Bonny Jean, and A Severe Threat — page 250: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A SEVERE THREAT 2498 best that it should be told out in the open air, under God’s free heaven. It may ease a little the fearful pain of telling you, Lloyd, that although I love you with all my heart (surely there is no sin in my confessing it to you for the first and last time), I cannot be your wife !” He gazed into her clear eyes like one who hears but does not comprehend. ‘Not my wife!” he faltered, at last. ‘‘ Lola, you are jest- ing. Great Heaven! I shall go mad if you torture me thus much longer !” She drew her hand from his grasp. ‘‘ Lloyd,” she said, softly, ‘‘do you think it possible for me to jest in a matter like this—so important to you? No; I speak the simple truth. I cannot marry you; for I do not believe that a divorced man has any right to marry again while the wo- ‘man who was his wife is still living.” No | ‘While the woman lives!” she said, slowly, ‘‘ we are indeed parted, oh, my love! But, after this poor life is over, I shall be yours !” He caught her to his heart. ‘After this life!’ he repeated, with passionate bitterness. ‘Do you expect to wait for death to uniteus? Ah, no, Lola, God never intended such a horrible sacrifice! The law has made us free. Why should you not be my.own wife, dear ?” ‘*The law of man,” returned the girl, softly, ‘‘not the law of God. Lloyd, have you forgotten? ‘What God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.’” | He laughed sardonically. ‘*You have my answer, Lloyd. God knows how it breaks my heart to say it, hut I must say, farewell.” And she turned away. With a muttered ‘‘God help me!” Lloyd Vernon rushed away in the opposite direction, a mad impulse in his heart, to take his life into his-own hands, and end all his torture. Once more alone, Lola paused, and glanced about her. Glancing downward, she shuddered, for right at her feet lay the deep dark ravine ; the jagged rocks, like saw teeth; away, away beyond her eyesight below. As she hesitated, out from behind a clump of shrubbery near, a slim, graceful figure in a black dress, crept like a snake, and a face peered out from the tangled vines behind her. That face, with its steely, glinting eyes, and hatred, ay, murder, in every GComichooks.co