The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1912-07-11

mot believe that have done TINS mere
" for your sake, Major Lawrence.
ssYet would like to believe SO. !
Il as~ted warmly. 'You are the daugh-
ter Of a lOyalist."
"And Eric is the son or q loyalst'
Iaughingly, land wears Contineiilal
uniforn. am not privileged to 90 50
FAR. restrained by the limitations OF
aex vet may be equally rebel"
(which would seem to mean that all
your kindness toward me would nave
been similarly given to any patriot
soldier"
"Why---why, yes; IL think so"
"And do not, Mistress Claire; ]
refuse to 80 believe" Her eyes
flashed up at me, and lost all re-
straint in their swift challenge. 4 am
going to speak just word, yet !
must give it utterance before ! ride
out into the dark, away from YOU
love you. It makes no difference TO
me where your sympathies may be 10
this struggle, you have won my heart.
Look up, dear, and listen. am going
back to camp, back to the campaign.
/ know not what the night, what the
morrow may bring. But I know for
ever love you, and that If i live |
shall surely come back. Will you be
glad? VIII you promise me welcome?"
l could feel her tremble, yet there
was no shrinking in her face. no alarm.
ooh, why were you compelled to
say thati tried so hard not to let
you. FL cannot make the promise,
it would not be right"
"Not right"
mo, you do not know me. told
you before was sham, fraud, not
what / 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 / have served you
merely because you were soldier Of
the Colonies. think it was true, per-
haps, at first, but-but later it was
different. oh! why do say this!
Why do delay your departure by CON
senting to remain here in conversa-
ton! Major Lawrence, cannot you
realize that my only desire is to have
you get away safely?"
"But that is not my only desire" |
protested. ut must be weeks, months,
before can hope to see you again.
am servant of the Colonies, and
must go where Lam sent; we are upon
the verge Of a campaign involving ex-
posture and battle. may not even
come forth alive. Must go without
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"
II care not; would still love you
in spite Of all; you may be a spy-a
British spy-but the fact would mean
nothing to me. / 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! know you do"
"I-I-no! You cannot mean that!"
cay, but / do. Have you supposed
could not read the message Of those
eyes? Oh, 1t may be dark, dear, but
there is a star-gleam, and when the
lashes lift-they confess thousand
times more than your lips acknowl-
edge. Yet / insist on the lips! Now
tell me" and / held her to me. tell
mel"
"What-oh, major, pleased"
@There are but three words to
speak; whisper them, dear, and g"
"Three words"
"Such easy words; they are trem-
bling on your lips now--I love you"
"But If do not; If they are false.
Hush! There is some one on the We
randa- Seldom must have returned"
"All the more reason why you
should speak quickly" ] whispered,
without releasing her.
win you go. then? At once?"
q. pledge my word.
she drew deep breath. her eyes
Swallowed, but could hear the swift
pulsing of her heart.
"It-it will mean nothing nothing.
"Of course; only memory 20 dream
over"
Her lashes lifted. her head tilted
back upon my shoulder. For bare
instant gazed down into the depths.
''Then--I WILL love you'll"
With the words kissed her, press
ing my lips to hers; an instant they
clung, and felt tie pressure Of her
arm, the hot blood rioting through nay
veins.
sweetheart" ! whispered. sweet
heart"
mo. noI's and she thrust me from
her. aYou forget. am not that. You
must not think 1t even. See, that man.
q coming down the steps. He viii
discover Captain Grant, and 1t will be
too late-Oh, go. major. please gO!"
turned without another word, fully