The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1914-08-13

vlsor-wlse over his brow. In an In
stant he had drawn her upright, and
they stood, looking at each other,
drenched and trembling.
How can you?" he said with a
roughness that sounded akin to anger.
Here in this atrocious weather-like
this!" he laid a hand on her arm.
You're wet through"
II don't mind the rain," she an
swered, drawing away, yet feeling
with guilty thrill the masterfulness
Of his tone, as we'll as its real concern.
I'm often wet"
His gaze searched her face, feature
by feature, noting her pallor, the blue
black shadows beneath her eyes, the
caught breath, uneven like a chiid's
from crying. He still held her hands
in his.
Shirley" he said, 81 know what you
intended to tell me by those flowers
l went to st. Andrews that night, in
the dark, after l read your letter.
Who told you? Your-mother?"
mo, moi" she cried. she would
never have told mel"
His face lighted. With an irresiSt-
ible movement he caught her to him.
"Shirley!" he cried. "It shan't be!
1t shan't, l tell you! You can't break
our lives in two like this! It's un-
thinkable."
mo, MOI" she said piteously, push
Ing him from her. you don't under
stand. You are a man, and men
can't"
Il do understand" he insisted. ooh,
my darling, my darling! 1t isn't right
for that spectral thing to come be-
tween us! Why, it belonged to a past
generation! However sad the out
come of that duel, it held no dishonor.
| know only too we'll the ruin 1t
brought my father! It's enough that
it wrecked three lives. 1t shan't rise
again, like Banquo's ghost to haunt
ours! l know what you Think
would love you the more, il could
love you more, for that sweet loyalty
but It's wrong, dear. It's wrong!"
It's the only way"
Listen. Your mother loves you.
II she knew you loved me, she would
bear anything rather than have you
suffer like this. You say she wouldn't
have told you herself. Why, if my
father"
She tore her hands from his and
faced him with a cry. "Ah, that Is it!
You knew your father so little. He
was never to you what she is to me.
Why, I've been all the life she has
had. | remember when she mended
my dolls, and held me when l had
scarlet fever, and sang me the songs
the trees sang to themselves at night.
| said my prayers at her knee till
was twelve years old. We were never
apart day till went away to school"
She paused, breathless.
Doesn't that prove what | say?"
he said, bending toward her. "She
loves you far better than herself. She
wants your happiness"
Gould that mean hers?" she de-
manded, her bosom heaving. To see
us together - always - always! To
be reminded in everything-the lines
Of your face-the tones of your voice,
maybe-of that! Oh, you don't know
how women feel-how they remember
how they grieve! I've gone over all
you can say till my soul cries out, but
1t can't change it. 1t can't!
Valiant felt as though he were bat.
tering with bruised knuckles at a stone
wall. A helpless anger simmered in
him. Suppose" he said bitterly, that
your mother one day, perhaps after
long years, learns of your sacrifice.
She is likely to guess in the end, |
think. Will it add to her pleasure, do
you fancy, to discover that out of this
conception Of tilial loyaIty-for it's
that, l suppose!-you have spoiled
your own life?"
She shuddered. She will never
learn" she said brokenly. "Oh, |
know she would not have spoken. She
would suffer anything for my happi.
ness. But l wouldn't have her bear
any more for my sake"
His anger faded suddenly, and when
he looked at her again, tears were
burning in his eyes.
Shirley" he said. TITS my heart
too, that you are binding on the
wheel! l love you. want nothing
but you! I'd rather beg my bread
from door to door with your hand
in mine than sit on a throne without
you! What cam there be in life for
me unless you share it? Think of our
love! Think of the fate that brought
me here to find you in Virginia! /!
Think of our garden-where l thought
we would live and work and dream
till we were old and gray-together
darling! Don't throw our love away
like this!"
His entreaties left her only whittier
but unmoved. She shook her head
gazing at him through great clear