Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1912-10-18

laugh1ngly, and wears ConliAoh''
uniform. am not privileged to go so
far, restrained. by the limitations~oi
sex, yet may be equally rebel"
(Which would seem to mean that all
your kindness toward me would have
been similarly given to any patriot
soldier"
'Why-why, yes; II think So
"And l do not, Mistress Claire; l
refuse to so believe" Her eyes
flashed up at me, and l lost all re-
straint in their swift challenge. i am
going to speak-just a word, yet
must give it utterance before rloe
out into the dark, away from you.
love you. 1t makes no difference TO
me where your sympathies may be IN
this struggle, you have won my heart.
Look up, dear, and listen. l am gong
back to camp, back to the campaign.
| know not what the night, what the
morrow may bring. But know for
ever / love you, and that if | live l
shall surely come back. Will you be
glad? Will you promise me welcome!
l could feel her tremble, yet there
was no shrinking in her face, no alarm.
"Oh, why were you compelled to
say that! / tried so hard not to let
you. II cannot make the promise,
it would not be right"
mot right"
mo, you do not know me. / told
you before I was sham, fraud, not
what l appeared to be. / will not ex-
plain even to you, and you must not
ask me. Only it hurts me to hear
you say what you have, and be COM
PEELED to return this answer.
You care then-you do not dis
guise that?"
She threw her head back proudly,
making no attempt to withdraw her
hands.
Eyes, care; any woman would. 1t
is not true that l have served you
merely because you were a soldier or
the Colonies I think it was true, per-
haps. at first, but-but later 1t was
different. Oh! why do l say this!
Why do l delay your departure by con-
ton! Major Lawrence, cannot you
realize that my only desire Is to have
you get away safely?"
"But that Is not my only desire" l
protested. cit must be weeks, months,
before l can hope to see you again.
l am a servant of the Colonies, and
must go where 1 am sent; we are upon
the verge Of campaign involving ex-
posture and battle. | may not even
come forth alive. Must l go without
a word, without hope? Claire, Claire,
sweetheart, you have no right to turn
me away, because Of some phantom OF
Imagination
"But it is not, it is terribly real.
81 care not; l would still love you
in spite of all; you may be sDy--a
British spy-but the fact would mean
nothing to me. l would trust you.
Claire, your womanhood; / should
know that whatever you did was IN
accordance with your conscience, and
be content-if you but love me. And,
thank God! l know you do"
"I-I-no! You cannot mean that!
CAY, but l do. Have you supposed
I could not read the message of those
eyes? Oh, it may be dark, dear, but
there is star-gleam, and when the
lashes lift-they confess a thousand
times more than your lips acknowE
edge. Yet l insist on the lips! Now
tell me-" and l held her to me, tell
me-"
"What-oh, major, pleased"
There are but three words to
speak; whisper them, dear, and | 60
Three words?"
Such easy words; they are trem-
bling on your lips now love you
.But If | do not; if they are false.
Hush! There is some one on the We
randa-Seldon must have returned"
"Au the more, reason why you
should speak quickly" whispered
without releasing her.
will you go, then? At once?"
81 pledge my word"
She drew a deep breath, her eyes
Swallowed, but l could hear the swift
pulsing of her heart.
"It-it will mean nothing-noth1ng
"Of course; only memory to dream
over"
Her lashes lifted, her head tilted
back upon my shoulder. For a bare
instant l gazed down into the depths.
| "Then-I will love you'll"
With the words I kissed her, press
ing my lips to hers; an instant they
chung. and l felt the pressure of her
arm, the hot blood rioting through my
veins.
Sweetheart" I whispered, Sweet,
heart"
mo. not" and she thrust me from
her. "You forget / am not that. You
must not think it even. See, that man
is coming down the steps. He will
discover Captain Grant, and it will be
too late-Oh, go, major, please go!
l turned without another word, fully
realizing the danger, the necessity OF
action. Her hand touched mine as
grasped the rein.
I'VE part friends" she said softly
Some day you may understand and
forgive me-"
II understand now more than you
think" l returned swiftly, "and am
coming back to learn all"
CTO BE CONTINUED.)
I