The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-10-20

o.va,toii,, 1900
"Weliy. she questioned tantalizinslS.
leaned across the cloth and caught
her hands and held them prisoner.
Nv More MOI especially when i T. snarsc
throwing discretion to the winds. "Ah.
then he forgets the danger. mademoi-
selle; he remembers only that she IL
beside him. that he may look into her
eyes as look into yours. that he may
kiss her hands as I kiss these dear
ones. And when ne knows that to re-
store her to her friends ia to severe
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 q little misty.
And she made no effort to take her
hands away. All, what a woman she
was! The beauty of her, the white
ness, the delicacy, the sheer grace;
and what with ali, woman's passion
ate heart. women's power Of loving
and desire Of being loved. 1t was there
knew, Just below the surface. wait
ing to be awakened.
"You really love mel" she MUIR
INJURED. You really love mel"
"Oh, my dearest!" I cried. Can
you doubt it? Looking into my eyes,
can you doubt It? And last night
looking into yours, I fancied that you
and that / saw into your heart, your
SOUL and read a secret there which
made me madly. blindly happy! Did
read aright?"
Not to value your devotion would
be indeed ungrateful. monsieur" she
answered in a whisper.
1T Is not gratitude that ask" ]
broke in. TT was not gratitude that ]
saw! Did read aright?"
Suppose say yes" she said: what
Is 1t you propose"
II propose to take you and keep
you," answered madly. drawing her
toward me. my blood on fire. You
do love income, confess 1t! Look
into my eyes and tell me! ] defy the
whole world to take you from me
now!"
She swayed toward me for an in
slant, her lips parted, her eyes swim
ming in a veil Of tears. I had won!
had won! Then she drew her hands
away and sat erect, a convulsive shIv-
er running through her.
"And your honor?" she asked, her
face suddenly white. What of. The
word you have given? What OF It? The
vow you have taken-what OF 1T And
II / did love you. do you not see that
It. Is the man Of honor that love?
Do you think could keep on loving
a dishonored man-even though that
dishonor were incurred for me? DO
you think I could md any place In
my heart for a man unfaithful to such
a vow as you have taken? No. no.
so mistake me! I have built temple
for you in my heart-do not tell me
that you are unworthy to dwell there!"
I was struck dumb before her.
could find no word Of answer. She
was right-a hundred times right. And
by the trembling which shook her
saw 1t was not I alone who suffered.
down, to entangle her In this net from
which there was no escaping! At least
/ should have been brave enough to
spare her that!
Forgive mel" I groaned. Forgive
met" and I flung myself forward at
her feet.
But her arms were about me. and
the forehead, and her eyes were shin
ing and her face was very pale.
BE brave!" she whispered brok-
emily. BE brave, my friend! The flu
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 that?" she asked. with
bated breath.
I spring to my feet, went cautiously
to the edge of the thicket. and looked
down. A regiment was marching
westward along the road by which we
el-stained, with tri-colored cockades in
their hats and tri-colored scarfs about
their necks. watched them until
they disappeared around a turn OF the
road. Then rejoined my comrade.
"It was a regiment Of Blues" I 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; then at dusk we can
descend to the road and hasten on to
Coulanges."
She was replacing the food in the
hamper before I had finished.
1--WE may need it." she said ''You
shall not risk yourself again."
She was entirely self-controlled and
turned to me the old. clear friendly
gaze; the emotion which had shaken
her moment before had been con-
quered and swept aside. What was 1t
she had been about to say? Should I
ever know? Should ever again get
past the barrier of her reserve? I
thought it most unlikely, and a deep
detection descended upon my spirits.
Never again would the moment be SO
favorable, and, beneath my breath /
| cursed the chance that had broken II,
upon our tete-a-tete.
| I watched her as she slipped my
shoes over her own again and fastened
them. Then I took up the hamper and
started. At the edge Of the little
glade, she paused and threw a kiss
back to 1t.
CONTINUED Next Weekly
A Ticklish, Subject.