The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1913-07-14

measured answer You talk much Of
your love for Mark Robertson. Il is
easy TO love when love makes one bliss
fully happy But : your love worthy
to be compared with .alnee With the
love that brings only ali etesna! gnaw
| ing an9uish-the love that car never
hope fer one atom OF requital and yet
that cannot die-the love that would
sacrifice everything for you and y ct
must endure sacrificing you -
You love me-" she repeated; and
her voice haG ali at once grown won-
dross sweet aud vibrant. You love
me-Aatt?"
She had drawn closer 10 him as she
spoke Now she was looking straight
up into his wretched eyes her oWn
glowing like, mist-haloed stars So
near To him was she that the chiffon
on her breast touched the harsh tex
turs OF his coat Her breath played
lightly on his face The faint fra
GRANGE of her hair filled the mans
nosuils The warm magic of her
presence dazed him.
Matthew Standlsh stood his eyes
wide, his breath coming fast, the sweat
beads breaking from his forehead. The
heavy mask on his face twisted itself
into q half grotesque aspect OF pain.
You love me-" she murmured
Yes" he groaned. his big voice
breaking. God help me! Xes!"
And you wont-you can't-dsstroy
my whole futufe. You can't. dear"
"Ah!"
Ii was the cry OF revulsion that
might break from forest-roamer
who had all but trodden on rattle
snake He recoiled step, with a
shudder as OF physical sickness.
Was this needed" he ragged Was
1t necessary to detile my smashed idol
still further? Wasn't ii enough that
you long ago taught me TO look on all
women as shadows? Why must you
turn misery into nausea by playins
Delllah? My love was a tragedy WI
must you profane it and make it foul?
He mastered himself with an effor
and fought his way back to the wontet |
lifeless impersonality that had becom, |
to him q second nature
Mrs Robertson he went on in hi |
customary measured slowness, "th
case stands like this: your father an,
husband are seeking to ruin me b. |
rakiLg up story Of my past. Ths
story involves you. You ask me t
protect you You sink to unspeakahl
to make me do so | shall j
protect you as far as can | shall. do
so to the extreme. unless such protec-
.fon must involve the welfare of the
people who trust me. | will not stand
or my country ruined will not
)6tray the trust of millions whose
only hope rests on me. This story
'our ffther has dug up must not
~ made public. You understand
ne? 1t must not be made public! At
my cost to myself or to you. is that
.lear?"
Then" she asked in tired dess era-
ion, what do you mean to do?"
Nothing at ALL" he returned. so
ong as your father and husband keep
his story quiet"
But surely they won't publish it
without knowing my-the W0man's
ame'"
That is what I'm beginning to be
fraid or They may feel so absolutely
ertain Of learning the name later. that
hey will circulate the story on the
cor Of the house sonight and in to-
lorrow's newspapers And then. when
hey find out who the Woman really is,
will be too late to suppress it. You
iust stop that story II it gets out /
hall lose the fight And can not do
lat, even to save you"
In other words" she retorted, ito
ave yourself you win hide behind
e?"
IF you care to put 1t So"
But" she urged, II can't speak to
ther or Mark about 1t. I'm not sup
'sed 10 know anything about It. Sup
| can't stop it?"
You must It's the only chance.
heyre delaying the house proceed
gs this minute just to get their
oofs In order to launch the story to-
ght They intend to use 1t to pre-
mt ny certain victory. And they