Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-07-04

| words OF her note 10 nlm. NOW, IL
you are going to be honest with me
tell me this-who is going to kill me
and why%
he felt q convulsive shudder pass
through her as she answered,
II also said that would not lie to
you again. If / can not tell you the
truth I will tell you nothing. 1t IL
! Impossible for me to say why your life
is in danger"
"But you know"
"Yes."
He seated her again in the chair be-
side the table and sat down opposite
| her.
"WiIl you tell me who you arew
She hesitated, twisting her fingers
nervously in a silken strand Of her
hair.
"Win you" he persisted.
"If tell you who am" she said al
last, "you will know who is threaten.
ing your life"
He stared ut her in astonishment.
"The devil. you sayw The words
slipped from his lips before he could
stop them. For a second time the girl
rose from her chair.
"You will goT she entreated. "You
will go tomorrow"
Her hand was on the latch Of the
door.
"You will go?'
He had risen and was lighting a
cigar over the chimney Of the lamp.
Laughing, he came toward her.
Eyes. surely I am going-to see you
safely home."' Suddenly he turned
back to the lounge and belted on his
revolver and holster. When he re-
turned she barred his way deaantly,
her back against the door.
"You cannot CO."
"WhyT
"Because"-he caught the frightened
autter Of her voice again-"because
they will kill you."s
! lue IOW huSu tiihI uC Oich'hSu Al
her hair was more of Joy than fear.
II am glad that you care" he whis.
pered to her softly.
"You must CO." she still persisted.
"With you, yes" he answered.
mo, no; tomorrow. You must 20
back to La Pas-back into the, south.
VIII you promise me that"
Perhaps" he said. II will tell you
soon." She surrendered to the deter
mination in his voice and allowed him
to pass out into the night with her.
Swiftly she led him along path that
ran into the deep gloom Of the balsam
and spruce. He could hear the throb-
bIng Of her heart and her quick. ex-
cited breathing ns she stopped. one OF
her hands clasping him nervously by
the arm.
ut is not very far from here" she
whispered. "You must not go with
me. II they saw me with you at this
hour He felt her shuddering
against him.
"Only a little farther" he begged.
She surrendered again hesitatingly.
and they went on more slowly than
before until they came to where few
faint lights in the camp were visible
ahead Of them.
"Now-now you must 60"
Rowland turned as II to obey. In
an instant the girl was at his side.
"You have not promised" she en-
treated. "Will you go-tomorrow"
In the luster Of the eyes that were
turned up to him In the gloom How
land saw again the strange sweet pow
er that had taken possession OF his
soul. II did not occur to him In these
moments that he had known this girl
for only few hours; that until tonight
he had heard no word pass from her
lips. He was conscious only that In
the space Of those few hours some
thing had come into his life which
he had never known before. and n
deep longing to tell her this. to take
her sweet face between his hands as
they stood in the gloom Of the forest
and to confess to her that she had be-
come more to him than n passing VI
sion in a strange wilderness, filed him.
He crushed her hands once more to
his breast as he had done Oh the Great
North ,rail. holding her so close that
he could feel the throbbing Of her
bosom against him. He spoke no
word. and still her eyes pleaded with
him to 60. Suddenly he freed one OF
his hands and brushed back the thick
hair from her brow and turned her
face gently until what dim light came
down from the stars above glowed In
the beauty of her eyes. In his own
face she saw that which he had NOT
dared to speak. and from her lips
there came a soft little sobbing cry
mo, 7 have not promised. and ! vii
not promise" he said. holding her face
so that she could not look away from
MIN. "Forgive me for--for-doine
this And before sne could move ne
caught her for q moment close III MS
arms, holding her so that he felt the
quick beating Of her heart against his
own, the sweep Of her hair and breath
In his face. This is why l will not
70 back" he cried softly. 1T Is be-
cause love you-love YOU
He caught himself, choking back the
words, and as she drew away from
him her eyes shone with glory that
made him half reach out bis arms to
her.
"You will forgive me" he begged.
IT do not mean to do wrong. Only
you must know why I shall not go
back into the south"
From her distance she saw his arms
stretched like shadows toward her
uer voice was low, so low that he