Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-03-04

come here"
why indiscreet?"
ga man who has been in prison"
and Mrs Wexford shuddered at the
thought. She had seen and helped so
many poor victims Of the cruel laws.
and the memory Of their drawn faces
and evil eyes and coarse speech flash
ed across her mind. She could not rec
oncile one coming into her little home.
Angela answered her:
Yes, he has been in prison, but the
shame was for his prosecutors, not for
him. Still, if you would rather l saw
him somewhere else
"Oh, no, my dear child. If you
wish it,
Il do. 1 just want to see him agMin.
as he writes he does me. l want to
hear him speak again. l want to wish
him godspeed on his Journey"
Very we'll. Angela" said the old
lady. LAS you wish"
A week afterward O'Connell arrived
in London. They met in Mrs. Wrex-
ford's little drawing room in Mayfair.
They looked at each other for some
moments without speaking. Both not
ed the fresh lines of suffering in each
others face. They had been through
the long valley Of the shadow of sor-
row since they had last met.
But O'Connell thought as he looked
at her that all the suffering he had
gone through passed from him as some
hideous dream. 1t was worth it
looking at her now; worth the long
black nights. the labors in the heat of
the day with life's outcasts around
him, the taunts Of his %iailers; worth
all the infamy of it just to stand there
looking at her.
She had taken his life in her W. lit
tie hands.
He had bathed his soul all these
months in the thought of her. He had
prayed night and day that he might
see her standing near him just us she
was then, see the droop Of her eye and
the silk of her hair and feel the touch
of her hand and hear the exquisite
tenderness of her voice. He stood mute
before her.
She held out her hand and said sim
ply:
Thank you for coming"
1T was good of you to let me-" he
answered hoarsely.
'"They have not broken your spirit
or your courage?'
No" he replied tenseIy; they are
the stronger"
Il thought they would be- she said
proudly.
All the while he was looking at the
pale face and the thin transparency of
her hands.
But you have suffered too. You
have been ill. We're you in%-danger?"
His voice had a catch of fear III it as
he asked the, to him, terrible question.
mo. 1t was just a fever. 1t is past.
I am a little weak-a little tired. That
will pass too"
IF anything had happened to you
or ever should happen!' He buried
his face in his hands and moaned:
"Oh, my God! Oh, my God!!"
His body shook with the sobs he
tried vainly to check. Angela put her
hand gently OF his shoulder.
Don't do that" she whispered.
He controlled himself with an effort.
1T will be over in a moment. Just
a moment. l am sorry"
He suddenly knelt at her feet, his
head bowed in reverence. God help
me!' he cried family. 81 love you, 1
love you"
She looked down at him, her face
TRANSPORTED.
He loved her!
The beat of her heart spoke it, HE
loves you!" The throbbing Of her
brain shouted it, HE loves your The
cry Of her soul whispered it, 'He loves
you"
She stretched out her hands to him:
MY love is yours, just as yours is
mine. Let US join our lives and give
them to the suffering and the op-
pressed"
He looked up at her in wonder.
II daren't. Think what l ami"
You are the best that is in me. We
are mates"
"a peasant! A beggar."
you are the noblest of the noble"
"a convict"
Our Saviour was cruciied so that
his people should be redeemed. You
have given the pain Of your body so
that your people may be free"
ct wouldn't be fair to you," he
pleaded.
IF you leave me it will be unfair
to us both"
"Oh, my dear one! My dear one"
He folded her in his arms.
III give the best Of my days to
guard you and protect you and bring
you happiness"
II am happy now" and her voice