The Monte Vista journal., 1914-03-14

quivering, as she put her hand on his
head and stroked his hair.
vandervelt started violently. He
was frightened, so suddenly was he
awakened from his meditation. and
bounded from the chair as he would
have leaped from railway track to
escape death beneath the wheels of
an approaching train.
Allen" she finally said again in
a voice tremulous with emotion. you
-you-come back Toto"
ASK your forgiveness" he supplied.
60 to stay?" she finished.
ITO ask your forgiveness" he re-
peated. He took step forward.
looked up at her and burst forth pas.
sionately:
Margaret. want you to listen to
my confession. God, how wrong I've
been. L"
She put up her hand and shook her
head and he stopped.
Don't" she said. please don't tell
me. Let me spare you that-and
myself. could not listen to any con-
| fession. forgive you without the
confession. I know you, did not love-
that other woman. You did not love
| her-did you. Allen?"
vandervelt replied brokenly and re-
morsefufly:
mo. did not love her. 1t was
merely infatuation-a false infatua-
ton. never loved any woman but
you"
81 knew It. knew It," she contin-
ued. ~ knew you would come back
and everything would be all right
We can begin over again and we can
be SO happy. for love you sol love
you So"
A light Of happiness had sprung
into her eyes as she spoke, and she
rushed toward him and put her arms
about his neck.
ALLEN. forgive you." and she
kissed him. He could not respond and
he could not resist. He was power.
less and stood motionless, almost
limp. with eyes cast toward the floor.
His attitude produced frightened
light in her eyes. and she drew away
from him as she released him.
"Oh. had forgotten the DIVORCE"
she said, ''I had forgotten the divorce.
We are not husband and wife. What
folly that divorce was"
Then the look of fright disappeared
and she almost laughed as she con.
tinued:
"But after all. that need not be q
barrier Allen. We can be lovers
again. and you can ask me to marry
you as you did that beautiful after.
noon in the rose garden-at fathers
and mother's-that sweet, beautiful
afternoon. And l can say Yes and
then-and then Oh, Allen, we can
bury the past Can't we. Allen. dear?"
She had put her arms about his neck
again and spoke with passionate ap-
peal.
Vandervelt broke away from her
and broke into a sob as he bitterly
exclaimed, pacing the floor:
why did l ever come backf have
returned only to torture you. I might
have known-you could not know"
What do you mean?" The look of
fright again appeared In her eyes and
again she brushed her hand across
her face. Cant everything be all
right againf"
1T can never be- he continued bit.
terly. ut can never be. am a mar
ried man. Oh. why did ever do IT."
She gave = startled cry and tottered
a. both hands went to her head.
She would have fallen had he not
caught her and assisted her to the
arm chair.
"1hen-you-married-her?" Her
Ups Quivered violently. "She-is-
your-wife and is-living7"
YES"
And you-didnt-come- to
-stayf"
mo. I came for your fogiveness.
| had to have 1t. couldn't live any
longer without it-and thought
might get to see the boy"
"You-you have-my forgiyeness--
now leave me-please."
'Vandervelt left the house silently.
hlled with the mental anguish and re-
morse he had hoped would be partly
obliterated by her forgiveness.