The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-11-23
CHAPTER III,

mer TOURISTS Will llnSeT dt mOuuJdln
and ocean for weeks yet.
A young man walks along a narrow
strip of sand. AT his right is the ocean,
smooth as the summer sea, free from
the buffeting hands of the storm, ever
becomes. At his left is low line of
cliffs, high in some places. They are
scarcely more than twenty feet oppo-
site him.
We have thus far had only the
merest glimpse of this man. Looking
at him now, we see that he is young
and strong, handsome and noble-look-
ing, and with one paradox written on
his mobile face-a puzzled look of care
in the midst of carelessness which
nature gave him when she endowed
him with the characteristics which
make him what he is.
We have heard more of him in the
past than we have seen of him. Let
us listen now. He is singing, little
more thoughtfully perhaps than when
we heard him something more than
year ago, but much the same as then
"Then take whatever the gods may send,
Putting to scruples and doubts an end,
Is the sensible way to live, my
Goodness gracious ~
The climax was not unnatural when
one considers the cause. A lady had
ventured too near the edge of the
cliff, and went over just as he came
opposite her.
Although steep tie cliffs were not
perpendicular, and Guy sprang forward
and helped break the fall by catching
the young lady in his arms.
She was unconscious when he caught
her, but recovered enough to smile her
thanks to him, and to present the
three young men who climbed hurried
ly down to the beach to her aid as her
three cousins.
= Guy had done little-except act on
the precept embodied in his favorite
song-for the lady would have fallen
on the sand but for him, and had
already escaped the danger of the rocks
on the way down.
She had, however, or affected to
have, a great deal of gratitude, and
Guy Crawford always found a smile of
welcome for him when he sought her
side.
To be with her became habit, a
JOY, part of his very life.
The three cousins might look coldly
at him; he never knew it. The woman
might he more than kind to him; he
never guessed it. His own heart might
have startled his intelligence, but he
never questioned it.
Never any of these, until he stood
one night with telegram from his en-
ployers in his hand. His vacation,
which was to have lasted for month
longer, must close. He had only one
more day to remain.
In the light of coming parting he
knew it all at last.
81 cannot CO." he said; 81 cannot
leave her But l must"
He thought little; then he said:
"If l had only known should have
gone long ago. For her peace and
mine l should have gone. l see it
nOw."
Miss Maude Walton waited longer
than usual that evening for the custo-
mary invitation for a walk along the
beach.
Guy Crawford felt that farewell
must he short, and he knew that, in
honesty, it must be hard.
Together in the moonlight night
they walked along the sands. The
gravest crisis in their lives stood before
them.
lie could not know how much Of life
and happiness lay within the reach of
his hand if he put it forth in truth and
honor. He could not guess how much
the woman before him would shut back
behind her lips and never utter, though
the silence slew her heart, if a coward
and traitor sought what she might
say.
81 am going away tomorrow. !
have received telegram which makes
it imperative"
EYES," she answered, with much
the look that aheathen priestess might
wear who found Il flaw,in the idol she
served.
But a look of faith in his truth came
back to her face as he continued:
Yes, l am going | ought to have
gone before. / never kncw-God help
me until tonight that loved you
| have been blind to my own heart. !
must tell you / love you-I do; but
we can never be more than friends"
"YOu have not asked me to give
, you any hope"
"NO-nor shall I. l have no right
: to do So"
"A true woman would never let q
lack of wealth deter her"
81 know it,"
al refused each Of my cousins to-
day"
, II am sorry. Since l can never
win you for my wife 1 wish some
noble man the good fortune which
: cannot be mine"
Zone of my cousins is not goot
man. One of them is as great {
scoundrel as ever lived"
"You should find some little excuse
/ for him in the fact that he loves you
No man can be wholly bad who trul!
1 loves a good woman"
"He doesn't love me. He merel,
pretends he does"
; Merely pretends. l don't under
4 stand"
: I'm explain to you. have small
fortune from an aunt; but my father
t fortune was left with strange con
j ditions. He loved my cousins almos
= as well as he did me. He Wanted IN
5 TO marry one of them, but did not car
=