" And she clasped his knees, and
clung there as he tried to raise her. "Listen. Am I nothing to
you?"
"Woman--don't trifle at words! I love you! An' I'll soon prove
it."
"I'll give myself to you--I'll ride away with you--marry you, if
only you'll spare him?"
His answer was a cold, ringing, terrible laugh.
"Lassiter--I'll love you. Spare him!"
"No."
She sprang up in despairing, breaking spirit, and encircled his
neck with her arms, and held him in an embrace that he strove
vainly to loosen. "Lassiter, would you kill me? I'm fighting my
last fight for the principles of my youth--love of religion, love
of father. You don't know--you can't guess the truth, and I can't
speak ill. I'm losing all. I'm changing. All I've gone through is
nothing to this hour. Pity me-- help me in my weakness. You're
strong again--oh, so cruelly, coldly strong! You're killing me. I
see you--feel you as some other Lassiter! My master, be
merciful--spare him!"
His answer was a ruthless smile.
She clung the closer to him, and leaned her panting breast on
him, and lifted her face to his. "Lassiter, I do love you! It's
leaped out of my agony. It comes suddenly with a terrible blow of
truth. You are a man! I never knew it till now. Some wonderful
change came to me when you buckled on these guns and showed that
gray, awful face. I loved you then. All my life I've loved, but
never as now.
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