| Show M a V 1 i 0 N W AM ml X 0 F im K ac 6 L 11 1001 I 1 I 1 I 1 i 1 I 1 I 1 i 1 0 1 y A aj 1 I z 4 i N t I 1 t j ts 1 I aye I 1 71 I 1 I 1 cheating it beart eart bit obit z 4 rap bri I 1 IVun ted ate steps I 1 11 bamme I 1 bf I 1 1 1 aduse ana an A looked 1 at ids bis watch I 1 twenty teu minutes past 4 and I 1 was not to come comb until halt past I 1 must moat walt wait s and ne he de bended tho steps stem walked a few yards a the sidewalk and stopped hia ella im I 1 at lence would not let him leave tua ouse however and doten affo ten minutes before the appointed time tie be again toe the steps and this time rune he bell ig 19 mine delcour at home she is out monsieur but she ahe win will 0 le o home presently tor for she expects ome one pierre was shown into the drawing oom and the door closed behind hini him je took a book from crom the table seated in a comfortable elair chair and tried to read but in spite of himself lla eyes wandered constantly constant 17 from clr th losca 4 ur to the clock it if she Is prompt she will be here hem in 11 eight minutes she will come in at that door and I 1 shall be able to tell the he instant I 1 see her face ace what my answer is to be he recalled the scene of the evening lefore je fore the emotion of the young oman boman after he had asked her to marry Y him and her answer evasive but ull full of promise how can I 1 reply so qui quickly ekly T give me 0 time to reflect and come tomorrow to morrow st at 40 then I 1 will have time to consult sult my heart and now he had come full of hope ud impatience to hear her decision it will bt bb yes he said to himself 1 I feel sure of it the door opened and mme ame delcour appeared Appe sred ah you are before me yes stammered the young man 1 1 do not apologize your haste flatters nat me pierre stood looking anxiously at bar waiting 1 I have been thinking and now WO we will have a little talk said she with one of her brilliant smiles she seated herself at one side of the fireplace and motioned pierre to a chair on the opposite side A moments silence followed a century to pierre and then ame mme delcour began to speak 1 I ought to tell you at once that the idea sf of a marriage between you and me seems very agreeable ah breathed breet bed pierre his face lighting up wondrously you are 30 years old and I 1 wn am 23 we me are both independent we know the same people move in the same society and even our points of view are I 1 similar milar al I 1 A now new ray on an the face of the young man as the woman continued I 1 in fact you please mo me in every way how happy you make me but that is noi no all yesterday when I 1 you spoke to me I 1 was startled but not entirely surprised I 1 have beani been V k a V 19 I 1 A IR K 3 0 ON HIS KNEES conscious of your admiration and eb beall all I 1 confess it even loved you a little litile myself pierre was on his knees before her kissing her hand dearest he cried but mme ame del your drew her hand band away please atlease do not she cried nothing is yet decided nothing decided and you say you love met me exactly I 1 love you but I 1 wish to know whether or not you love me solemn as the moment was waa pierre laughed 1 1 I have asked you to marry me do you need further proof As an y you ou have said my position is independent so what would be my object if it were not lovet lover i you iou arff are sincere sincer and that you believe you love me but how much do you a loreme lo veme whit what is your lava capable of I 1 wish to know I 1 before I 1 link my life with yours youra A man dlin meets a woman she pleases V Is aim annl ze tells her so wad and in the tailing t lito becomes excited anbu U I 1 is J atiq Q or eternal jove ut what aal assurance 1 VAS has I 1 ih mian that this love will last AI 1 lri of f i irlia I 1 prove that abat i YOW you 1 4 love 0 13 i tj Z I 1 I 1 11 y W t ani i tes I 1 At 11 M proof belve mea me A root V 2 1 I Z I 1 I 1 I 1 ant I 1 s t 1 ram Te solvy A ii t give me MOA a 04 I 1 Z A r r I 1 df Q wi t ai A zata hinnov a gfa alaci ck car occur yc w ate P R ifka all il 4 j 1 I 1 7 7 li alst St Jl tt yr m 44 1 5 tal 1 1 f W anies r F W 31 92 1 abla 1 V a I 1 11 11 1 1 I C ta I 1 I 1 11 savis aw I 1 wa 7 il UN 9 iw t W q 1 41 vp 4 g 1 aw 4 iii jv sw A 1 4 11 01 10 S ln N a mage M i N P amr r 4 im ap NE n JI F rk t ra ml 7 4 01 4 N 1 9 k JA l 0 6 k a co MT 4 W 4 1 X g R t aar P ft inous 7 li 1 0 9 A I 1 ta efa C p dl af I 1 I 1 11 I 1 ii 1 lg rg I 1 I 1 U 1 av 40 1 11 1 1 11 1 I 1 I 1 1 1 t 21 r NOW x MEN 7 L Z tf I 1 g I 1 I 1 4 tl W 31 11 3 e pv 1 V I 1 I 1 I 1 J 1 r I 1 11 N A proof fast one ema little ao ara I 1 win marry many you yon the poor young man main departed despairingly 1 ainaly asking himself by what miracle he be could obtain abt du the demand ed proof two months month passed pierre met mine delcour many times and often tried to convince her by words that he ae loved her she however desired more material materi ai assurance it you would only lose your fortune tun said he 1 I could marry you in spite of your four poverty beautiful proof of love said mme ame delcour Delv our to marry the woman whom you yon had asked when she was waa rich would simply be an act of chivalry then ten tell me what to dono it la Is not tor for me to tell you it would be of no value to me unless it came from you pierre tortured his imagination but all to no adall he read novels by the dozen in the hope of 0 finding inspiration in them he dreamed of extraordinary tra adventures in which he be figured as the hero but they were unreasonable and impossible when thought of in the daytime winter came and went and spring round found him as far ar as ever from the realization of his hopes desperate and discouraged pierre Bri bricault dault had decided that he be would never be able to take to mine delcour the testimony she required and he resolved to relinquish the search with this thought he called at her house and was admitted to the same little drawing room you said mine delcour Delv our rising as aa he entered but I 1 gave you no permission to come perhaps you ha have v 0 something very serious to say to m me e have you at last brought me the famous proofs proof no I 1 have not come tor for that thal OR on the contrary I 1 have come to tell you that I 1 give up the search ah with a grave air pierre continued I 1 1 I have hunted all winter heaven I 1 knows how ardently and still I 1 have bavo found nothing he paused but his companion did not reply and be went on 1 I cannot bear the uncertainty any longer I 1 love you but the fever of unrest will kill me I 1 would know something positively one way or the other and so BO I 1 give gie up all hope of winning you I 1 shall try hard to torget forget you and your cruel uel test of love though I 1 fear I 1 shall not succeed at any rate I 1 shall never see you again good by he arose and held out his hand but mme ame delcour did not move he turned and walked to the door good by he said again softly good by replied she in a voice voica which she tried to make indifferent the door opened then closed firmly he was gone mme ame delcour sprang to her feet and stood listening intent lly then moved by a strong sudden imp luse she ran to the door and called pierre pierre Pl erre in a moment folded in his arms sh she e was murmuring forgive Flor give my cruelty I 1 did not know what I 1 was doing and oh pierre do not leave me tor for I 1 love you I 1 love |
