The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1914-07-16

quisite delight.
Good God, Hetty, IL can't do |
without you,' he whispered, shaken
by his passion. Nothing can come
between us. l must have you always
like this
che sara, SARA she sighed, like
the breath Of the summer wind as
it sings in the trees.
The minutes passed and neither
spoke. His rapt gaze hung upon the
glossy crown that pressed against him
SO gently. He could not see her eyes,
but somehow he felt they were tightly
shut, as if in pain.
Il love you, Hetty. Nothing can
matter" he whispered at last. Tell
me what it is.''
She lifted her head and gently with
drew herself from his embrace. He
did not oppose her, noting the serious,
almost somber look in her eyes as she
turned to regard him steadfastly, an
unwavering integrity of purpose in
their depths.
She had made up her mind to tell
him part Of the truth. Brandon, l am
Hetty Glynn."
He started, not SO much in surprise
as at the abruptness with which she
made the announcement
| Il have been sure of it, dear, from
the beginning" he said quietly.
| Then her tongue was loosed. The
words rushed to her lips. Il was
Hawkright's model for six months.
l posed for all those studies, and for
the big canvas in the academy. 1t
was either that or starvation. Oh.
you will hate me-you must hate me-"
He laid his hand on her hair,
calm smile on his lips. Il can't love
and hate at the same time," he said.
There was nothing wrong in what
you did for Hawkrigkt. l am paint
er, you know. l understand. Does
does Mrs. Wrandan know all this"
everything. She knows and
understands. She is an angel, Bran
don, an angel from heaven. But" she
burst forth, Il am not altogether a
sham. l am the daughter Of Colonel
Castleton, and l am cousin Of all the
Murgatroyds-the poor relation. It
isn't as if 1 were the scum of the
earth, is it? l am Castleton. My
father comes of noble family. And,
Brandon, the only thing I've ever done
in my life that 1 am really ashamed
Of is the deception l practiced on you
when you brought that magazine to
me and faced me with it. l did not
lie to you. 1 simply let you believe
I was not the-the person you thought
1 was. But deceived you"
mo, you did not deceive me-" he
said gently. Il read the truth in your
dear eyes,"
There are other things, too. l shall
not speak of them, except to repeat
that l have not done anything else
in my life that I should be ashamed
Of" Her eyes were burning with ear
nestness. He could not but understand
what she meant.
Again he stroked her hair. 81 am
sure of that" he said.
my mother was Kitty Glynn, the
actress. My father, a younger son
fell in love with her. They were mar
ried against the wishes of his father
who cut him off. He was in the serv
ice, and he was brave enough to stick
They went to one of the South Afri
: can garrisons, and l was born there
!. Then to India. Then back to London
I where an aunt had died, leaving my
: father quite a comfortable fortune
: But his old friends would have moth
). ing to do with him. He had lived
l we'll, he had made life hell for my
/ mother in those frontier posts. He de
q serted us in the end, after he hae
\ squandered the fortune. My mothel
made no effort to compel him to pro
g vide for her or for me. She wa.
q |
e in India, still in the service, a mar
tinet with a record for bravery OF
e the field of battle that cannot b,
s. taken from him, no matter what els
s may befall. / hear from him once o
k twice a year. That is all l can tel
u you about him. My mother died thre
e years ago, after two years Of invalid
ISM During those years l tried t.
It repay her for the sacrifice she ha,
IL made in giving me the education
the" She choked up for a second
4 and then went bravely on. "Her oil
4 manager made a place for me in on
| of his companies. l took my mother
| name, Hetty Glynn, and-well. for
| season and a half was in the chorus
n could not stay there. l could not,
II she repeated with a shudder. Il CAV
j it up after my mothers death. l wa
n fairly well equipped for work as
childrens governess, so engaged my
4 self to"
\ She stopped in dismay, for he wa
Il laughing
\ "And now do you know what 1 thin
p of you, Miss Hetty Glynn?" he criet
. Selling her hands and regarding he
d with a serious, steadfast CLEAN in hi
u eyes. You are the Quickest, sandies
81 girl I've ever known. You are tn
81 kind that heroines are made of. Their
y is nothing in what you've told me ths
NJ could in the least alter my regard IL
you, except to increase the love
thought could be no stronger. Wi
you marry me, Hetty?"
She jerked her hands away, an
held them clenched against her breas
mo! l cannot. 1t is impossible
Is. Brandon. If l loved you less than
ul, do, might say yes, but-no, 1T is il
lis possible"
irl His eyes narrowed. A gray shade
crept over his face.
re- There can be only one obstacle