The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-06-28

and held her arm so tightly that she
WINGED.
"Ah, my poor lad-she's bad-bad,
false creature, and -
cts lie-a ie-a false lie ~
roared, and in my madness I shook her
till she dropped sobbing on her knees at
my feet.
cts true-it's true," she groaned +;
"she went off week ago. He came
one night in a hurry, and, ten minutes
after, with her shawl and bonnet m, she
hurried with him out of the house, and
1 haven't seen her since"
"Who-who was it2" I gasped out,
for two hands seemed pressing nv
throat, and my heart was as if on fire.
"Dick GreenP'
That name seemed like lightning on
my brain, for there was, as it were, a
bright flash and then a crash, as if some
thing had struck me, and then all was
darkness; till in a strange, misty way I
found myself trying to get up, while
Mrs. Chadds was bathing my face with
water.
"LIe still, my poor SOUL" she said,
sobbing. "Here, drink this;" but put
1t away, and, staggering to my feet, I
got to the door, waved her off and made
my way into the street.
For there was like voice busy in my
brain, ever whispering: "Fetch her
back-fetch her back !'' And I meant
to save her from him, with Gods help,
that she might go home to her father.
If 1 could have met Dick Green then
I would have strangled him, and crushed
my foot down upon his head as would
upon some foul snake that had bitten
me; while, as for her-there was only
one thought. and that was for my past
love, and of what she was-I would not
have hurt a hair of her head, for it was
his doing mine.
81 ought never to have left her."
said always. And I said it for six
weary months, as went from place to
place, working, and trying to find her,
but in vain. [ went all over England
in those days; for I knew that I should
hear of Dick Green somewhere; and
then-the blood used to come into my
eyes as 1 thought of him, and my teeth
would get firmly set; but, for all my
searching, we never met.
/ took but little count of time in those
days; but it must have been after seven
months that ono night stood again in
our court, and thought I'd ask Mrs.
Chadds If she had any news, and what
she had done about the furniture; for
she was rs honest as the day. I felt very
low; for, as 1 glanced up, there was
light In what used to be my window,
and thought of some happy couple
living there as 1 had lived in the days
that seemed to be years and years ago."
"Any news for me, Mrs. Chadds2' 1
says, as 1 went in softly to her room;
when, cid as she was, she leaped ut me,
and threw her arms round me, holding
me tightly as she shrieks out:
"LiZzie-Lizzie He's come at last |"
A great trembling came over me, and
that dizziness again, as I heard rush
on the stairs-a step L knew-and the
next moment the door was dashed open;
and Us 1 stood cold as q stone, one of
Lizzie's arms was around my neck, and
with the other she was forcing some
thing to my breast-something soft, and
round, and tender; and as I looked
down, two little blue, wondering eyes
stared up into mine, and baby smiled
in my face.
/ groaned as tried to push her away; {;
but no as Mrs. Chadds took tho baby,
another arm was around my neck, a pair
Of lips were covering mine with kisses,
and laughing, sobbing, crying. all at
once, Lizzie whispered:
Harry-Harry, darling, how could
you think it of me My own-own hus-
band. He told me you were lying in
jured Mt factory where you worked,
and that you had sent him to fetch me
to see you before you were taken to the
hospital; and believed him, and went,
till L found out by his manner that he
wa3 liar and cheat. And oh Harry
Harry darling, these long-long. many
months %
She broke from me then, before
could stay her, for the scales had fallen
from my eyes; but she was back directly,
with her little one, so proud and moth
erly; and in that one moment all the
past was forgotten, and was down on
my knees, with my face buried in her
lap, crying-yes, /, great, strong, six
foot fellow, crying like child.
How she must have worked, poor lit
tie thing, to keep home together; but
she had done it-God bless her and for
give ME for my doubts toiiing day and
night with her needle. The neighbors
had helped her through her trying time,
when the little one was born. But
there, the black cloud came, and it
passed away; for, upon presenting my
self the next day at the old factory, I
was took on again directly, for found
all things in full work; but it was after
twelve months stoppage.
We let the past rest, Lizzie and I,
never even thinking of it; though it is
hard work sometimes, when I am toss
ing that babe up and down, to keep
from brooding on the days when he was
born.