El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-06-26

| strolled through the shady, narrow
| picturesque little street leading down
| toward Lungarno Soderini and now
/ they were slowly walking along the de-
serted quay admiring the wonderful
beauty of Florence in the soft evening
| light. To their ears came the sound
| of pealing churchbells, and powerful
male voices on the other side Of the
calm, greenish river were singing a
| melodious love ditty.
Marcel took Nine. Genevray's hand
as they stopped to listen, and after a
| moments silence, he said: "As we
| have now found one another again
| after so many years, Alice as we both
| know how sincerely we love one an
other and we are both free, why will
J you not be mine? Why do you refuse
to marry me?"
She looked into his pale, eager face
and answered: You know 1 am no
| flirt, Gilbert. and that I love you with
all my heart. but 1 am afraid am
| afraid"
What are you afraid OF? The word
has escaped your lips several times,
and still you have assured me you
know L would do anything within my
| power to make you happy"
| L know it, Gilbert, but 1 am afraid
I we should lose the best part Of our old
confidence in one another. if we be-
came more than friends / am afraid
1 or the future. Gilbert and still I fear
the future less than the past You say
we are both free. But is this really
so? 1 am the widow of a husband /
never loved. You are the friend of nv
youth and the only man in the world
In whom l have absolute confidence
/ do not know love. and 1 know I have
lost the best part Of my life because
have not experienced any of loves
Joys and sorrows- But you who have
known the great love. don't you feel
that 1t can never die in q mans heart?
Are there not feelings that you cannot
get rid of? That is the question 1 am
always asking myself. for 1t seems TO
me there are ties which bind forever.
even after you have grown tired of one
another, yes, even after death For
give me If my words hurt yeu. but I
feel I must say what is In my mind"
Your words do not hurt me-" he
said gently.
$50 much the better, but am so
afraid to step into the place of anoth-
er. when 1 am not quite sure that
place Is vacant even after so many
years."
ct is vacant, I assure you, Alice"
he replied, land no matter how strange
1T may sound. q person, who was for
merly everything to you, may COM
pletely disappear from your memory"
rs it possible?" Alice exclaimed TT
is very sad and though most women
would gladly believe 1t, find it sad
and unjust"
There are dreadful shipwrecks and
revolutions in life during which you
imagine everything is over. but the
waves grow calm again and nothing
betrays the place where the storm
ragged. In vain you look, every trace
has been swallowed up by the un-
fathomable deep"
But a wreck may come TO the sur
face again.
NO" said Marcel, firmly, MY ship
wreck was complete and nothing has
ever come up. The woman I loved IS
undoubtedly dead. / have never heard i
Of her and never think Of her.s I do
not even remember her 1t is as If I |
had been transformed. for do not even
know that 1 have suffered Her un-
faithfulness and my despair now seem |
10 me as If a friend had told me the |
love story of his youth. and 1 do not |
understand that 1 was really on the |
point OF taking my own life. 1 am per- |
fectly free, Alice, 1 assure you. You |
must believe me and consent
Her voice was sad as she replied:
Il believe you, Gilbert but / cannot /
imagine that nothing should remain Of |
q love like yours. Sometime some |
thing will happen which will awaken |
ole memories in your heart. have a
feeling, a superstftious feeling. per-
ha ps. that this will ynle and we are |
too good friends that yoII should not
respect my feelings. childish though
they may appear to you Let me think
1t over. Let us go, 1t is late and
want to have a look at the te ~elry
shops at Ponte Vecchio; want 10 buy
a few things for friends at home"
He shook his head sadly. but Alice's
smile soon drove his melancholy
thoughts away as they walked toward
the old bridge.
7 he lights were being lit and people
crowded around the little shops. Alice
themselves looking at the gay :Floren-
ines and listening to the tinkling Of
he bells of the little carts.
Suddenly Gilbert said:
Alice, you must let me buy some
hing for you. Just a trifle to remind
you of this delightful evening. Come
dong"
She refused laughingly, but, as ne
insisted, she gave in and followed him
nto an antiquity shop.
Surely we will find some interest J
ng old thing here Marcel said.
Nine. Genevray was looking at sore
ewelry, which did not interest her lar
when the cringing old Italian
bowed her an old fashioned silver ! ,
rooch with turQuoises. II
This is really old and beautiful" ,
he exclaimed.
What do you think of this. Gill
ert?"
Marcel looked at the brooch and {
urned pale.
Isn't it beautiful. Alice asked, and ,
into his ear: II would be so I
Apply II you would give me that" ,
Shocked at the strange palor Of his
ace. she stopped as Marcel turned to q
he old shopkeeper. r
IT want that brooch he said but, +
sll me. where did you get it? (
"A French signora sold 1t to me last | t
ear. She sold everything she had, a /
tile at a time, but this brooch was
he last She said it was her most '
reciouS possession" q