Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1917-01-12
CHAPTER NvI-tContinuedo

IjdiliIs, ne SalG, i can go I1Itlti
than YOU fave asked. From the first
minute my eyes rested upon your face
under that INST of white veil | wished
with all my heart that ] might nave
known You before any other man had
found and won you. When you turned
and looked ut me with that deep SORROW
in your eyes, you pledged me with every
fiber OF my being 20 fight for you. l
was yours from that instant. And when
your little hand was kid in mine, my
heart went out in longing to have 1T
stay in mine forever. 4 know now. as i
did not understand then, that the real
reason for my doing something to make
known nay identity at that instant was
not because | was afraid OF any OF the
things that might happen, or any scene
/ might make, but because my heart
was fighting for the right to keep what
had been given me out OF the unknown.
You are my wife. by every law OF
heaven and earth, if your heart Will Dit
say yes. | love you. as L never knew a
man could love, and yet ii you do not
want to stay with me l will set you
free: but it is true that L should never
be the salne for | am married TO you
in nay heart, and always shall be. Da'-
ling look up and answer my question
now
He stood before her with outstretched
arms, and for answer she rose came
to him slowly, With downcast. eyes.
81 do not want to he set free, she
said.
Then gently, tenderly, he folded his
arms about her, as if she were too prec-
ious to handle roughly, and laid his lips
upon hers.
IT was the shrill, insistent clang of
the telephone bell that broke in upon
their bliss. For a moment Gordon let 1t
ring. but its mercileSS Clatter was not
to be denied; so, drawing Celia within
his arm, he made her come with him TO
the phone
To his ~oya the naughty voice
of Miss BENTLEY answered him from the
little black distance of the phone.
His arm was about Celia, and she felt
his who body stiffen with Formally.
"Oh, Miss Bentley! Doc morning!
Your message? Why no.! All! Wen,
have Just come in
A pause during which Celia. panic
! stricken. handed him the paper on
which she had written Julia's message.
"Ah! Oh. yes, ! have the MESSAGE:
Yes. it is very kind of YOU
he murinured stifily. but you will
have TO excuse me. No, really. 1t
is utterly impossible. have
another engagement ms arm
stole closer around Celias waist and
caught her hand, holding it with a
m~eaningful pressure. He smiled. with
a grilnace toward the telephone which
gladdened her heart. Pardon me, /
didn't hear that" he went on.
"Oh, give up my engagement ana
RAM with a glad, decided force. and
he held still closer the soft fingers in
his hand. : . . well, I'm sorry you
feel tina way o it. l certainly am
not trying to be disagreeable. No. l
could not come tomorrow night either.
cannot make any plans for the
next few days. : = : may have to
leave town again. 1t is quite
possible l may ave to return to New
York. Yes. business has been very
pressing. ] hope you will excuse me.
I am sorry to %disappoint you. No, of
course l didn't do it on purpose. l
shall have some pleasant news to tell
you when l see you again-or-" with
q glance OF deep love at Celia, per
haps l shall find means to let you
know IF it before I see you"
Tho color came and went in Celia's
cheeks. She understood what he
meant and nestled closer to him.
No, no, / could not tell it over the
phone. No, 1t will keep. Good things
will always keep IL they are well cared
Tor. you know. No. really l can't. And
I'm very sorry TO disappoint you to-
night. but it can't be helped. .
GOOdby."
He hung up the receiver with q sigh
= Of relief.
With natural interest. She was pleased
that he had not addressed he Is ..Ju-
lia." ,@.
why, she is-a friend-I suppose
you would call her. She has been TAX
Ing possession OF my time lately rather
Is u nice girl. YOu'M like her. l think:
but | hope youth never get too inti-
mate. shouldn't like to nave her
continually around. She" he paused
and finished. laughing-'she makes me
II was afraid PROM h.r +o,. ..
she 'phOned you. that she was q very
dear friend-that she might be some
one o cared for. There was q sort
Of prO~pfietorship ! n her tone."
Yes, that's the very word, .proprie-
Tor her. i never did. I 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 was
reign suprerne I . heart that has
!. never loved another girl. / didn't know
s. there Was such thing as love like
this. l knew I lacked something, but l
didn't nOW what 1t was. This is
greater than all the gifts Of life. thix
ON to me in this beautiful. unsought
way Gems too good to be. true!'.
He drew her to him once more snd
locked down into her ssvely face. as
sif Ne could not drink enough CT Its
ssNnd to@think you are willtng. to he
NY wifeis ny wife, and he. folded
her close again.
ASdlscreSt tap the door,announced
fho sarrtya Of the man Henry. ana
sGordOngrrOuSed TO b necessity IL or
derlng lunch.
a5AsH . 6tNpped 20 b door with q lapDy
Gn md held "a open.
49,