Thrice Wedded, but Only Once a Wife — page 48: what you’re looking at

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THRICK WEDDED. 89 erip, crying out, in her agony, ‘‘that she would not let him go—that they would make him love some one else, and she should never see him again, and she should be, oh! so lonely that she should surely die!” I'he poor boy hardly knew how to comfort her, and really did not know but she would die, while his own heart ached almost to bursting at the sad parting. ‘No, Dora, dear,” at length he gravely replied, ‘‘you will not die. You will have your mother to love you, and I shall never forget you while I live. Now, listen to me, and promise to do as I ask you. I want you to mind your mother in everything, for she knows best what is right; I want you to study hard, and learn all you can; and do not be naughty any more about practicing your music; for I am — going to get the best education I can, and I shall come back for you some day, and | want to feel proud of my lit- tle wife. Yes, Dora, I want you to be as nice a young lady then as Miss Annie Burton is now. Will you promise to try?” Dora caught her breath at this request. “Oh, Robbie, I’m afraid I can’t; but Pll try. I-promise anything that you want me to, but I can’t bear to have you go. Ishall never be happy again as long as I live.” “Yes, you will, darling; you must try to be happy. And row I want you to say that you love me, and won’t ever for- get me, and then I must go.” “Of course I will not forget you, and you know I love you,” she said, raising her tear-stained face from his shoul- der. | His arms closed tightly round her as he said: ‘Look at me, Brightie—right into my eyes! There now —how much do you love me?” She looked at him, half-puzzled, a moment, before an- swering, then said: , “T don’t believe I can tell you, Robbie; I guess as well as —as if you were really my brother.” His arms clasped her more tightly yet, and while a disap= pointed look came into his eyes, he whispered: ‘“Brightie, think—don’t you love me any better than nat Would you rather always be my sister than my wife?” His heart beat quick and hard; his eyes burned with EComichbooks.co