Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-26
To.pAY's INSTALLlIENT.
sixty. fifth chapter--continued

sixty-fifth chapter-continued.
MARY" he said, 4 have always
cared for you. Surely YOU know that.
/ BY the saints Of God ! swear there
has never been any other girl for me.
and now there never will be. Per-
haps ought to have told you this
before, and / wanted TO do so when
met you in Rome. But it didn't
seem fair, and couldn't bring myself
to do IT,
His passionate voice was breaking;
thought my heart was breaking
also.
@All | could do did. but it came
to nothing; and nom you are here
and are unhappy, and though it is so
late want to help you. to. rescue you,
to drag you out Of this horrible situ-
alton before go away Let me do
it. Give me the right of one you
care enough for to allow him to speak
in your behalf"
knew what that meant. knew
that was lettering on the very edge
Of precipice, and to save myself
tried to think of Father Dan, Of Mar
tins mother, ofNmy own mother and
since could not speak struggled
to pray.
Don't say you can't, If you do
shall go away a sorrowful man. l
shall go at once, too to- night or to-
morrow morning at latest, for my
heart bleeds to look at you and
can't stay here any longer to see you
suffer. 1t is not torture TO me-it's
helllD
And then the irrepressible, over
whelming, inevitable moment came.
Martin laid hold of my right hand
and said in his tremulous voice:
Mary Mary r.. love
you"
could hear no more could not
think or pray or resist any longer.
The bitter struggle was at an end.
Before ] knew what | was doing
was dropping my head on to his
breast and he with a cry of joy was
gathering me in his arms.
Nothing Else Counted.
was his. He had taken his own.
Nothing counted in the presence of
our love, To be only we two to-
gether-that was everything. The
world and the worlds laws, the
church and the canons of the church
were blotted out. forgotten, lost
For some moments NJ hardly
breathed. ! was only conscious that
over my head Martin was saying
something that seemed to come to me
with all the deep and wonderful whis-
pers of his heart.
Then it's truei It's true that you
love me- Yes, it's truel It's true.
No one shall hurt you again. Never
| again! No, by the Lord God!"
And then suddenly--as suddenly as
| t. moment of intoxication had come
| to mel awoke from my delirium.
Some little thing awakened me. |
hardly know what 1t was. Perhaps it
was only the striking of the cuckoo
clock in my room.
What are we doing?' ! said.
Everything had rolled back on me
my marriage, Father Dams warn
+. ing, my promiss TO Martins motheR
Where are we?t I said
Hush! Don't speak" said Martin.
Let US think Of nothing tonight
! except our love"
Don't say that ! answered I'VE
are not free to love each other" and
then trying to liberate myself from
his encircling arms cried:
God help me! God forgive mel"
Watt" said Martin, holding me q
moment longer. Il know what you
feel and I'm not the man to want a
! girl to wrong her conscience. But
| there's one question / must ask you.
Il you were free, could you love me
| them"
Don't ask me that. / must not
answer it,
You must and shall, said Martin.
Gould you?"
Yes"
That's enough for me-enough for
tonight, anyway. Have no fear. All
shall be well. Go to your room now.
He raised me to my feet and led
me back to the foot of the balcony,
and there ne kissed my hand and let
me go,
Good night he said. softly.
Good night" / answered.
God bless you, my pure, sweet
grill"
At the next momcnt'I was in my
room, lying face down on my bed
seeing no hope on any side, and Sob
bling my heart out for what might
have been but for the hard law Of my
religion and the cruel tangle of my
fate.