Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1912-02-22

fought inspired by your presence
Mine!" hardly knew how to In
terpret her tone.
Certainly; you cannot be ignorant
that Major Brennan's dislike is based
upon your friendship for me-"
But there is no reason" she STAN.
mered. He has no cause"
His reason I must leave him to ex.
plain," l interrupted. to relieve her evi.
dent embarrassment. Ills words, how.
ever, were extremely explicit; and to
ignore them by departure is to i'm.
peril my own reputation in both arm
les. l would do so for no one else in
the world but you"
How can ever thank you?" she
asked gravely. Captain Wayne. you
make me trust you utterly, and place
me constantly in your debt"
Then you realize that am right %
YES" slowly, but making no eff.
fort to release her hands. "Yet is no
other escape possible?"
None within my knowledge"
And you must go?"
L must go-unless you bid me
stay"
ooh, I cannot; 1 cannot at such a
cost!' she CRIED and l could feel her
body tremble with the intensity of her
emotion. But, Captain Wayne, our
friendship surely need not be severed
now for ever? l cannot bear to think
mat 1t should be. am no cold, heart
less migrate, and shall never forget
what you have done to serve me. 1
value every sacrifice you have made
on my behalf. Let us indeed part
now if, as you say. it must be so:
yet surely there are happier days in
store for both of us-days when the
men of this nation will not wear differ
ent uniforms and deem it manly to
fight and kill each other"
The great struggle will certainly
cease. possibly within a very few
weeks" l answered, greatly moved by
her earnestness, "but | fear the men
engaged in it will remain much the
same in their natures however they
may dress. I can only say this: Were
the path clear, would surely find you,
no matter where you were hidden"
"How terrible it is that a woman
must ever choose between such evils"
she said almost bitterly. "The heart
says one thing and duty another all
through life, it seems to me. / have so
much of suffering in these last few
months, so much of heartless cruelty,
that cannot bear to be the cause of
any more. You and Major Brennan
must not meet; but Captain Wayne,
will not believe that we are to part
thus forever"
Do you mean that l am to seek you
when the war closes?"
There will be no time when l shall
not most gladly welcome YOU"
"Your home?" 1 asked, wondering
still If she could mean all that her
wards implied. 81 have never known
where you resided in the north"
"Stonington, Conn.," She smiled at
me through the tears yet cling
ing to her long lashes. You may
never come, of course; yet 1 shall
always feel now that perhaps you will;
and that is not like a final goodby,
is it?"
I bowed above the hands / held,
and pressed my lips upon them. For
the moment burst not speak, and
then-a voice suddenly sounded in the
hall below:
II am greatly obliged to you. Miss
Minor; she is probably lying down.
l will run up and call her."
We started as If rudely awakened
from dream, while a sudden express
sion Of fright swept across her face.
"Oh, do not meet him." she begged
piteously. For my sake do not re-
main here"
II will go down the back stairway"
I returned hastily, "but do you indeed
mean 1t? May come to you?"
Eyes, yes; but pray go now!'
Unable longer to restrain myself,
clasped her to me, held her for one
brief instant strained to my breast,
kissed her twice upon lips which had
no opportunity for refusal.
This world is not so wide but that
somewhere in it 1 shall again find the
one woman Of my heart" 1 whispered
passionately, and was gone.
Ito Be Continued.)
The Souod cloo- &c G-oa Ao.l~l.