The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1910-01-13


"it 10 not wroasr' h. cried hosiy
my love u not wrong ! want ron
10 underssapd and TO believe cant
hope that you will be my wife it's
too wildly Improbable. You are not
for such a. l. You arr pledged Ia =
man Of your own world. your own Ell
Allied world But listen. s,enevra. See
my eyes call you darling even though
my lips dare not Gen.vra. I'd Civ.
my soul to bear you say that you wil
be my wife. lou do understand how
Il In with mer'
The delicious sense Of possession
thrilled her. She glowed with the re
turn of her self esteem. III the restoru
tion OF that quality which proclaimed
her a princess OF the blpod She was
sure OF him now. She WAS sure of
herself. She had her emotions well In
hand. And 30. despite the delicious
warmth that swept through her being
she chose to reveal no sign OF II to him
II do understand" she said quietly.
meeting him gaze with a dIrectness
that hurt him sorely. And you. too
understand. could not be your wife
| am glad, yet sorry that you love
me, and l am proud to have heard
you say that you want me. But am
a sensible creature. Mr.. Chase. and
being sensible, am therefore selfish.
have seen women of my unhappy sta
ton venture outside Of their narrow
confines In the search for lifelong Joy
with men who might have been kings
had they not been born under happier
stars-men of the great wide world
instead of the soulless, heartless patch
which such as | call a realm. Not one
In q hundred of those women found
the happiness they were 80 sure OF
grasping Just outside their prison walls.
1t was not In the blood. We must
marry and live and die In the sphere
to which we were born. We must GO
through life unloved and uncherished.
bringing princes into the world. seeing
happiness and love just beyond our
reach all the time. We are bound by
chains no force can break-the chains
Of prejudice"
She had withdrawn her hands from
bis. He was standing before her as
CHILL duQ uumOFeQ db d stdtut
"JUlt the same" he went on gently
you love me as love you. You kissed
me. could feel love In you then.
can see 1t In you now. You will marry
! Prince Karl in June, and all the resi-
Of your life will be bleak December
You will never forget this mouth OF
March-our month" He paused for
| RI Int hor In,
credulous eyes. His face writhed IL
sudden pain. Then he burst forth with
vehemence that startled her. MY
God, pity you with all my SOUL All
your life!'
Don't pity mer' she cried flercely
II cannot endure that"
"Forgive me! | shouldn't say such
things to you. It's as II were bully
ing you"
"You must not think of me rs I'm.
happy-ever. Go on your own way,
Hollingsworth Chase. and forget that
you have known me, You will And
happiness with some one else. You
have loved before; you can and will
love again. IL have never loved be-
fore. but perhaps. like you. shall love
again. You will love againY' she de-
manded, her lip trembling with an ir
resolution she could not control.
YES" he said calmly; IN love the
wife Of Karl Brabetz."
She started violently. Her cheek
went red and white and her eyes
widened as her thoughts went back to
| ha DrnnhAau N tho fra
chamber
She followed him slowly to the ter
race. He stopped In the doorway and
leisurely drew forth his cigarette case.
shall we walt for the explosion"
he asked without Il sign of the emotion
that had gone before. She gravely
selected cigarette from the case
which he extended. AS he lighted his
own he watched her draw from her
little gold bag diamond studded case
half filed Without a word OF apo-
ogy she calmly deposited the cigarette
In the case and restored 1t to the bot
tom Of the bag.
Then she looked up brightly. II am
not smoking. you see," she said, with
q smile. II am saving all Of these for
you when the famine comes"
by Jovew he exclaimed. something
like increduAty In the smile that trans
figured his face.
II could be a thrifty house, wife,
couldn't I?'' she asked naively.
At that moment dull. heavy report
as of distant thunder came to their
ears The windows ratified sharply
and the earth beneath them seemed
to CULVER Involuntarily she drew
nearer to him.
"You could II you had half a chance"
he said dryly and then casually re-
marked the explosion
Continued Next Week