She was so
weary, and the thought of what he had suggested was so precious.
"What lady? There is no lady but you, Elizabeth, and never has been.
Haven't you known that for a long time? I have. That was all a
hallucination of my foolish brain. I had to go out on the plains to get
rid of it, but I left it there forever. She was nothing to me after I saw
you."
"But--but people said--and it was in the paper, I saw it. You cannot
desert her now; it would be dishonorable."
"Thunder!" ejaculated the distracted young man. "In the paper! What lady?"
"Why, Miss Loring! Geraldine Loring. I saw that the preparations were all
made for her wedding, and I was told she was to marry you."
In sheer relief he began to laugh.
At last he stopped, as the old hurt look spread over her face.
"Excuse me, dear," he said gently, "There was a little acquaintance
between Miss Loring and myself. It only amounted to a flirtation on her
part, one of many. It was a great distress to my mother, and I went out
West, as you know, to get away from her. I knew she would only bring me
unhappiness, and she was not willing to give up some of her ways that were
impossible. I am glad and thankful that God saved me from her. I believe
she is going to marry a distant relative of mine by the name of Benedict,
but I thank the kind Father that I am not going to marry her. There is
only one woman in the whole wide world that I am willing to marry, or ever
will be; and she is sitting beside me now.
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