The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-06-22
AT The End.
81 an so tirctii"

The nute-like voice that uttered this
pcttish exclamation broke through the fra
grant stiffness Of the autumnal evening,
like jarring chord in some exquisite
melody, and Nathaniel Holt looked up
from his paper with slight frown on his
bronzcd, handsome face.
lie was tired, very tired, after n day of
hard labor on his mountain lands, and had
thrown himself into great easy chair Of
his mothcr's on the south porch, for a mo-
mcnt's rest; and he could not understand
how the speaker, a tall, supple girl,
with hands as white as milk, who passed
her time in comparative idlcness, could be
tired.
For Elsie Marian was not one given to
unusual eXertion, and generally managed
to secure the good things of this world
With as much case as was possible or con-
sistent with her position as dependent
niece In the home of her mothers sister.
Nathaniel IIolt's aged mother, who simply
adored the bright young girl who had
brought sunshine into her old house, and
whose helpless orphanagc covered many
serious faults.
He stood over her. his hands folded on
his back, and his broad, bronZcd brow
flushed little with some sudden inward
emotion.
''Esic,' he began, the brown eyes that
she dared not meet searching the face that
dropped beneath his gaze, 'what has tired
you2"
Nothing"
'You were once a contcntcd, happy
girl, Elsie; what has changed you -
"Nothing," she spoke listlcssly, yet a
faint, sea-shcll pink crcpt into the round,
soft checks and up to the root Of her golden
hair.
~ am not changed" Elsie tried to
steady her voice. 81 am the same to- day
that have been every day for year.
You know l am twenty and | must try
and be womanly."
"Has Lewis Walton anything to do with
the change. Elsic?"
Elsie's face flushed crimson, yet she
laughed merrily.
"No. You arc surely not jealous, Nath-
anicl2''
which he did to perfection. For answer
little hands, and held the slender fingers
in his own.
81 nm not Jealous, Elsie; but you do
not seem contentcd of late--you arc always
tired, you never run up the mountain
path to meet me, or take long ramblcs in
the woodland, so as to be near me, rs you
once diu. You see, have grown SO used
to your tender, watchful love, Elsie, it
would be hard to give it up And have
thought that you had grown tired of me
and had given your love to Lewis Walton,
who seems more fitting mate"
"a divorced man, Nathaniel Elsie
cried. lifting her eyebrows slightly, al
though her checks were dyed with burn
Ing bushes, and her lips trcmblcd ner
vously.
"a divorced man," repeated Nathaniel,
looking her full in the face; ''yes, Elsie,
there IL danger of you forgetting me
through him. for lie is more polished,
more fascinating man; yet, Elsie dear, he
Is unstable as the wind, and not calculated
to make any woman happy"
Ellis divorced wife was a confirmed
flirt," Elsie says, drcamlly, drawing her
hands away from Nathanicps strong clasp
and gazing out at scarlet rift in the bank
of orange clouds that overhung the western
hills.
Ellis wife was too good for him, Elsie.
Take warning and do not listen to his
sophistries, for, believe me, he is not
worthy of good woman's respect or cs-
teem."
Aou uluSI tllltlk ilC very lnpTCSSlDlC,'
broke out Elsie, whose conscience was not
as easy as 1t might have been; "when
gave you my promise to be your wife
meant to keep it,"
Nathaniel Holt kissed the lovely face,
not once but many times, and years after.
those passionate kisses were remembered
with kecncst pain. Elsie slipped away
from him and ran into the house, and Ma
thaniel, silenccd, but not convinced, sat
perfectly still and tried to reason away his
tears, with knitted brows.
After that, life went on much as usual
at the Holt farm. Elsie was to become its
mistress at Christmas, and her Aunt Eu-
nice was very busy over the expected we'd
ding She loved Elsie with mothers
love already, and Nathaniel, as the all-
t,lmnal months driftcd by, grew trihc
thoughtful, for Lewis Walton, who had
been a summer guest in the ncighborhood,
still fingered, and stillcd called on Elsie,
who tried to hide her growing fondncss for
his company.
Nathaniel watched her with brooding