The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1914-11-13

/ gave you only IOVo.
"Only-!"
cit was all / had to give. It wasn't
enough"
Il wish 1 could have given as much
as YOU" The wistful words slipped
out.
He stepped closer to her.
"Kazia, this has got to end"
Eyes"
you must marry me tomorrow"
Life. and with 1t pain, fiickered once
more.
/; "You are trying to give something
now. But I'm glad you said that"
"I'm asking you to give something
more. You will?"
why do you ask it,"
Because I've hurt you enough. /
did hurt you when / let you-led you
to sin, even though we kept it secret
| from the world. / want to make you
happy-you said yourself we've broken
law. / want happiness-and can't
have it. knowing that for all I've taken
from you I've given nothing"
She tried to smile; the sight of it
cut to his heart. Every reason but
the one. But I'm glad you wouldn't
lie to me now" The smile faded. You
see. l can't"
'Kazia, DEAR" he pleaded, I'VE
started wrong-let's begin over again.
Let's give love new birth"
His voice rang with a longing she
could not understand, but he could not
touch her. She shook her head spir-
itlessly.
There can be no new birth so long
as there Is memory. You could never
forget that THAT / am not clean"
| do you think me so small as to
hold my own fault against you? 1t Is
my sin, too" He stepped closer, reach
ing out his arms to take her. Come.
dear, your poor little reasons aren't
enough"
She shrank away from his clasp,
trembling. Into the tired white face
came look of fear and despair She
glanced this way and that, as though
she sought an escape. Her hands went
to her face. Then she forced them
down and her eyes to his.
Il thought thought you under
stood. IL wasn't clean-before
we sinned. The doctor who helped
me, L" She could say no more.
Suspicion had not prepared him for
this. He stared foolishly at her, show.
ing how he recoiled from the fact her
broken words had revealed. He did
not then think it strange that the
shame of woman he did not love
should stab so deeply.
"Kazia, how could you-how could
you!"
After while he forgot his own pain
little in pity for the silent stricken
woman. Again his arms reached out
for her and would not be denied.
1T must make no difference" His
sternness was all for himself. What
am / to blame you? You sold your
body to live. / gave my soul to feel
others squirming under my feet. You
hurt only yourself. I've hurt every
one touched. I hurt you. If hadn't
been a coward years ago when we
first loved, you would never have been
tempted. Your sin Is only a part of
mine. 1t is you who have most to
| forgive"
Slowly she raised her. head to look
at him. And you" came a broken
incredulous whisper, "and you would
marry me-even now?"
"All the more now!"
For an instant a faint pitiable hope,
defying knowledge, shone in her eyes.
Have l been mistaken? Only love
could ignore-ah! don't lie to me now.
1t wouldn't be kindness. Is it just pay
-or love?"
He tried to look away from her and
could not. Her eyes held his, seeking
| through them to hunt out the last
truth hidden in his soul. With a rough
convulsive movement he drew her
head down on his shoulder.
How can / know what 1t is? 1t
must be love, since / need you and
want to make you happy. If it isn't
now, surely love will come when we
start right. Kazia, don't refuse me
this chance to make Up to you little
of the harm I've done YOU,
Her answer was stifled sob. He
felt her body relax; her head rested
heavily on his shoulder.
She released herself. He did not
try to hold her. They faced each other
in a heavy throbbing silence.
His soul quivered with the cruelty
Of it.; 1t would ha'e been infinitely
easier for him If she had been the
unfaithful one. His words echoed
mockingly in his ears, torturing him
with their hopeless futility.
"You will not?"
| "You couldn't say it-and 1 don't
want pay"
The sight of her had become more
than he could endure. He turned away
and dropped into a chair, letting his
head fall to the table.
After a little he felt her hand gently
smoothing his hair. And soon she be-
gan to speak in voice unsteady at
first but gathering strength as she
went on.
you mustn't reproach yourself. l
know you'd love me If you could. And
you mustn't think / refuse just for
your sake. I'd do what you want
since you want it so much-only It
would be misery for me always. You
wouldn't want that. /. And this-it
seems I've always known 1t would
come. 1t was chance l took for a
few months happiness. I've had my
happiness. =. You haven't harmed
mel beg you to believe you haven't
harmed me-"
| "KaZia-"