The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1913-04-17
-ard rr,c .. -. AZ, ~ /. Iovsist..

your Kindness toward me would nsve
been similarly given to any patriot
soldier"
"Why-why, yes; Il think So"
And ] do not. Mistress Claire; l
refuse to SO believe" Her eyes
flashed up at me. and ! lost al re-
straint In their swift challenge. i am
going to speak-just a word, JET 1
must give il utterance before l ride
out into the dark, away from you. j
love you. 1t makes no difference TO
me where your sympathies may be In
this struggle, you have won my
Look up, dear. and listen. am solns
back to camp, back to the campaign.
| know not what the night, what the
morrow may bring. But know for
ever / love you, and that If | I've l
shall surely come back. viii you be
glad? Will you promise me welconeT"
/ could feel her tremble, yet there
was no shrinking in her face, no alarm.
ooh. why were you compelled TO
say that! / tried so hard not to let
you. II cannot make the promise,
1t would not be right"
mot right"
mo, you do not know me. l told
you before / was a sham, a fraud, not
what / appeared to be. | will not ex-
plain even to you, and you must not
ask me. Only 1t hurts me to hear
you say what you have, and be COM
PEELED to return this answer"
You care then-you do not dis
guise that?"
She threw her head back proudly,
making no attempt to withdraw her
hands.
yes, l care; any woman would. II
is not true that ! have served you
merely because you were a soldier OF
the Colonies. | think it was true, per
haps, at first, but-but later it was
different. Oh! why do l say thisl
Why do l delay your departure by con-
senting to remain here in converse
ton! Major Lawrence, cannot you
realize that my only desire is to have
you get away safely"
But that is not my only DESIRE"
protested. 1T must be weeks, months.
before l can hope to see you again.
| am a servant of the Colonies, and
must go where ! am sent; we are upon
the verge of a campaign involving ex'
posture and battle. l may not even
come forth alive. Must | go without
a word, without a hope? Claire, Claire.
sweetheart, you have no right to turn
me away, because of some phantom OF
imagination"
But it is not, it is terribly real"
Il care not; / would still love You
in spite of all; you may be a spy-a
British spy-but tbs fact would mean
nothing to me. l would trust you.
Claire, your womanhood; | should
know that whatever you did was in
accordance with your conscience, and
be content-if you but love me. And,
thank God! l know you do"
"I-I-no! You cannot NEAR that"
GAY, but l do. Have you supposed
I could not read the message Of those
eyes? Oh, it may be dark, dear, but
there is a star-gleam, and when the
lift-they confess a thousand
times more than your lips acknowi-
edge. Yet l insist on the lips! Now
tell me-" and l held her to me. tell
"What-oh, major, pleased"
There are but three words to
speak; whisper them, dear, and I 60"
Three words?"
Such easy words; they are trem-
bling on your lips now--I love you"
But if | do not; IL they are false.
randa-Seldon must have returned"
All the more reason why you
should speak quickly" l whispered,
without releasing her.
Will you go, then? At once?"
81 pledge my word"
She drew a deep breath, her yes
Swallowed, but l could hear the swift
pulsing Of her heart.
Tit will mean nothing-nothins."
"Of course; only a memory to dream
Her lashes lifted, her head tilted
UPON my SHOuiucI. TUT q oaTc
instant l gazed down into the depths.
Then will love you'll"
With the words I kissed her, press
ing my lips to hers; an instant they
chung, and l felt the pressure of he,
arm, the hot blood rioting through ny
veins.
Sweetheart" / whispered. sweet.
heart"
mo, MOI" and she thrust me from
her. "You forget. am not that. You
must not think it even. See, that man
is coming down the steps. He will
discover Captain Grant, and it will be
too late-Oh, go, major, please go!">
/ turned without another word, fully
realizing the danger, the necessity OF
Her hand touched mine az ]
grasped the rein.
I'VE part friends" she saiS softly.
Some day you may understand and
me-"
81 understand now more than you
l returned swiftly, "and ! am
back to learn ALL"
CTo BE CoNTINUEDS
w>nHhne>n uora