Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-06-27

even women, used to come from time
to time at first, but they found father
changed, suppose and gradually stop
ped coming 1t is dreadful how soon
man can be forgotten, even man
Of brains and wealth and position.
Even before Uncle Ephraim lived with
us people had stopped coming. And /
had no friends Of my own The only
ones l had ever made were at school,
and they were mostly English and
French girls Only one other girl In
school was an American, and she
stayed there for long time after had
left She did come to see me, think.
Once, not SO very long ago, thought !
heard her asking for me at the front
door. but Jonas told her I was not at
home and shut the door In her face"
"Jonas!" repeated in astonishment.
"de has not been with us very long"
said Nancy, "and my uncle employed
him. He meant no harm, think, and
was only acting under instructions.
found none Of our old servants when
II came back from abroad, and Uncle
Ephraim kept for ever changing the
ones we had. / asked one Of the maids
who seemed to care for me little, to
mail letter for me to one of fathers
old friends, but she only gave 1T to my
uncle, and was punished for 1t. There
was really no one could go to-"
It was more than could bear The
sweet voice of my beloved sounded
level and dead In it's monotony
Of pain. looked at her as she
walked slowly beside me; her head was
bent a little forward, and her eyes
looked very tired, as they gazed, un-
seeingly, at the road before her.
He shall pay for it ALL" cried out.
HE shall pay for it now. He-struck
your hand! will strangle him with
mine! He shall have cause to think
them the hands of DEATH"
Her eyes looked into mine, wide at
the sudden terror Of the great passion
that I could no longer hide, then tears
came into them, and her hand fell
timidly upon the tenseness of my arm.
81 am very tired" he said; Il
don't think that revenge would make
me happier. Iwant to rest. He is too
strong for us, Mason. He has tied us
very strongly, for whatever you did
should suffer for. Even If you could
injure him. he could injure us. The
strength Of your hands would only
bring you into the law, and you are my
|husband-or perhaps you are not
Don't you see that, whatever our rela-
ton is, he has tied your hands for
ever with my name?"
I bowed my head. for it was true
Ephraim Bond would never have any
thing to fear from me; even If our
marriage were illegals was the more
strongly bound. And then great joy,
q mighty wave of selfishness swept
over me. Whether either of us would
or no. Nancy was bound to me for all
time. had only meant to give all
my help and all my love, but the sit
uation had moved beyond my control.
Because in the eyes Of the world, we
had lived not quite eighteen hours
as man and wife, as man and wife we
must live until death came to part U.s.
But I bore her greater love than
that: loved her too truly to be selfish
very long. Perhaps, even yet, there
was time to help her in a more unset
fish way, and to frighten Ephraim
Bond into his senses, to punish him In
some measure as he deserved.
Nancy" I said, IF our marriage was
not legal, there is a way out for you
vet. Scarcely any one has seen us,
scarcely any one knows that we have
been here at ALL Suppose that l go
back to New York alone and look into
this business. If we were not really
married will go to your uncle, and
tell him all that / now know. The
witnesses of an illegal marriage would
scarcely be at much pains to tell OF
what thew saw. You could be happy,
then. and free, for I could brighten
your uncle into giving you anything
that you wished"
Nancy said nothing, but kept walk
ing slowly beside me. Far down the
road I saw the dust OF q wagon.
We will have to stop now, If we are
not going to be seen together There
is some one coming in sight now" l
said.
"Are YOU unhappy Nancy asked.
"Are you unhappy with things as they
are?"
"You know that am not" I an
swered. II have never been so happy
in my life"
"Nor have IT, said Nancy. and her
voice was very low but unafraid.
"Nancy!" | cried, and stopped short
in the middle Of the road. The wagon
was coming over the ridge of the next
hill.
"Well?" said Nancy quietly, but
thought that her voice shook little.
what do you mean?" asked.
"You mean that you are more happy
than you have been in years; that is
all YOU mean. Isn't it,"
"No. I don't know why, but I am
more happy than I have ever been.
mare happy even than was when my
father was alive to me-"
"But-oh, Nancy, you could not care
to be near such a man as am. Happi-
mess in nearness means love, and you
could never love such man."
"Could you love me?" Her voice was
very low indeed now.
| "I1ove you? 1 love the very things
that you have touched; I have never
done anything else but love you. and
: fight against it, since saw, you in
the doorway. Whether you love or
hate me, can never do anything else
but love you God forgive me, how
aono 20 JOro vOn and vet how