The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-04-14

was with her aunt, to whom she owed
everything, and she would never consent
to cripple me by adding the burden OF
their poverty to my own. / argued
against her resolutiOn-all in vain. She
was adamant. She said, frankly and
freely, that she returned my affection.
bnt she begged me to believe that any
renewal of my proposal would only IN
crease her trials. | longed to offer her
assistance, but / dared not do it, and
she left me, begging me to make no at
tempt to follow her. For days after I
haunted the spot on which we parted,
and at last | saw her. She told me she
had secured an engagement as companion
TO maiden lady. and she left London
next day. 4 renewed my pieadings--
some little trihe by which 10 remember
her-and she gave me photograph. /
have never seen her since"
There was silence for moment, brok-
en- only by the twitter of the leaves in
the garden without.
"a woman worth loving" said Amy,
when she could trust her voice.
He heard the words, and knew moth.
ing but what they told him. Filled
with his own thoughts, he had none to
read the heart of the woman who
spoke-and speech is surely, in many
WAYS, the weakest dialect of human Ian
guage.
Have you the photograph with your"
she asked, presently.
He took it from his pocket and gave
it into her hand, which trembled little
as she took 1t. She walked to the win
dow TO examine it by the faint light
that yet filtered through the leaves.
'What Is her name ?" she asked.
/ shall never speak her name again,
Amy. Do not ask me. "
Gar je raime trop pour que je dis
oui lose Amer
1t js yeuI mourir pour ma mic
Sans ia pommer,
quoted Amy, with an attempt at laugh
which.was hardly a success. ''But sup
pose [ know it ?"
" How could you know it p asked
Jack.
q Because, 1 am a witch" answered
Amy, "and knowevery thing. "Come,
will you tell me or shall tell you ?"
''rell me-"
''What do you say to Ada Stanley7'
Jack rose to his feet thunderstruck ::
but before he could speak light step
was heard advancing along the gravel of
the garden path, and a female form
darkened the window.
THE lady herself" continued Amy.
''iust in the nick of time. Miss Ada
Stanley, Mr.. John Jackson"
a light knock came at the door. and a
neat and rosy-cheeked country lass ent-
sred the room, bearing IN her hand
/ Imp. She was followed by a middle
ageo man, tall and strongly built, and
/ GraGgfafs l,r.,a1D1p4h A
( hceable mn, with peculiar set expire
sion on his faNa
"Good evenln~, Mr.. Tescam." said
Amy. You know my cs,.----a.-k think >
AR Tsscam bowed and extended MS
hand toward John, who took it mechan
lcally, without removing his eyes from
Ada, who stood trembling Just within
the window.
"I was just thinking of taking stroll
IN the garden, Mr.. Tescam," went OF
Amy; IF you would favor me with YOU
arm, I've no doubt my cousin and Mis-.
Stanley will be able to amuse them
selves for little time without our help.
The stranger offered his arm with {
formal and rather old-fashioned court
esy, and they left the room together apf
passed up the garden walk in silence
They reached the rustic bench beneath
the dropping branches of an aspen. and
here Amy quilted her companions arm
and took her seat.
You have something to say TO me.
she said YEARLY. All the sprightlines,
OF moment aGo had vanished.
"Yes," said Mr.. Tescam, slowly. al
have something 20 say to you which i.
soon said; L have come to say good
bv.
She could see that the set expression
of his face, dimly discernible through
| the evening gloom, had deepened, anC
that the hand which held the lapel o.
his coat clutched it hard.
"Why good-by ?" she asked.
"It is best, he said simply, struggling
hard with some powerful passion which
he could scarce express. 1" So long as ]
remain here, so long as L see you,
must speak, and / know that there is M
hope; I must get away from you ant
fight it down. / am trembling now, onlI
at the pressure of your hand upon m,
arm, the sound of your voice"
The clutching fingers frightened il
then grasp as if they would have stillet
the beating of the heart below.
"When / think" he went on, will
\ strong restraint he had put upon him
self; when think that another suito
might appear who should be more for
tunate and who should become to you al
that dream, day and night, of being t.
you; when l think that L should STAND
by and see you happy in his love
nursing hischildren, / feel as if should
go mad. I am mad now, at this moment
when think of ii.
L Had his successful rival WHOM hi
heated imagination had coniured NJ
stood before HIM IN veritable flesh an,
blood, as he stood there with extendet
hands clenched before him, his life woulC
not have been worth pins purchase
With stong effort he controlled him
self and went on after vain attempt t.
moisten his dry lips with his drie
tongue.
"You see," he said. elf the mer,
thought of such things has such an eff
feet upon me what would their realit,
be? / must go away and leave you
1t is the only thing TO be done. / have
no right to persecute you with my pro
testations, and SO long as l remain here
must speak"
He paused, perhaps expecting som,
answer, but she was silent.
"Good-by," he said, extending hi
hand.
What Il l will not say good-byP"
He withdrew his hand with quicl
catch of his breath.
:ssWhat if I asked you not to go, but
to remain?" <
Again he made no answer, but stoot
looking at her through the dark, breath
ing heavily.
81 do ask you to remain" she said
rising, "and to forget the answer 1 hav,
given you."
She had expected some wild outbreal
OF passion In answer to these words
But all he did was to throw one arm
about and press her to the heart who's.
quick .throb was audible in the uttel
stiffness of the night, and so for mo
II, yc4r> = 81