Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-26
ToDAY's INsTALLMENT.
SHY .fifth chapter-continued.

Sixty fifth chapter-continued.
Mary" he said. q 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 win 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 1t 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 stu
alton before go away. Let me do
1t. 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 tottering on the very edge
of a precipice, and to save myself l
tried to think Of Father Dan, of Mar
tins mother, of my own mother and
asince / could not speak struggled
to pray.
Don't say you can't. II you do I
shall go away sorrowful man. |
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
| hell"
And then the irrepressible, over
whelming, inevitable moment came
Martin laid hold of my right hand
and said in his tremulous voice:
Mary Mary love
you" g
| ] could hear. no more / could not
| think or pray or resist any longer
The bitter struggle was at an end
Before | knew what l 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.
l was his. He had taken his own
Nothing counted in the presence ot
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 churcl
were blotted out, forgotten, lost
For some moments ] hardly
breathed. | was only conscious tha1
over my head Martin was saying
something that seemed to come to nj
with all the deep and wonderful whis
pers of his heart.
"Then it's true! It's true that 70,
love me! Yes, it's truel It's true
No one shall hurt you again. Neve
again. No, by the Lord GodH
n And then suddenly-as suddenly a
IT, moment of intoxication had com
to mel awoke from my deliripm
Some little thing awakened me.
hardly know what 1t was Perhaps
was only the striking of the cuckoo
clock in my room.
"What are we doing?" I said.
Everything had rolled back on m
my marriage, Father Dams warn
ling, my promise to Martins mother.
Where are we?" / said
Hush Don't speak" said Martin
LET us think of nothing tonight
texcept our love"
| Don't say that / answered. "W
are not free to love each other" an
then, trying to liberate myself froI
his encircling arms, cried:
God help me! God forgive mel"
"Wait!" said Martin, holding me
moment longer. Il know what yo
feel and I'm not the man to want
girl to wrong her conscience. BIZ
there's one question / must ask yol
If you were free, could you love m
then?"
q Don't ask me that. must ne
o answer 1t"
E "You must and SHALL" said Martin
> "Could you?"
Yes"
e That's enough for me-enough fC
s to- night anyway. Have no fear. A
n shall be well. Go to your room now
: He raised me to my feet and lie
me back to the foot of the balloon
and there he kissed my hand and Il
me go.
Good night" he said. softly
Good night l answered.
"God bless you, my pure, swe
grill"
At the next moment was in n
room. lying face down on my bed
seeing no hope on any side, and sol
bling my heart out for what mig
have been but for the hard law of n
religion and the cruel tangle of n
fate,