Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1921-09-30

| from garrison to garrison, finally COM
| ing back to the little house that was
his fathers, as an old colonel on half
pay, she exclaimed:
Always quite alone?"
"Why quite alone? certainly hope
not"
"You intend to marry?'
Eyes, certainly"
"Yet you have refused several good
opportunities. Tell me why"
Because" he replied. 81 think ii
best not to marry rather than to marry
without love-"
"And think so, too"
She looked at him; he looked at her
and suddenly, to the great surprise OF
both, they found nothing more to say
nothing at ALL
But now Jean is no longer tranquil ;
with impotence and at the same time
with sorrow he sees the moment Of his
departure approach. Yet how could
he stay and resist the temptation OF
Bettina's charm?
AS an honorable man Jean felt for
Bettina's money horror, positive hor
ror.
In Bettina's mind the sensation OF
love had come at the same time that
| it had to jeans. But, while he, horri
fed, had cast it violently from him,
she on the contrary had yielded in all
the simplicity of her perfect innocence
of nd Of
ness.
AS Bettina grew more tender, Jean
become more gloomy. He. was not
only afraid of loving; he was afraid
of being loved. He felt he ought to
remain away, but he could not; the
temptation was too strong.
He tried to avoid Bettina at recep-
tons and even to leave without saying
goodbye.
"If touch her hand" he thought,
"my secret will escape me-"
His secret! He did not know that
Bettina read his heart like an open
! book.
When Jean descended the stairs
these words were upon his lips:
ST love you, adore you, and that
| is why will see you no more!"
But he did not utter them; he actu-
ally fled into the darkness.
Bettina standing in the hall door
and taking no notice of the rain driv-
| ing across her bare shoulders, watched
him go.
81 knew very well that he loved
me-" she thought, 'sbut now am very
sure that /, too-oh! yes! I, too
| Meanwhile Jean hastens to his dear
old friend the cure to tell him that
he is going away Immediately to Paris
| to seek exchange into another regi-
ment, to leave the little hamlet forever.
And then in his emotion he confessed
| to the able that he adored Bettina.
ut is a madness which has seized
me-" he exclaimed. "Ah! if she were
only poor!"
'Do you know what I think, Jean?"
exclaimed his good friend. "Jean,
believe that she loves YOU"
"And I believe it, too; but that is the
very reason must go. Her money is
| the great obstacle"
At that moment someone knocked
gently at the door.
It was Bettina.
Going directly to Jean she cried,
"Oh, how glad am you are here"
Then she took both his hands in hers
and addressing the cure she said, i
have come to beg you, monsieur lie
cure, to listen to my confession"
And to herself she way saying, Il
| wish TO be loved / wish to love! !
wish to be happy and to make him
happy! And since he cannot have the
courage to say it, must have the
courage for both!'
81 am rich, monsieur lie cure" she
continued, aloud, very rich, but /
love money most for the good which
it allows me to do. So have the care
of this money, and I have always
wished that my husband should be
worthy of sharing this great fortune
good use of it. I thought of another
thing, too-sHe who will be my hus-
band must be someone / can love!
There is man who has done all he
can to conceal from me that he loves
me, but I do not doubt that he loves
me. You do love me, Jean?
eyes," said Jean in low voice, his
eyes cast down, looking like a GRIM
inal, 81 do love YOU"
ST knew it very well, but | wanted
to hear you say it. And now, Jean,
I say to you, I love you! Do not
come near me, yet. Before / came
here thought / had good stock OF
courage, but you see have no longer
my firm composure of minute ago.
And now. monsieur lie cure, want you
to answer me, not him. Tell me, II
he loves me and feels me worthy OF
his love, should he not agree to be my
husband?"
JEAN" said the old priest gravely,
marry her, it is your duty"
And as Jean took Bettina in his
arms the girl continued, "You have
often told me, monsieur lie cure. that
Jean was almost like your own son.