The Princeton union. [volume], April 04, 1901, Page 6, Image 6

About The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976

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Doctor
-v
paced the richly carpeted floor of his
spacious parlor office, his brow clouded
and his massive jaw clenched. His
countenance, usually serene and trust
inspiring, had for the moment lost its
kindliness, and was forbiddirig almost
to repulsiveness. A patient viewing
him from the operating table would, it
is likely, unless possessed of superior
nerve, have succumbed to heart fail
ure at best he would have demanded
another appointment for by some
atavic re\ersion ^the good doctor had
apparently returned to savagery of a
virulent tvpe When he paused ab
ruptly before the clock and suffered
his^jaws to relax, the spectacular re
sults were even worse He glared vin
dictively at the placid timepiece and
gnawed fiercely his heavy mustache.
"Four o'clock! four o'clock!" he ex
claimed, "and this is her last day!"
The sentence ended in something like
a groan "Well," replied a voice near at hand,
"there must be last dajs for everybody
and everything" The voice was full
and musical, with a shading of melan
choly The speaker stood in the door
way, hat and cane hand "If this
were my last day of bachelorhood, 1
don't think I could have stated it so
woefully, nor have I put as much despan
into the sentence How are you,
Frank? Why, what is the matter?"
hie continued, entering the room slowlj
as the othei remained motionless, gaz
ing silently towards ham. "Don't know
me? Sorry to see me? You are glar-
ing!"
"Dick Somers!" The name burst
from the doctor's lips, and he rushed
on his visitor, seizing and wringing the
proffered hand Again he stopped, his
whole soul in his face and ej es.
"Well," said Somers, cheerfully,
"what is on jour mind, old man? Five
years is a long time and Paris was a
gay place but five years and Richmond
are not enough, surely, to effect such
a change as this! And I shall have use
again for that hand, perhaps, bones
and all, so"
"The last days of your bachelorhood
you said the last dajs of your bach
elorhood, did you not? Then you are
still a bachelor, Dick?"
"Well, jes," and Somers smiled wist
fully into his friend's face "The same
old Brodnar," he continued, "headlong,
enthusiastic, impetuous! What new
scheme is afoot now? Do yon want to
"offerffi"e~up6n"tneaTtaTFofiamtnmonyf
If so, I draw the line there Why, con
found it, man, what is the matter with
you''" he added for the other, still
retaining his hand, continued to regard
him deep thought. __
"Sit down," said the doctor, drawing
him towards a chair"sit down." And
Somers perforce accepted the seat.
"Dick"and the professional man
stood o\ei him"I will welcome you
formally to-morrow, but to-iday jouare
the most welcome man on earth I sup
pose I am headlong, enthusiastic and
impulsive, but I am true am I not?
true to my friends?"
"True*? As truth itself, old fellow."'
And Somers, who had taken a cigar
from a box on the table by his side, sus
pended the lighted match over the
weed as he looked up. "Anybody been
casting a doubt on that yoint9"
"And honorable?"
"As honor!"
"You would take my word unsup
ported for any amount, would you
not9"
Somers looked affectionately into
the flushed eager face above him and
grew serious "I would take our word,
Frank, against the world, except in
one e\ent
"And that
9
"Well, if you speak disparagingly of
yourself, Trank Their hands met 1m-
pulsnely
"Dick, don't laugh at me or think me
out of my senses, but tell me seriously
is there any reason why jou maj not
be married to-night9"
Somers started
to rise, a queer look upon his face
"Sit down," said the doctor, with
both hands on his shoulders "Answer
me frankly
"Heavens! man, are you in your right
senses?but yes, this is only the same
old Brodnar
"You do not answer, Dick You aie
treating me lightly, and I am desperate
ly in earnest."
"Well, then, old fellow, I will answer
you seriously. There is no reason on
God's earth why I may not marry to
night. No heart will break, no trust
be shattered, no one will care Yes,
onemy mother." H*e lifted "his fine
face towards his friend. It wore again
the characteristic half-wistful, half
mocking smile.
"You would not care, either, Dick?
Not if by marrying 3 ou obliged a friend
Not if "~r
who loves you? Not if by marrying
villainy planned against the rife and
lf T.
Not if it defeated a cowardly enemy?
Oh don't you see my whole soul is
this matter?" The doctor resumed has
agitated pacing.
"Wouldn't it^ be best for me to kill
himin some genteel waysay"
"No killing is still a crime, but mat
rimony isn'tthough often more im
moral. And killing would settle with
but one, while matrimony wipes out
the whole crowd."*.^g-*
.r -,J^- Z&ztfk
HARR^TILL\vLL,^p5
Dl
Copyright. 1S99, by J. B. JLippincott Tympany fc.li nights tese:red
CHAPTER I.
Francis Brodnar rapidly
^?t
"Which, unfortunately, includes me,
if I guess wellbut there you go again,
Frank! Sit down, and I will be seriousi.
Onlyyou willTet me inquire into the
delails of this marriage which you have
evidently planned for mea man may
inquire about his own marriage, may
he not?" Somers' voice was now plain
tive. The doctor did not answer on the
moment, but walked to the window
and gazed gloomily into the blue spring
skies towards which the budding trees
of the old capitol were lifting their
arms in welcome.
"Of course, it is absurd, Dick," he
said, coming back, "and is obliged to
strike you so but, do you know, I be
lieve that friendship is the one undy
ing bond of our race All others have
their limitationseven love of man
and woman burns itself but I believe
that somewhere between men such a
friendship as this exists: to love where
another loves instantly and forever
to hate where he hates blindly and im
placably to hold his honor higher and
sweeter than life, his happiness above
one's own to feel this holy affection
so strong that it permeates every qual
ity of mind and body, and makes us in
truth that which we believe our friend
to be'. In such a friendship, Dick, self
perishes. We look into the eyes of our
friend and say 'Command!' We do not
question we trust implicitly, blindly,
and if we err"
"Life is "black forever!" Somers had
arisen, and, taking his friend's hand,
was regarding with affection his
flushed face. "That is Frank Brodnar
indeed," he continued. "You mean it,
my dear fellow and I am satisfied that
if after five years of separation I should
enter this room and say: 'My boy, if you
have no previous engagement and the
way is clear, you will do me a great
kindness by stepping down the street
and letting-me marry,you out of hand
to a friend who is being or has been vic
limized'wait, I am in earnestyou
would take up your hat, smooth your
hair, and join me before I reached the
street or jou had remembered tne
madam and babies at home. But, my"
dear fellow, I haven't the ability to
throw myself headlong into a plot. It
is constitutional that I do not excite
easily. I must find my way up to par
by stages while you, you were born
above par ^You may guess from my
metaphor what I have been doing of
late, but it doesn't follow that I never
reach the point of high tension N01
does it follow that I am a cold blooded
frigid,A little, sluggish blood- some^-
times saves a friendship. Sit down and
tell me all about it."
"And that is just what I may not
do Somers studied the gloomy face
a moment in silence
-"You may at least tell me what you
would have me do, Frank."
"I would have jou come here to-,
night, let me blindfold you, take you to
a certain room in this city have per
formed over you a ceremony which win
unite you to a perfectly honorable
vvpman, leave you there with her until
dawn, when I shall bring you aw aj 1
would have you ask me no question
SOMERS WAS LOOKING WITH DEEP
INTEREST INTO THE SPEAK
ER'S FACE
now or hereafter touching this mat
ter have you regard this woman to
night as a holy charge and treat her
with the reverence and respect you
should yield to your dead sister and
never from this moment until the day
comes when I may release youand
that may be near or farwould I have
you seek to discover her name or place
of living. By your marriage contract
you obtain no rights whatever over the
woman or her propertyI assure you
she will claim nothing of youand
when the time comes for her to ask an
honorable divorce at your handsa
mere matter of a few years, I think
you are to grant it openly and freely
More than-this I may not tell you
Somer
ha
lean
int re S
de2?
fneDdS
foTWJa
into th speaker's face. 1
"e sounds^like an Elizabetha ro-
a ch a te
Bazan
An
thetn
Do
a par."
lie addeapproachin:g gravely "Yo
have no forgottend that mJ mother
and yours "were somehow cousins,
and1'
"I have not. Nor have I forgotten
that a friend's name and honor" are?
sacred whether he is or is "not of
kindred blood. And I have not for
gotten that the woman herselfthis
woman of whom*I speakconfers an
nonor jwittf her blindtfusr.^ There
-hasr bepn my chief difficulty, Dick*:
In these^days it is hard to "find
man into, whose hands on may place
a young woman and say to her.: 'Trust
him implicitly!'""' Somers smiled
slightly^
"My dear fellow, don't see'that
_it is you whom the woman will trust
in this instance, not me? I am only
to vindicate you *7-"**"
"Then you consent?"
"Why, of course! I have no ties to
hinder me and' I shall never marry
with any serious intentions. As you
know, my life chance passed from me
when I laid down my commission in
the army to become a wanderer. I
am here to-day to sign for a small
share in some property of my grand
mother's, and to-morrow I shall be
off again I do not think I will be
inconvenienced much by the fact that
I shall leave a bride in Richmond
whom I have never seen nor am apt
to see and since it helps jou and
your friend, why, I am positively
happy over the affair. Fact is, Frank,
I am about up to par in this matter
now."
"You make me happy, Dick. True
as steel always, but alwajralways
I wish, old fellow, I might find the
missing note in your life."
"Satisfy my ambition, Frank, and
you have found it. My people were
of the army and navy. You remem
ber Somers in Tripoli,-andbut this
is idle, When that damnable villain
Holbin tempted me to embroil myself
with the authorities in an act of in
subordination the world was rose
ate"
"HolbdnRaymond Holbin
"Why, yes Had you forgotten the
circumstances? I used to rage over
it enough in Paris, God knows Pass
the matches, please Brodnar passed
them and moved quickly to the rear
of the speaker, lifting his right hand
in excitement, his features working
convulsively. "It did not help mat
ters that they cashiered him for ras
cality and pusillanimity, for they had
let me resign, and my application for
reinstatement lies unacted upon still.
Frank, there is the open grave in my
life, and the massing note is silent
within it" He wheeled his chair
about and looked up into his friend's
face.
J*You would help it if you could,
I know and bless you, my boy, for
your sympathy. What was it you
wanted me to do? Oh, yes, the mar
riage Let us get back to that. Am
I to make a toilet? But of course"
"You will do as you are. It will be
in the dark. But, Dick, at this mo
ment, for the first time, the full ex
tent of your friendship dawns upon
me and I see the generous heart beat
ing away so faithfully my behalf
Dick, there was a woman in the af
fair between you and Holbin you
have never told me of her and I
don't ask you now, but if there is a
sacrifice in this for you it is not too
late"
"Sacrifice? Lead on! I am in the
hands of my friends I am not the
first to leap blindfolded into the sea
of matrimony,"nor shall!Tie the'las!-*"
Life is a cycle and fools beget fools.
Besides, I have in my religion some
of the fatalism of the east: That
which comes to us without our seeking
and seemeth right to do, is generally
the right thing to do The falling
cocoanut that breaks the sleeping
robber's head feeds the starving pil-
grim."
"Well said. And in this adventure,
my friend, I take it that you are
the cocoanut I am old-fashioned
enough to believe in God, and with
His help you may break a villain's
head indeed."
"But I shall be satisfied if my own
isn't broken By the way, my wife
should understand that if this ugly
rupture between the south and north
involves blows, she may hear of her
husband bearing arms against her
"Fiddlesticks' There has been
more blood shed in my back office
than you will see spilled between the
north and south The people on the
streets and up yonder in the capitol
aie temporarily insane. It will end
in windmy name for oratory"
Cheers in the street below, followed
bj the discharge of a cannon, shook
the windows A boy rushed past,
crying an extra
"What does he sa\
9" asked Somers,
as Brodnar, who stood near the win
dow, lifted his face_
"Fort Sumter has surrendered!"
CHAPTER II.
Richard Somers reentered the office
of Dr. Brodnar as the clock was strik
ing ten He was iu full evening dress
and wore a white rose, a Lamarque,
upon his lapel As he stood drawing
on his gloves Brodnar regarded him
with silent admiration. The straight
military figure'of good height looked
taller than it had. There was no sug
gestion of heaviness at any point, but
behind the perfect lines lay, as he
knew, an amount of strength and
nervous force that would with retrain
ing rank their owner among the ath
letes. But fine as was the framework of
the man and his physical development,
there was in th,e face, shadowed at the
moment by broad, down-drooping
lashes and mustache, patrician ele
gance, native refinement and innate
nobility that commanded undivided
attention. The slightly- aquiline feac
tures were softened by arched and
evenly matched brows and an expres
sion indescribable by any .other term
than that invented by a Paris friend
"the Somers smile." One never ap- 1
preciated the value of that -smile 'un-
til in some moment of emotion the
face which wore it grew white and
straight, and the level ~gaze of the
man was. encountered. Above a white,
inclined forehead hair almost black
lay in waves, but so closely as to leave
visible the outlines of the splendid
head. Such^ was Richard Vomers at
8,^ man iraved over by wometi en
by men, known to but lew.
A,rxiIt'
is~ Setter ihis way," he was say
ing of himself "a man owes something
to his family and his bride in the mat
ter of dress, even though he is not to
see or be seen And he owes a great,
deal to himself' iBy the way, I as
sumed that I am not to be seenhow
ever, is that one of the questions I must
not ask?"
"Your face is not to be seen, Dick,
"except in the darkdimly. But I am
glad, nevertheless, that you selected
your dress suit it does seem more in
taste. Bj the wayspeaking of Ray
mond "HolbinDick, have you forgot
ten that he dated from this state in the
army? God knows where he was
born. I see him occasionally in Rich
mond, and" Brodnar paused and
looked curiously on his companion
"have you ever been told that there is
something not unlike in your personal
appearance? Don't be offended, old
fellow, but, between you and me, there
isn't a more unprincipled rascal un-
hung." Somer's face flushed once and
the smile left it He replied with some
constraint:
"I did not know that he ever favored
Richmond with his presence. I did
know, however, that he once lived in
this state. His was a presidential ap
pointment. His mother years ago
wielded considerable influence around
Washington, especially among sena
tors As to the likeness, it has been
commented on before, and I once
fought a boy at school for discovering
the fact Does he make Richmond his
home9"
"Of late es. But I see that you are
annoved Alv dear fellow, very ugly
people ma\ resemble very handsome
ones Shall we start?"
"I am ready
"This bandage," said Brodnar
"seems to implj a doubt of you, Dick
but believe me it has its proper use
In the future, if accident should con
front you with thewoman, neither of
vou will be embarrassed She will, it
is true, know jour name, but unless she
should loo"k ou up in days to come she
will never see jour face Is that com
fortable? -yes? Well, a moment and
we are gone Your hand, my friend,
now, and j'our-word of honor. You
will not look on this woman's face, nor
seek in any way to discover from her,
from me. or from anyone aught that I
am seeking to conceal under all cir
cumstances jou will jourself conceal
from everyone the facts of this night's
business and jou accept the woman
to whom we go as your wife with all
the limitations I have ou. ined. I know
that in your own heart jou'ore re
solved, but the honor of a woman is at
stake, and jou must promise me as
man to man."
"As man to man, thenTand upon the
honor of Richard Somers, I promise
Lead on!" The chance passeT-by who
saw a blindfolded man led from the
elegant apartments of Dr Francis
Brodnar was not surprised. The ex
planation was easj\ But Somers him
self was distinctly surprised at the
length of the ride and the number of
corners turned. It seemed to him that
the carriage traversed more than once
the same road, for in spite of himself
he could not but take notice of such
things. Dr. Brodnar descried the drift
of his thoughts.
"For a man to note the direction of
a journey," he said, "is a natural, an
almost automatic, action of the brain
cellsan inheritance from both animal
and human ancestry. Therefore, Dick
if I have sought to confuse you by my
queer route, it is only through dis
trust of the original and savage
Somers, and to save all parties embar
rassment. I trust few people Here
we are at last" Dismounting, he led
his companion on a pavement, through
a narrow gatewaj, the gate of which
he unlocked, along a gravel walk with
shrubberj on both sides for about 60
paces, up two stone steps to a door that
had neither bell nor knocker, and into
a woman's room
How weak is human invention.
Richard Somers gathered these facts
without mental effort from small
signs The footfall upon the pave
ment, the search for the key, the
clicking lock, the crowding, the gravel
under foot, the touch of shrubbery,
two steps at the door, and the inde
finable air of every lady's roomthe
famt, blended odor of powders, toilet
waters and pressed flowers That it
was the room of a refined woman he
was sure in advance Had he not
been, there was the deep carpet into
which his feet sank noiselessly
And it was plain that he had come
into a garden from a side street, since
no residence would have opened from
a woman's room into a walk that led
directly to a main street
Here, then, was a woman who lived
upon a first floor with a private gar
den at her disposal. He had heard
the gentle plashing of..water outside
there was a fountain~in this garden.
On the morrow he had but to walk
the city until he found the premises,,
if he would. So much for the secrecy
of his friend Brodnar!
By this time Richard Somers was a
deeply interested man. Despite his
resolution to carry off the affair
lightly, he began to feel the presence
of something like a tragedy. Where
was the woman who was to make use
of him blindly and go through the
form~of a marriage? Dimly at first,
perhaps as a matter-of logic, he was
conscious that she was in the room
and near him. Then without more
reason he became certain of it. The
room Was not dark, for he felt light
upon his bandaged eyes- Instinctive-
lj- he stretched out his hand.
Then there was laid within it an
other as soft as silken velvet and-smali
and tremulous
from head to foot it was the hand of
a- young womanthe timidity be
longed, to girlhoodand instantly a
deep sympathy moved him. It was
indeed an urgent cause that forced her
into this situationforced her.because
now she was softly crying, and her
emotion shqoft the little hand. Instant
ly his own hand closed, above hers.
"Be not afraid, my child," he said
"all will be wellJ' His voice, low and
sympathetic, was the first to break the
silence of that room. The girl ceased
crying and her hand lay quiet within
his own. Then the doctor spoke in a
whisper: -"-_""*-
"We are ready," he aaid to a third
person "make the ceremony AS brief
as possible The other began:
"Richard Somers, do you take this
woman to be thy wedded wife, to live
together after God's holy ordinance in
theholy state of matrimony? Wilt thou
love her, comfort \er, honor and keep
her in sickness and health, and, for
saking all others, keep thee only unto
her, so long as ye both shall live?"
There was silence, and then Richard
Somers said gravely: "Intake this wom
an to be my lawful wedded wife and I
shall comfort her, honor and keep her
in sickness and in health, to the best of
my ability, as long as I shall continue
to be her wedded husband. Is that
sufficient, sir, to answer all legal re
quirements?"
"That is sufficient," said the unknown
speaker. "Frances, wilt thou have this
man to be thy wedded husband"
"To honor him at all times and in all
hours while life shall last?" said Som
ers, interrupting. "I ask no more, no
less."
Then upon his hearing fell a clear,
musical voice, flawless as the note of
a dove, plaintive as the wind-harp of
the pines:
"Yes," it said, "to honor him at all
times and in all hours while life shall
last, whether in the days to come we
meet again or we meet no more He
lifted his head quickly, his hand closed
impulsively over hers, and a cry trem
bled upon his lips
"That voice'" he said, deeply affected
"I have heaidbut no' 'his chin
sank upon his breast "it cannot be."
SHE BENT FORWARD SUDDENLY,
AND, HIDING HER FACE IN HER
HANDS RESTED THEM ON
HIS KNEES
He caught the words of the unknown
speaker beginning the invocation
"No! no!" he cried, almost fiercely,
"it is a sacrilege!"
"Then," said the speaker, "it is suf
ficient to say that under authority
vested me by the state of Virginia
I pronounce you man and wife." Som
ers stood silent and depressed. There
was a whispered consultation the
inner door opened softly and some one
passed out.
The scene and circumstances had
powerfully affected the doctor
"There were difficulties I had not
foreseen," he said, gravely, "but you
have safely passed them, my friends
And now I must leave you Dick, I
have placed in your hands the honor
of a womanand my own. I will re
turn for you before it is light. Re
member! The gas is now extinguished
and you may remove the bandage
He drew the girl towards him tender
lj'. "You may trust him implicitly.
For the rest, all is now safe Good
night, and God bless you both He
laid his hand reverently upon the
girl's head, clasped his friend's hand
and would have passed out, but the
hand he clasped restrained him, and
Somers spoke feelingly as he drew
him aside:
"Is this necessarythis remaining?
Think how"
"Absolutely! I read a decision last
week, and I must have a marriage
that will stand the test of the highest
court."
"You read a decision? Are you not
acting under the advice of your law-
yers?"
"Lawyers be hanged! I know Vir
ginia law A simple acknowledg
ment before a witness, with this ad
dition, fixes everything Don't sulk
now, Dick it won't be long."
""I was not thinking of myeslf,"
said Somers. "Good night." He stood
a moment in thought, then turned to
his companion, In the darkened but
not dark room he saw a slender, girl-
ish figure near him, the face bent for
ward and hidden in her hands.
"Come," Tie said, cheerfully, "let us
sit down and talk it all over. It is
true we are married, but that is no
reason why we shouldn't be friends, I
suppose. If you will find me a chair,
I am sure you will confer a great fa
vor. By the way, what shall I call
you? 'Madam' or 'Mrs Somers'^sounds
too awfully formal". Shall I say"
"Call me Frances," she said, simply.
She understood without analyzing
that he was trying to make it easier
for her, and was grateful
"Frances' What a beautiful name!
I like it already because it is the
feminine of Francis*- Yes, the arm
chair will do, and I_shall sit here by
the table. And you? Oh, I seem to
see you snug in the rocker in front
The touch thrilled him This, I suppose, is the proper arrange
ment for a family party when the
meter isn't working but I know verj'
little -about it. I never was married
before, and I suppose you are equally
in the dark." It made him happy to
hear her frienolly little laugh, even
though it was instantly checked.
"By the way," he continued, "do yon
know anything of me? am to ask
no questions concerning you, but I sup
pose we may talk about me, may. we
not?"
"I know that you^ are a friend of
Dr. Brodnar, and what he has told me.
You are a stranger in Richmond and
a gentleman. But I would have known
that you are a gentleman anyway."
"Thank you, Miss Frances that was
nicely said."
"Frances!"
"Miss Frances!" he insisted.
"I am sorry," said the girl, after a
moment's silence, "but if you wish, let
it remain that way."
"But I am curious to know how it
was that you so quickly decided in
my favor the question of gentility."
"My mother told me, when I was lit
tle, that any man in whose presence
a girl or child feels at ease is a gentle
man at heart, and somehow I trusted in
you from the moment you spoke. But
Dr. Brodnar told me"
"Well?" "Told me such beautiful things
stories of your life I seemed to feel,
sir, that I had known you always
"And what has Brodnar been saying
of me?I can blush unseen."
"He told me you were brave"
"Most men are. And at times all
animals
"That you loved flowers, birds, horses,
children and old people"
"Objects that can't get away from
me. Go on."
"That you are generous to a fault"
"Especially my own^-or his
"And that no woman on Cod's green
earth, those were his words, ever ap
pealed to jou for help in vara He told
me once he saw jou get out of our car
riage in Paris in jour evening suit,
pick up a drunken old woman who had
fallen, and carry her to a house of ref
ugeand, oh, sir, jou did it because
you said the noblest, the most sacred
image on earth to a man should be a
woman's form, the form like unto that
of his mothertoo sacred for the
laughter and jeers of a citjV idlers"
"Iindorse the sentiment, whosesoever,
it is But what a sad gossip Brodnar
is'"
"But jou did do this, didn't you?"
"Would it please jou to think that
I did?"
"Would it! Why, sir, it was that that
made me trust ou'"
"Trust me9
You were crying!"
"Becausebecause^this i a most
strange position for you to find me in,
Mr Somers. I thought that I wouldn't
care and I did not, until you came.
But I did then. And that is wliy I cried.
Somehow, I felt that in spite of all at
stake, it ought not to have happened
this waj'
"I understand But in my estimation,
my child, jou have sacrificed nothing
"You did not think sobutbut"
He took.up the thought.
"But you are grieved because jou
are saying: 'Now here is a gentleman
who, I have suddenly discovered, I
wish to respect me for mjself, and as
a refined, modest girl and what must
he think of one who is willing to be
locked up here in a room with him all
night!'"the girl caught her breath
and half rose from her chair" 'and for
what? I cannot even tell him. I am
bound not to tell him. I must sit by
and see him sacrifice himself to friend-
ship!'
"Oh, sir, do you think" She bent
forward suddenly and, hiding her face
in her hands, rested them upon his
knees. He placed his own hand lightly
upon her head and wondered if it were
treason to have discovered that her
hair was a mass of curls and clustering
ringlets.
"That is only what you were saying:
to yourself, not what I am thinking.
When I called you 'child' I absolved jou
from all the crimes of womanhood.
There are many actions that flow nat
urallj' from childish hearts which carry
not the slightest flavor of immodesty
and yet a woman may not copj them.
So in this, my young friend
"Ah, you do not say 'my child' now!"
"No, you have passed into woman
hood with the consciousness of this
error I-sajf
error, because it is a sit
uation that you should not have been
placed inno, not to save human life
not even to save your own for the
unscarred whiteness of a woman's soul
is the priceless pearl of eternity, and
not to be staked on earth But the
thought behind it all was not j-our own.
You yielded under the pressure of
fear and advice. Your objections were
overcome, and j'ou obejred
an elder per
son in whom jou had implicit confi
dence. That is all, and I understand."
"Then they did not tell jou about
me!" she whispered, breathlessly.
"No you have told me all that I know
of you, here in the dark. You are ten
der, modest, true and pure and were
you my wife in truth, I would not be
ashamed to tell this story to_the world
myself and own you as such after."
The words fell from his lips so tender
ly, so kindly, she took his hand in both
of hers, and laid her face upon it, cry
ing silently/
"The blame of it all is on our friend,
the doctor," he continued, deeply
touched, and his voice a little unsteady.
"What a tumultuous, headlong, hurri
cane sort of-f ellow he is! There is no
blame for jou for look, if I am here,
how could you have resisted him? And
it as only his judgment that was at
fault, after allonly his judgment.
Why, a truer heart never Tieat than
Brodnar's
"Would it offend you if I ask a ques-
tion?" She had waited for composure,
and now did not lift her head.
"Why, no, of course," ^_
"You are right sure?"
"Right sure."
"Then, how could any gentleman
consent to be placed in su"ch a position
as yours? You must have known how
embarrassing it was to be for me." His
first inclination was to whistle out his
astonishment, but he restrained him
self.
"Youf orget, my childI seeyou haverr^
backslided into ehildhoodyou forget jsg^S^-*.K