The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-03-15

ChRf eH NNN.
BY the Pool.
And what am | to you A steady
hand
To hold, steadfast heart to trust
will stand
Merely a man that loves you, and
withal;
BY you, whate'er befall."
Jean lngelow.
Vernon stood regarding him so
drearily that the ardent lover was
naturally more than a trif.e cast
down. What makes you look so
tragic, Vernon darling" he asked
earnestly. You did understand? You
know there is nothing-nothing in
the world between us now, And
have proved my devotion to you
proved that cant live without
you, by crossing the world to bring
you back? oh, my own girl, you
KNOW that you belong to me, don't
you? Haven't / played fair? Haven't
/ treated you as gentleman should
treat the woman he most honors?
Haven't / earned my reward? Is
there anything more that | could have
done?
Her face Quivered. 1t was all true.
He had been a pattern lover.
oh lionel" she fatered.
He considered her wistfully.
Il haven't offended you by coming
to you the moment that | could look
you in the face with no woman for
bar between u.s." he asked, lit.
tie defiantly.
NO, no, of course not. Have a lit |
tie patience with me, please. Il
ann a little bewildered. Give me time
to think. II am a little bewildered |
Give me time to think. Shall we sit
down and talk, and be-be sensible? !
feel such fool, but / don't !
know what to say to you"
Surely there isn't much to say"
he interrupted passionately. Il know |
you love me. You yourself have told
me that there is nobody else-the I
barriers are down--it only remains
for me to take you, darling"
His a1,nc uara ,.on,n1 hnr In q, p,o
ment, his face down-bent, his lips |
seeking hers. She gave a cry-not
scream, but low, broken moan, as |
she wrenched round her face away
from him. 'Lionel, stop, stop-let me
go! Do you hear? Don't hold me!
It's cowardly to hold me against my
will"
Against your will" he said SLOW
ly, his arms dropping at his sides;
What do you mean, Vernon"
She was shaking and sobbing tear
lessly with indignation. Il don't know
what / mean she breathlessly
brought out But you go too fast I
will not be rushed like this. Its-its
horrible!"
Il beg your pardon" he replied,
checked, and deeply mystified He had
read in books that the modern wom-
an needs new methods for wooing,
but he really thought that he had
been patient long enough He said
so with some heat.
The girl, half turned away from
him, was seeking to control herself.
I'm very sorry, she said at last.
But you have come too soon. Il
was not ready for you The-the
just yet"
But IN the name of common sense
what was there to wait for?" he
cried
There is only me to wait for. and
| admit l am not worth it," said
Vernon, with some dignity. IF you
think so too, there is no more to be
said"
Vernon he cried, full of re-
morse and tenderness. Forgive me.
darling, l have blundered, most un-
You see,' she began, bringing out
her words with an effort, because
of the shaking of her voice, life for
me has moved very fast lately. | am
bewildered. | have come out of that
far-away country and life, into this
wonderful Eng and. and here, in Eng
land, | have suddenly grown up. [
was child, when l lert you ana
Golden Ridge. And this has happened
to me so quickly-iwomanhoo has
come upon ne like a surprise. And