The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1913-01-25

been a moment in which I have ceased
to do so. All, you had nothing to fear.
But T. Oh, my dear one, I was never
free from doubt-never quite certain.
You were SO far above me that r.
Don't say thatv'
That l was sure you would not take
our-our love dream seriously. When
you came to be a man, with all that
manhood LEI to you, I felt somehow
that you would forget the little circus
girl who
He kissed her.
"Your mother was telegraphing me
today to come" he said after a time.
Did you know that she intended to
do so?"
"No. / only knew that she would do
it-soon. She had promised-both of
US. you know"
Have you never asked her to send
me the messenger"
Never. How could L? l would not
have held you to the compact, nor
would she"
And have you not told her that you
cared for me all these years? Didn't
she know"
Listen, David she said seriously.
MY mother has never spoken of our
compact. She did nothing to influence
me-. She was content to let time take
its course-and nature. too. All, how
wise she IS, But all this time l have
been conscious of a strange feeling that
she was making me over anew with
but one object in view. She wanted
me to be all that you could expect, de-
mand, exact, If you were to come some
day toto look me over, to see IL / was
was worth the effort. We won't
speak of my father. l don't like to
think of him, David, as we used to
know him, you and /. There was a
time when he was different-and l low
ed him. But that was long before. l
i think he has gone out of my life
altogether"
David realized then and there that
she should not be kept in the dark re-
garding her fathers whereabouts and
designs. She was sensible, she was
made of strong timber. She could face
the conditions, no matter what they
proved to be. The thought was re-
sponsible for the remark that followed.
Il must have a word or two with Mrs.
Braddock before l leave tonight"
"A word concerning-you and me?'
she asked.
YES"
David" she said, 81 trust you; l
EnAu- x-a,, 80 Cfonoh md frt1a pnf
dear, are you considering well? Are
you sure that you will never regret
this? / was a rider. My father was a
rider. Oh, you are going to say that
my mother was different. But what
has that to do with it? What does 1t
matter that she has brought m here. to
this home of plenty and of respectable
ity %and-well, let US say it, of position.
| am the granddaughter of Albert Port
man. That may stand for something
yes, it does stand for a great deal.
But do not forget, David, dear, that /
am the daughter of Tom Braddock. /
am the granddaughter of old Stephen
Braddock, who was a-a'-
Don't say it, dearest! Why should
you be saying all this to me? You, an
angel among
II must. David" she went on reso-
lutely. "Your friends, your people, will
welcome me gladly as the grand
daughter of Albert Portman. but will
they take me, al they accept me, as
the granddaughter of Stephen Brad
dock? As the product of a fashionable
convent they may rejoice in me, but as
the pupil of the sawdust ring-as Lit
tie Starbright. a thing of spangles!
All. How about hat side of me?
Who were my childhood friends and
associates? Don't misjudge me. 1
loved them ALL love them now. They
were the best friends and the truest.
But could they V e be the friends of
your friends?
Dearest, l want you to be my wife.
You are not presenting new conditions
to me, sweetheart. They are old ones.
| do not intend that either of us shall
sail under false colors. When you go
to Jenison hall as my wife. it shall
also be as the daughter of Thomas
Braddock, the Snowman"
But, David, he may have fallen so
low-he may have sunk to the very
lowest-oh, you must understand. We
have heard nothing from him. We
don't know where he is. nor what his
life has BEEN"
Look at me, Christine" he said
gently. The light in his eyes held
her. at doesn't matter what he was.
what he is or what he may become. 1
love you, as I have always loved you.
You are going to be my wife. That
is the end of it ALL"
His heart was sinking. however, un-
der the weight of the thing he knew.
the thing she was yet to know. He
would have given all he possessed in
the world for the power to shield her
from the blow that was yet to fall.
ua drauy har cIoSar Sbo fromhlad