Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1912-08-08


you will renounce all claim upon me.
relinquish all effort to hold me through
this form OF marriage?"
Yes" | assented soberly. 81 will
endeavor to act the part OF q gentle.
man."
There was moment of silence In
which looked at her. leaning against
the dresser with eyes lowered to the
floor. That she was embarrassed
doubtful. was plainly evident. Sud
denly her eyes uplifted to mine.
ASK me your question. and l will
! answer"
DO you love Colonel Dcna.do'
She drew a quick breath. but there
was no faltering i'll her steadfast
gaze.
Il do" she said quietly. us tina,
all?"
That is surely enough" bitterly, las
it leaves ME nothing further to hope
| for"
rs that not best? Would you wish
me to act less frankly?"
There was something in the depth
of those eyes could not fathom:
something that seemed to contradict
the speech of her lips and to lure me
on in unreasoning hopefulness. Per-
haps it was Il trace of coquetry in
her nature she was unable wholly to
| restrain. Certainly / was not insen-
sible TO it.
II accept your word, Miss Dens,
low" l answered quietly. because /
must. MS am pledged to it, and yet
feel you are not entirely Indifferent
toward me-that you do care
Her lips We're compressed. her hands
claspins and unclasping nervously.
Have ever said otherwise?'
mo. but wish you might feel jus
| tilted in confessing You say am
not a prisoner. am strong enough
now to travel. and after what you
have already said there is no reason
| for me to delay departure. The de-
mands of war are not likely to throw
| us together again. yet l wish might
| bear away with me some knowledge
! that you do care. although it be ever
so little. The real love Of any man
must have meaning to the memory
of the one woman.
And it bas-will ever have to me-
There was an impulsiveness to these
words which sent my heart throbbing.
'How-how could l be different?
| she went on, almost Indignantly. II
am Young. scarcely more than Il girl.
and this is all new to me: l hardly
| comprehend the meaning of it. But
but cannot forget. No tale Of ro-
nance could be stranger than the
way in which we have been thrown
envy to all | have been taught to re-
we're. in warfare against my people.
4 your first act a grievous wrong against
! myself and-and yet l can't hate you.
/ I've tried. hut can't. Oh. it is the
strangest thing. even believe
dread to have you so away. aud yet
/ you must. and wish you to-
Then j shall go. but you tempt me
strongly
Tempt you? how?-to what?''
Tempt me TO urge that the war
will some time be over: tempt me to
hope may be welcome when that
time comes"
Have said thnt?- have l said
anything like that:
NO; only that you are not indiffer-
ent; that you do care little. 1t is
not your words. but your eyes. which
j. encourage me.
My eyes, They dropped an III
slant. then opened wide, gazing int
my own.
Yes: | cannot explain. yet they
seem to say ] shall be welcome. ever
while your lips deny" | caught hel
4. clasped hands IN mine and separated
them. Which tell the truth q
She made no effort to draw away
from me. but laughed lightly.
Neither. would be the safer guess
she responded ..for both are masks
You cannot understand me. Lieutenan1
4 King. and It Is useless to try. I do moi
4 even understand myself. | am 4 con
! tinuaI contradiction. don't - TIL