The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-11-21


in,o Parliament Street she knew
the journey was nearing IT'S end.
Should she exercise her prerogatiye
and adhere 10 bank refusal?
Somehow she could not in face Of
the mans great love She felt that
the treatment would be TOO harsh.
And herein she defeated her own
ends.
There are my sisters and mother.
cannot leave them, she said
gently. Don't you see? l am their
sole support They look TO me for
everything" Then suddenly the
weakness Of her argument struck
her. Il sounted so Dald when spo-
ken aloud And, impulsiyely, she
turned to him. "Oh, please, please,
don't press me. You cant under
stand-indeed you can't
The man smiled into the grey eyes
and his hand sid 70 the small
gloyed hand lying IN -or lap He
held It in firm grip.
AMI but tor this it might be diff,
ferent?' he said softly You tell
me you have loved-that he IS dead,
that your love has passed out OF
your life. You have no love 10 give
any one. Then | shall not be rob
bing anybody-not even yourself.
Had you never known love it might
have been different. For no man has
right to debar a girl from the pos
| sibiities Of tho consummation of her
maiden dreams. AS for your mother
| and sisters, | viii make their well
being my care, and will do what
was impossible to you, namely, as.
sure them against the possibilities
Of financial embarrassment in the
future They shall be provided for as
you could wish yourself. AS they
are at present, an accident to you
and they are face to face with a
uOuDle trldl.
He leaned close to her, and, plac-
ing his other hand under her chin,
turned her face so that she could
no longer avoid his eyes.
Little girl" he went on, almost
in a whisper, | want you very
very much. have never known as
sociation with a mother or sisters
Mine has been a lonely life. Won't
you, in the tenderness of your gen
tie heart come and brighten a sol
itary mans hearth? Won't you share
in my successes and failures, as
gooi staunch, comrade? ! know |
am a rough sort Of creature and put
things badly, but l love you so much
that no wish of mine shall ever bar
your happiness. l will not thrust
my love upon you. l only want you
to be with me, to live with me.
Tell me, is this too much to ask?"
Mary sighed. The mans words
had carried her with him, and she
sighed like a child carried away by
the relation Of some very wonder
ful story. The strength of his love
had destroyed the last fragment of
her resolve.
And all without love?" she ask
el family
Yes. child-since it is necessary"
Mr.. Elyood,' she said, in a low,
almost solemn voice, you don't
know what you are doing. God meant
you for something better than
loveless marriage.
Il ask for nothing better than you
for my wife"
80 be it, then. But let me be
honest. / have no love to give you"
E,woOd raised his head, and Mary |
saw the happiness shining in his .
eyes.
you will love me, Mary-in the
end"
And he raised the hand he was
holding to his lips. The girl submit
ted, and let It remain In his posses
sion for moment; then she drew it
gently away. She was not insensible
to his devotion. Just for an instant
a wave of regret swept over her
for the past, that must now be !
forever blotted from her memory. |
She thought of the man who had
first taught her love-she thought |
of him in his lonely grave in Africa. |
Was she doing right? She felt some
how it was all wrong. Here was a
true man content with nothing in |
return for his love. There were tears |
in her eyes as she alighted from
the cab.
Elwood paid the cabman, and, as
the girl walked in at the stage
door, walked rapidly away. And he
saw nothing, and no one, until he