Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-10-28

can come 70 . man. said. more
especially
SWell?" she questioned tantaiizinsly.
as l hesitated.
her hands and held them prisoner.
More especially when 1t Is shared
by the woman he loves" l concluded.
throwing discretion to the winds. All,
then he forgets the danger, mademoi-
selle: he remembers only that she 10
beside him. that he may look into her
eyes as I look into yours. that he may
kiss her hands as I kiss these dear
ones. And when he knows that to re-
himself from her, he may well despond
as he sees the hour approach"
She sat looking at me-, the color
coming and going In her cheeks, her
lips parted, her eyes a little misty.
And she mad no effort to take her
hands away. All, what a woman h
was! The beauty of her, the white
ness, the delicacy, the sheer grace;
and what with all, a woman's passion
and desire OF being loved. II was there
I knew, just below the surface, walt
ing to be awakened.
You really love mel" she IL
INJURED. You really low mel"
"Ch, my dearest!" I cried. Can
you doubt It? Looking into my eyes,
can you doubt it, And last night.
looking into yours, ! fancied that you
swept aside the veil for a moment
and that / saw into your heart. your
soul, and read q secret there which
I read arightT"
Not to value your devotion would
be indeed ungratefu1, monsieur" b
answered in a whisper.
1T is not gratitude that I ask"
broke in. TT was not gratitude that
saw Did / read arightT"
Suppose I say yes" she said; what
is 1t you proposeH"
II propose to take you and keep
YOU" I answered madly, drawing her
toward me, my blood on fire. You
do love income, confess It! LOOK
into my eyes and tell mel I defy the
whole world to take you from me
nowl"
She swayed toward me for an in
slant, her lips parted. her eyes SWIM
ming In a veil Of tears. / had won't
I had won! Then she drew her hands
away and sat erect, @ convulsive shdv-
er running through her.
"And your honor7' she asked, her
face suddenly white. What OF it2 The
word you have given7 What OF lit The
vow you have taken-what OF lit And
IL ! did love you, do you not see that
1t is the mar of honor that I lover
Do you think / could keep on loving
a dishonored man-even though that
dishonor were incurred for me3 Do
you think I could find any place In
heart for q man unfaithfui to such
a vow as you have taken? No, no.
you cannot believe that-you cannot
mistake me! I have built a temple
g. $500. H. 49, IAa -~A AAfY G~A
that you are unworthy to dwell thersi"
I was struck dumb before her. I
could find no word Of answer. She
was right-a hundred times right. And
by the trembling which shook her I
saw 1t was not I alone who suffered.
oh, I had been selfish to pull her
down, to entangle her In this net from
there was no escaping! At least
/ should have been brave enough to
spare her that!
Forgive mel" I groaned. Forgive
mel" and I flung myself forward at
her feet.
But her arms were about me. and
she raised me up and kissed me, on
the forehead, and her yes were shin
ing and her face was very pale.
BE brave!" she whispered brok-
ture will be brighter than you think.
Oh, you are worthy to occupy that tenn
pie! Oh, I must"
A sudden rattle OF arms and tramp
OF feet rose to US from the valley.
What is thatr' she asked. with
bated breath.
I spring to my feet, went cautiously
down. A regiment was marching
along the road by which we
had come-a regiment, dusty and tray
with tri-colored cockades in
hats and tri-colored scarfs about
their necks. ] watched them until
they disappeared around a turn OF the
road. Then I rejoined my comrade.
'It was a regiment OF Blues 7 said.
THAT Is bad. / had hoped to take that
read. Now We must take the other:
but we must keep to the cover of this
thicket until we are past the village.
We would better be starting now while
there Is light: hen at dusk we can
descend to the road and hasten on to
Coulanges."
She was replacing the food In the
hamrer before I had finished.
I'VE may need It," she said. You
shall not risk yourself again"
She was entirely self-controlled and
to me the old, clear friendly
gaze; the emotion which had shaken
her q moment before had been con-
quered and swept aside. What was Il
she had been about to say? Should I
ever know? Should I aver again get
past the barrier Of her reservef I
thought It most unlikely, and a deep
detection descended upon my spirits.
Never again would the moment be 30
favorable, and. beneath my breath 7
cursed the chance that had broken In
upon our tete-a-tete.
watched her as che slipped NV
shoes over her own again and fastened
them. Then I ooh up the hamper and
started. At the edge Of the little
glade, she paused and threw a kiss
back to II.
fCopffnnad Nayf wanN