San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-11-12
Nora Lee Turns Cold With
Fear at Natalie's
Proposal.
B CHAPTER XIII

ihere was no longer any
question; no longer an inch
OF doubt. Natalie loved
Dane; loved him so that the
words she used to tell it
breathed with living fire.
Loved him so that she
could make this stark, in
credible suggestion that
scared Nora Lees eyebaIls
as she read; that beat her down like
thousand loaded whips.
She crushed the paper in moist
shaking hands, mumuring aloud; "I'm
mad! must be gone mad!" Then
She sped over. stealthily locked the
door. smoothed out the letter and. al
most fainting, reread it. 1t was this:
That l love you, you know. That
would pour out my life to make
one hour OF yours richer. you have
guessed. II only you would ask it.. If
only you would take IL! I would 20
into the most desolate and wind swept
waste; dwell there always, and it
would glow with unimagined splendor:
1t would be exotic with warmth and
beauty il but one hour of yours were
linked eternally with one hour of
mine; one pulse of your heart joined
immortally with the whole of mine.
NOT HISTORICAL.
Il sm not writing in hysteria. No.
My hands are cold; my brain is clear.
There are no tears in my eyes. though
sometimes thinking of you my throat
is warm and over-brimming with them.
Now. ] am quiet-quiet as 7 can ever
be with your loved face before me.
And what have to say is the solemn.
persistent, unconquerable longing OF
both mind and spirit.
ut is not the prompting Of a mo-
ment: not the insensate yearning of
thwarted and overcharged heart. 1t is
the wish of life.
II have tried to speak these things
] could not find the words. Now /
shall write them and you must read
with gentle eyes. You will know why
] may go away and never return. 1t
shall be because OF the gift / ask from
you-a gift that will change all earth
for me, yet cannot sadden or hurt in
any way, you or others. You can do
this and none will ever know.
STRENGTH LACKING.
Listen to me, Dane-and under
stand. Four years ago ] went away,
loving you. l stayed away, loving
you. A Say OF seeming GOODNESS
came. So / returned. Only to find
the lbvc / took away added to the
love that grew in absence and the
love that famed the first moment
/ saw you again. ! thought myself
strong enough to meet it, for / have
been bitterly schovied.
"I am not strong enough. There
is no water that the misd can pour
to put down such fire Of the heart.
] love you as I believe no woman
ever loved before. love you with
such fervor that / would gladly
die to serve you.
"And 1 love you with such COM
plcteness that i would not wish TO
harm you--hurt IN any way your
happiness, even though it brought
boundess joy to win your smile.
oh, i could win that smile, Dane.
When women love as ] do, despcr-.
ate power is theirs. How I have
wished to wind my arms about you
rob you--make you mine!
Tho touch of your hand is per-
fume and fire stealing through my
veins: the meeting of your eyes is
music ovcrpowering flowing through
and bowling my soul
Il could write on and write on.
oh. the peace and sweetness even
Of forming these letters, 1 LOVE
1OUi
90 "I.ove you. even telling myself too
often that you are young; that you
arc another's: that you do not seek,
and never will, my heart.
But you are .oung and strong
and sweet. You are tender and have
pitied me. I know you have. Do
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