The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-11-22

kON0A w. w IuoN lIilulCOCU, Ouly
ing, finished unconsciously aloud.
s'It will be, and sooner than you
think" interrupted voice beside
her. 'I see you have not heard the
news?"
ss.;.s The news2"
John Renniman is dead"
Dead, Jacques, do you say?"
'15$sW Y Yes; he died Of fever OH his way
home on the Scotia. You know what
that means, of course; the smoothing
sofal difficulties for Rame, and, though
sh6swill mourn his cousin most sincerely,
the easy fulfilment Of his hopes.n-
All interest they went on discussing,
Sag9did many family that day in Little
Haven, the unexpected fortune that
had befallen Raymond Renniman with
his Cousins death. 1t was nothing to
them that the girl in the window bent,
each moment, deeper above her work;
they did not note even when suddenly
Sshe threw it aside and crept out Of the
room.
She was not supposed to have any in-
stsrest in the Rennimans, alive OF dead.
ia. smile flashed, with the thought, on
the girls pale face as she went down
the hall. So we'll she had kept her
secret from Aunt Endicott and JAG
quesl Even in the startling fate Of this
fresh hour she realized there might he
more.
Still smiling, she stepped out on the
little balcony which fronted on her
8chamber. 1t was so pleasant to remem-
sber now what until now she had quite
egretted-that there had been sharp
words, even, between them and her be-
Scause she would not marry Raymond
sRenniman; that they, in their secret
4 hearts, were this moment bemoaning
that she might have boen all in all where
now she was-
s{ Nothing at ALL
sS6 The night was fair; the pressure of
the thought showed suddenly in pain
ful plalnness OH the fresh, strained face.
Nothing at although, but for her
own denying, she would have been the
wife Of this man she loved so fondly;
never so fondly, 80 eternally, it seemed
Ito Renie Endicott, as this moment she
game, for the first time, truly to realize
AT might be--never.
.s33 At least his wife. The truth flashed
CLEARLY, but truth this little moment
& had lost its sting. She clasped her
hands and at the shining sky looked up
&wlth mad regret for what she had
adone. 1t was nothing to her that in
SReymond Renniman's heart there was
mo love, there could never be any love,
/ Tor her; that his seeking her in marriage
was Dut the fulillment of promise
made to dying parent whose affection
ehe had Won. There was one his soul
worshipped, we'll she knew, but-she
did not care; it we're enough to have
3sbeen his wife.
SO At least, his wife. Moon and stars
Seemed to laugh at her for her folly;
. suddenly she realized the strange fancy
sshe had almost unwittingly cherished,
that, since that day Of his calm propo.
$sal, his fate was linked to hers. De-
spite Elise Croydon, despite her own
firm rejection, she had hedged it close
8ly through the months, never yielding
&the odd hope that all would yet come
right between them.
9R Until now. Now? John Renniman
was dead; his cousin was his only heir,
8and the entire wealth of the dead de-
8scended to him. The sole barrier to
bis marriage with proud Adam Grey
&don's daughter was removed; rs JAG
s;ques had said, it would be sooner than
they thought.
s8 Now? 1t was a hard little moment
. Tor Renie Endicott, but she quickly
realized it's folly and struggled with it.
8She bent her thoughts determinedly
toward John Renniman. She had never
& seen him; she had heard Of him only as
8e strange, grave man, with some mys-
&tery in his life--a mystery of woman's
dealings which they said would follow
him to death. And death had come,
$and-since life was death, she sup
posed, nay, she was sure, that he had
mot cared.
3.g5 The moon lit up bit Of river just
beyond the roadway. She shivered as
8Bhe looked over it; she forget herself
55tquite in the tender pity that arose in
Il her heart for him. After such life
a8for any, but to him surely life owed
;Sor before it ebbed away.
S@ A pity--a pity. Many loveless
D night, looking out over the waters, she
!. Thought of him; with strange persis-
b tency the ghost of John Renniman kept
g8filling up her life.
# Only q ghostl The truth flashed Il
,6shudder and strange regret for its
4 emptiness ofttimes through the loveless
days.
3N X X
81 John Renniman was dead. A con-
81 tagious fever had broken out on ship
rs board; he had died after few days.
3 sickness, and was buried in the sea.
Il His baggage, the papers found upon
Z his person, were handed over to the
proper parties, and, all in due time,
q Raymond Renniman came into posses.
4 sion Of wealth which ranked him one
OF the richest men in the country, and
Il first am ong the many suitors for the
4 hand Of proud Adam Greydon's daugh-
q ter.
q There followed, ore many days, a
buiet wedding at Croydon Manor; for
q though grief was sincere, love was i'm
q patient, all the same. One was there
among the few invited guests--one
& who listened to the marriage VOWS with
+ a pleased smile upon her lips as she saw
IA the ewes of ao1na nna directad To.