Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1912-06-20


It's the girls name that's compromis
ed, man! Why. the news of this is all
over the country-the wires have car
ried it both sides OF the mountains;
the papers are full of it in the east.
You have been gone nearly three
months together, and all the world
knows it. Don't you suppose all the
world will talk? Did not see'' be
motioned his hand toward our encamp
ment. Il know men.
Eyes, said II would have been no
man worth the name had | not loved
your daughter. And | admit to you
that shall never love another woman.
not in all my life
In answer he flung down on the
ground in front OF me something thar
he carried-the scroll of our covenant
signed by my name and in part by
hers.
What does this mean?" he asked.
1T MEANS. said /. what 1t says:
that here or anywhere. in sickness or
in health, in adversely or prosperity
until lie Gown to die and she beside
me in her time. we two are in the eye
of God married; and in the eye Of man
would have been. here or wherever else
we might be-
saw his face pale. but somber
fame came into his eyes. And you
say this you. after all know regard
ing your
saw my guilt once more. horrible
as though an actual presence. re-
membered what Ellen Meriwether had
said to me regarding any other or
earlier covenant. recalled my troth,
plighted earlier, before ! had ever seen
her-my faith. pledged in another
world. turned to him with no pride
in my bearing
80 presume Gordon Orme has told
you" | said to him. You know Of
Grace Sheraton back there|
Els lips but closed the tighter. "Have
you told her-have you told this to my
girl?" he asked,
Draw up your Gle" / cried, spring
ing to my feet Execute me. de-
serve it No. have not told her. !
planned to do SOL should never have
allowed her to sign her name there be-
fore had told her ything-bee
fair to her as could. But her acct
dent left her weak could not tell her
"a thousand things delayed it. Yes.
it was my fault"
He looked me over with contempt.
( "You are not fit to touch the shoe on
my girls foot" he said slowly. But
now, since this thing has begun. since
you have thus involved her and COM
promised her. and as imagine in some
foul way have engaged her affections
now. say, it must go on. When we
get back to Laramie, sir, you shall
marry that girl And then out you go.
and never see her face again. y
Colonel Meriwether," said to him
finally, IF it would do her any good
would give up my life for her.
But her father can neither tell me
how nor when my marriage ceremony
runs. nor can he tell me when to leave
the side of the woman who is my wife.
] am subject to the orders of no man
in the world"
asYou refuse to do what you have
planned to do? Sir, that shows you
as you are. You proposed toto live
with her here, but not be bound to her
elsewherei"
st is not truer' said to him in
somber anger Il proposed to put be-
fore her the fact of my own weakness,
of my own self deception, which also
was deception Of her. I propose to do
that now"
IF you did she would refuse to look
at you again"
II know it, but it must be done. l
must take my chances"
"And your chances mean this alter
native either that my girls reputation
shall be ruined all over the country
all through the army, where she is
known and loved-or else that her
heart must be broken. This is what
it means, Mr.. Cowles. This is what
you have brought to my family"
EYES," 1 said to him slowly. "this is
what have brought"
s.Then which do you choose. STRIP he
demanded of me.
] IT choose to break her heart" an
swered. because that is the truth, and
that is right. only know one way to
ride, and that is straight"
! He smiled at me coldly in his frosty
beard sThat sounds well from you'll"
he said bitterly. "Ellenp' be raised his
voice. ELLEN. say. come here at
oncel"
She came before us slowly. hating.
leaning on her crutch. A soft flush
shone through the brown upon her
cheeks shall not forget in all my
life the picture of her as she stood.
Then, lovable in her rags, beautiful in
her savagery, the gentleness of genera
tions of culture In all her mien in spite
of her rude surroundings, she stepped
x,~, oy,d laid bor baud t1roY, hor fathers