Part 21 (1/2)
He looked at her mournfully, took her hand and kissed it, and with a passionate burst of sobbing she flung her ar there
”Then you do repent, Fred? You will go there nonow, because you are going to be ain, and after a tiive you too; for she does love you still, Fred, in spite of all There--there,”
she cried, kissing hiain, ”it is all over now”
Chester loosened her hands from his neck and shook his head sadly
”No, Laury,” he said, ”it is not all over now”
”What!” she cried quickly ”You will not--you cannot go back now”
”Yes,” he said, ”even if you do not forgive me, I must”
”Fred!”
”Look here, little one,” he said wearily; ”you have grown to think and act like a woman, and you complain that I do not confide in you Well, I will be frank with you to some extent Laura dear, I am not my own master I cannot do as you wish”
”Fred, you must”
”Say that to some poor creature who is smitten with a terrible er, but cast off the ailment
What will he reply?”
He paused for an answer, but his sister stood gazing at him without a word
”He will tell you that he would do so gladly, but that it is impossible”
”But this is not i un to think like a woh it may sound shameless I will speak out Do you think that we do not know that all this is wicked dissipation?”
He laughed bitterly, as he pressed his hand to his weary head
”You do not know--you do not know”
”Yes,” cried Laura, eain; ”I know that my poor brother has yielded to so, brave, ht be happy once more”
He took her face between his hands and looked down at her lovingly for a few minutes, then kissed her brow tenderly
”No,” he said; ”you do not understand, my child I am not master of my actions now”
He hurried from the roo up the stairs followed by the banging of his door
”Lost, lost!” she wailed; and she threw herself sobbing upon the couch
”Well!” said a sharp voice, and the girl started up and tried hard to remove all traces of her tears
”I did not hear you come in, aunt dear”
”Perhaps not,Well, what does he say about coht? I'ood boy now?”