Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1913-12-19

toFeu you ana because 4
a blasphemous loveless marriage %
my other sin. II had become your
wife-even il ii ruined both cur lives
you would have felt II your duty 10
stand by me and defend me against
the entire world. But because l had
the courage TO stop before it made us
both miserable for life. you can not
in honor protect me, I wonder il you
half realize how vile thing you are"
She paused in her furious rambling
talk. for Standish's dark face had
grown CHASTITY. Vaguely she wonder
ed why. And as if reading her thoughts.
he spoke. There was no thrill. no stir
Ia the slow lifeless depths of his voice:
Il loved you. / have never loved
any other woman in all my miserable
life. / shall keep on loving you as
long as | live. l do not want to. But
it is past my power. | would sooner
have bitten out my tongue than be-
tray this secret of yours. All this can
not interest you | tell you. so that
you may know the punishment is not
all yours. You merely risk losing
what you have gained and cherished
during the past few years. | act with
the certainty that by doing my duty
| must bring ruin and heart-break on
the woman whom love more than I
than yours?"
The utter ardor of his words, COM
bined with the dull lifelessness of his
tone, was almost laughable. Grace
was gazing at him In blank astonish-
ment
-You love me?" she muttered.
81 have told you So" came the slow
measured answer. You talk much OF
your love for Mark Robertson. II is
easy to love when love makes one bliss
fully happy. But Is your love worthy
to be compared with mine? With the
love that brings only an eternal gnaw-
ing anguish--the love that can never
hope for one atom of requital and yet
that cannot die--the love that would
sacrifice everything for you and yet
must endure sacrificing-you?'
"You love me?" she repeated; and
her voice had all at once grown Won
drous sweet and vibrant. you love
me-Matt?"
She had drawn closer to 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
ture of his coat Her breath played
lightly on his face. The faint fra
GRANGE of her hair filled the mans
nostrils The warm magic of her
presence dazed him.
Matthew Standish stood, his eyes
wide. his breath coming fast, the sweat
beads breaking from his forehead. The
heavy mask on his face twisted itself
into a half-grotesque aspect of pain.
"You love me?" she murmured.
"Yesi" he groaned. his big voice
breaking God help me! Yesi"
And you won't-you can't-destroy
my whole future. You can't, dear!"
"Ah!"
1t was the cry of revulsion that
might break from forestroamer
WHO Hdu all Dui tiOoNCh OA soNSA~
snake. He recoiled a step. with
shudder as of ply steal sickness.
WAS this needed?" he ragged WAS
1t necessary to defile my smashed idol
still further? Wasn't it enough that
you long ago taught me to look on all
women as shadows2 Why must you
turn misery into nausea by playing
u. fro NNhU
must you profane it and make It foul?Y
He mastered himself with an effort
and fought his way back to the wonted
lifeless impersonality that had become
to him a second nature.
Mrs. Robertson" he went on in his
customary measured siowness, the
case stands like this: your father and
husband are seeking to ruin me by
raking up a story of my past. That
story involves you. You ask me to
protect you. You sink to unspeakable
methods to make me do so. | shall
protect you as far as | can. shall do
so to the extreme, unless such proteo-
ton must involve the pelfare OF the
people who trust me. | will not stand
by meekly and see nv life work
for my country ruined | viii not
betray the trust of millions whose
only hope rests on me. THIS Btor
your father has dug w u~
be made public. You
me? 1t must not p"
any cost to myself or to you. Is that
clear"
Then" she asked IN tired despera
tien, what do you mean TO dor
Nothing at all," he returned, go
long as your father and husband keep
tbs story quiet"
Blu. surely they won't publish II
without knowing my--the Woman's
manner"
a. -l-A La haG i<acina To be
ITO Be Continued.)