The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1917-01-11
CHAPTER xvI.-tcontinued,

under thai mist of white veil ! wishe,
with all my heart that l might q
known you before any other man ha,
found and won you. When you turnet
and iooked at me with that deep sorrow
in your eye you pledged me with ever.
fiber of my Being to fight for you.
was our from that instant. And whei
your little hand was laid in mine, m!
heart went out in longing to have l
stay in mine forever. 1 know now, as
did not understand then, that the rea
a for my doing something to max,
known my identity at that instant wa:
not because l was afraid of any of tht
things that might happen, or any scene
l might make. but because my hear
! was fighting for the right to keep wha'
had been given me u of the unknown
You are my wife, by every law OF
heaven and earth. il your heart will but
say yes. / love you, as | never Knew
man could love, and yet II you do moi
| want to stay with me l will set yol
free: but il is true that I should never
be the same. for l am married to You
in my heart, and always shall be. OAR
ling iook up and answer my question
now.
He stood before her with outstretched
arms, and for answer she rose and came
to him slowly, with downcast eyes.
II do not want to be set free, she
said.
Then gently. teaderly, he folded his
arms about her, as il she were TOO prec-
ious TO handle roughly, and laid his lips
upon hers
Il was the shrili. insissent clang OF
the telephone bell Ihat broke IN pom
ssefr bis. For a Gordon let 1t
n but its merciless ciatter was nor
10 be denied. 50. drawing Ceiia Wllhlh
Ms arm. he made her come with him 10
the phone
To his the naughty voice
OF Miss Bentley answered hin rom the
little black distance OF he phone.
His arm was about Celia, 4 h felt
his werle body suffen with formality.
-On. Miss Bentley. Good morning.
Your u-.sssases Why no. All. Well |
have lust on in
a uanse during which Celia panic
stricken. handed him the paper on
which she had written Julia's message
ahs On, yes l have the message;
Yes, III Is very kind OF YOU
he unurrnursd stIfly, hui you VIII
have TO excuse NE. No, really Il
is utterly impossible. have
another engageInent- his arm
stole closer around Celia's waist and
caught her hand. holding II with a
meaniugful pressure. He smiled, with
a grimace toward the telephone which
gladdened her heart. Pardon me. l
uiA1k I ACdI tiidtr h0 nNAe 80 r.
"Oh, give up my engagement n
come? Not possibly" His voice
rang with a glad, decided force, and
he held still closer the soft fingers in
his hand. . : . Well, I'm sorry you
feel that way about it. l certainly am
not trying to be disagreeable- No, l
could not come tomorrow night either.
sss I cannot make any plans for the
next few days. > I may have TO
leave town again. 1t is quite
possible I may have to return to New
York. Yes. business has been very
pressing. / hope you will excuse ne
l am sorry to disappoint YOU No, OF
l didn't do it on purpose. |
shall have some pleasant news to tell
glance of deep love at Celia, per
haps / shall find means to let YOU
know. Of it before ! see you"
The color came and went in Celia's
cheeks. She understood what he
meant and nestled closer to him.
mo, no / could not tell it over the
phone. No, 1t will keep. Good things
for, you know. No. really / can't. And
I'm very sorry to disappoint you to-
night, but it can't be helped.
Goodby."
OF relief.
Who is Miss Bentley?' asked Celia.
with natural interest. III was pleased
that he had not addressed he as Jul
why, she is-a friendI suppose
you would call her. She has been TAX
ing possession Of my time lately rather
more than I really enjoyed. Still. she
Is a nice girl. You'll like her, ! think;
but I hope you'll get too init
mate. I shouldn't like to have her
parfir,ra liz orC,ynd sS Ch1-p hA no11CoJ
and finished, laughing-'she makes me
tired
Il was afraid, from her tone when
she 'phoned you, that she was q very
dear friend-that she might be some
one you cared for. There was a sort
Of proprietorship in her tone"
.ors 5ss, j that's the very Word; propr aea
for her. / never did. / tried to con-
slider her in that light one day. be-
cause I'd been told repeatedly that I
ought to settle down, but the thought
OF having her with me always vas
wel1--intolerable. The fact is. you
reign supreme in a heart that has
never loved another girl. 4 didn.tknow
this. knew ! lacked something, but /
didn't know what it was. This is
greater than all the gifts OF life, this
gift OF your love. And that it should
come to me in this beautiful, unsought
way seems too good to be true!"
He drew her to him ono more and
looked down into her lovely face, as
if he could not drink enough OF its
sweetness.
And to think you are willing to be
my wife!S My wife, and he folded
her close again.
discreet tap on the door announced
the arrival of: the man Henry, and
Gordon reused to the necessity Of or
sdering lunch.
He stepped to the door with q happy
smile and held 1t OPEN.
Come an q minute, Henry. he said.
s'sThis is my wife. / hope you will
Ehence1orth take her wishes as your
special charge. int do for her as you
have done 80 faithfully for me-
The mans eyes shone with pleasure
= > he bowed low before the gentle lady,
q Al sery glad to heahsits sab. and ]
so&fers sou my experimentation. sab,
nxasdeSiady, co. She can't find no
sbettnh man HI the whole United States
dan Marg Gordon. rs mighty glad
syOugadone got mailed sah. an hopes
lw&Alf, !, 49, ySp. ~ fEEIS