look at me-" he said.
 She looked at him, and their eyes met, his burning with the light of his passion, yet steady with the strength of the man behind them; hers steady too, and fervent with the love and admiration which filled her heart.
 Say it again."
 Say what again?"
 Say you will never marry another man, whatever may happen"
 T will never marry another man, whatever may happen
 He clasped her to his heart, and rained kisses upon her, and then he laughed.
 "I do not fear now," he said, "I am like the man they sing about T fear no foe in shining armour bright I can face anything: Olive, there is no happier man in the world than I; nay, nor half so happy. I feel as though I were king of the world. Now let us talk quietly"
 He sat down by her side, and look ed steadily into the fire. Outside the wind walled it's way across the park, but he did not seem to heed it. The flames from a log of wood in the though he seemed to be gazing at them he did not see them. "It's all so wonderful" he said. What is, Radford?'' My happiness. I am not worthy of it. Yes. I have been a bad fel- low. No, I have not been the wild rake about town, my vices have not run in that direction. But I have been selfish brute; I've been a fel- low without hope, mercy, or faith. I've cared nothing for others. If a man has stood in my way I've showed him aside. I've seen only the worst in life. and I've acted on what saw. I was drink-sodden, too. I was a slave to a vile habit But for the fact that drink made no visible inn pression upon me, I should have been one of those drunken sots that have to be put to bed every night. I did not believe in God nor man. No, l scorned God, and religion, and mor- | ality, and I sold myself to the devil of my own selfshness. Yes, I did, l know it. And yet you love me. You, you, of all women, you.'' "Yes," she replied, and there was | an uneasy look in her eyes, but you have repented, Radford." "And if I had not?" Then" she said, "I would not have promised to marry you.'' You mean that?" "Yes, I mean that. I could never truly love a man whom did not re- spect. And I could not respect such | man as you were, no matter how | clever I might think you to be. Even although I might love a bad man, ] would never marry him." He knew she meant what she said and while it saddened him, it made him rejoice also. Yes, she had driv. en all his old theories to the winds Whatever was true with other wo. men, this woman, was prompted by true thoughts, inspired by high ideals | He was silent for a, while.