The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-09-02

prevention would have availed in this
case. l fell in love with you that first
day on top of the stage-coach. One can.
not reason or understand these things. ]
don't count it folly, and l am not sorry
for it. Even if I cannot win you, shall
never forget that have known you; but
% Louise, is there no hope?"
He leaned forward, the dark face
flushed, the dark eyes passioned eager.
But there was scant ground for hope in
Louise's sad face and eyes, full of regret
II am SO sorry-so sorry p she repeated,
again. "But there is no hope, my friend,
not any. am not worth your regard, |
am not suitable for you in any way, and
above all / have no heart to give you."
"Ah W-he drew sharp breath-"you
have some one else, then =? I did not think
of that"
"No," she answered, quietly. "I did
love some one else, long ago; but it is all
over now. He, the man to whom was en-
gagged, acted very unworthily. When we
lost our fortune; he showed me that he
desired his freedom, and 1 gave it to him.
did not regret hinl-how could L after
that? but my heart seemed to lose the
power of ever loving again"
"It is impossible" said Dunwardin.
"a heart so gentle and tender cannot
have lost the power to love. You may
fancy that it is SO, you may let the
memory of that man blast your life un-
til-until it is too late; but l am sure
that you can love-"
"You know very little Of me-" she said,
with a certain dignity. II am no longer
very young, and then my life is bound
up in Paul's. But don't think me un-
grateful" she went on, quickly. II
thank you with all my heart"
NO, don't thank me" he interrupted
"why should you? Even in loving you,
am | not unselfsh I? Do not want to Sc
cure your presence for myself, your
sweet face to light my life? But, since
this is not to be, we will say no more
about it."
They did not. He began at once to
speak of the ferns, and, as they presently
walked back to the house together, Louis
caught herself wondering once or twice
if that brief conversation had not been at
all fancy.
A day or two after this Mr.. Dunwar-
din announced that he must make his
long deferred journey to Laurel.
He Shook hands with Louise at part
ing, and babe her be sure and finish by
mis- return sketch Of the place which
she had promised him.
The allotted week of his absence passed
uneventfully. Louise walked and read,
and talked to Paul. In Asheville she
had frankly said that she missed Dun
wardin. Now she did not say so, and
Paul, with Il shrcwdness beyond his years,
decided that this was good sign
At the end of ten days the adventurous
traveller had not returned, and another
week passed without any sign of him.
Paul was inclined to be uneasy, but the
proprietor of the house pooh-poohcd the
idea of any harm having befallen him.
"When those mining fellows set out they
never know where to STOP" be said.
"I'v seen too many of them with their
pockets full of ores. Depend upon it,
MIR. Dunwardin will turn up all right"
Louise said little, but as the days wore
on there came an anxious look into her
ewes, and in her walks she almost invari.
ably followed the road down the river
as if she hoped to meet the returning
wanderer She looked and hoped in vain,
however. The days slipped by, and the
third week of his absence found Septem-
Der throned in golden beauty on the
earth.
Then the brother and sister said to
each other that they began to fear some
harm had befallen their friend. Since
he left Alexander's nothing had been
heard from or of him. 1t was certain
that he had gone alone into one of the
widest and least accessible as we'll as one
of the most dangerous parts of the
mountains, and it was impossible to deny
that there was ground for uneasiness.
"If | were man like other men, l
would so in search of him." said Paul.
"Woman as I am, l would go-and l
had any right to do so" thought Louise.
Three more days of increasing anxiety
passed. Then thunder-bolt fell. 1t
occurred late in the afternoon when Paul
and Louise were sitting on their favorite
end of the upper piazza, while on the one
below several of the guests were gathered.
Immediately in front of the house ran
the turnpike, along which two horsemen
came riding briskly, and drew up before
the gate. As they appeared in sight
Louise looked at them eagerly, but, per-
ceiving that neither was the person she
wished to see, she sank back with sigh
into her seat behind the vines. When
they stopped, one of them uttered the
customary country salutation-"Hal-
| loa %
'No accommodation tonight" rcspon-
dcd o voice from the piazza; house
full"
II reckon you will have to put us some
where" said the first speaker. "We've
come on pertiklcr errand. Didn't you
have boarder what wcntu Laurel on
mimi businessW
"Mr. Dunwardin boarded here and
went up Laurel OH mining business" re-
piled the voice from the piazza. "What
about him?"
"Wcll mans bin drowned, upahere
and some of the folks think it's him
that's all"
There was quick vollcy of exclama-
tions from the piazza below but neither
of the two above uttered one word.
Louise's hand closed on Pauls like q
vice, but she made no sound. She only
leaned breathlessly forward, pecring down
through the green network of vines:
Two or three men went hurriedly down
the short walk to the gate, and CONVEX
sation ensued of which every word was
audible on the piazzas. The matter, it