The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1915-05-15

IN heF own, suppose thal nhou.o
refuse TO abide by your--what shall
call III"
Decision Is the word" he supplied
grimly.
'Well-what then?"
You will abide by t. that's all.
am leaving you behind without the
slightest fear for the future. This IL
your home. You will not abandon T."
Have said that would?"
"No."
She drew herself up. well. shalt
now tell you what intend to do-4nd
have intended to do ever since dis
covered that l could think for myself
and not for Matilde. intend TO stay
here until you turn me out as unwor
thy. I-loye you. James. You may
leave me here feeling very sure or
that. I shall 20 on caring for you all
the rest OF my life. am not telling
you this In the hope that you will say
that you have spark or love In your
soul for me. l don't want you TO say
II now, James. But as sure as there
is God above us you will say II to me
one day. and I will be justified In my
own heart"
Il have loved you. There was never
In this world anything like the love
had for you'll know II now. II was
not Matilde l loved when l held you
In my arms. ! know II now for the
first time. am man. loved YOU
loved your body. your soul"
Enough" she cried out sharply. Il
was playing at love then. Now love
IN earnest. You've never known Iowa
such as can really give. know you
well, too. You love nobly- and with
| out end or late have como to be-
lleve that Matiide could have won out
against your-your foilyrif she fkd
been stronger. less conscious OF THO
| pain she felt II she had stood het
| ground here, against you, you would
have been conquered. But she did DOT
have the strength to stand and hkht
as wsuld have fought. Today love
my sister none the lesg. but I DO
longer night to Avenge her wrongs. 1
am here to Tight FOR myself. You may
80 away thinking that am q traitor
to her, but you Will take with you the
| CONVICTION that / am honest. and that
10 Fthe foundation for my claim against
I you ----a~MRxSkzns&A6f3
Il know you are not a traitor to her
eanse. You are its lifelong Supporter.
You have done more for Matilde
than"
Than Matilde could have done for
herself? Isn't that trueY have forced
| you to confess that you loved her for
twenty-five years with all your soul.
I have done my duty for her. Now l
am beginning to take myself into ac-
count. Some day we shall meet again
and--well. 1t viii not be disloyalty to
Matilde that moves you to say that
you love me. | shall not stay out Of
| your life forever II is your destiuy
and mine, James. We are mortals,
flesh and blood mortals. and we have
been a great deal to each other"
He was silent for long time When
at last he spoke his voice was full or
! gentleness II do not love you.
Yyonne. / cannot allow you TO look
| forward to the-the happy ending that
you picture so wildly in your imagi-
nation. You say that you love me.
shall give you the opportunity To
| prove IL TO yourself II not 20 me.
When | came back TO you moment
ago II was to tell you that I expect you
TO be herein This house--when L
return In year-perhaps two years.
came back 10 put IL to you az a
command. You are more than my
wife. You are my prisoner. You arc
| to pay a penalty as any convicted
wrong doer would pay n condemned
by law. order you. Therese. to re-
main In this house until come 20 set
you free"
She stared at him for moment and
then an odd smile came into her eyes.
"A prisoner serving her timer Is that
| II, my husband?"
''lf you are here when I return !
shall have reason 10 believe that your
love Is real. that II Is good and true
and enduring. am afraid OF you now.
/ do not trust you"
Her eyes flashed omlnously. She
started 10 say something. but refrained,
closing her lips lightly.
you used the word prisoner" BROOD
resumed levelly. "Of course you IN
derstand that IL is voluntary on your
part"
For a yesr--or year and n hair,
/ that's what Il will come to-" she
unused. Il am TO stay In this hogse
| all that timer"
within these four walls" said he.
and his face was very white.
els that your sentence?"
"Call II that n you like. Theresa"
DO you mean that am not to
put foot outside OF these premises ?"
she asked, wide.eyed. He nodded hla
head. MY keepers? Who are they
TO be? The old men OF the sea-"
your keeper viii be the thing you
If a L..