Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-03-15

II II had depeAoe..s upon him the ride
would never haze come to an end, but
Constance, wdO we knew bad schooled
herseli, gently suggested that they turn,
ana meg were presently gallOping home
Il must tell you, she said. withoutpre-
y g, as the horses went at walk up
. hill, ''that Pm going away
constance! What do you meang"
81 am going to New York to pay visit
to my aunt"
"NOt n0w?"
presently"
"1ou can't imagine hew hard that is on
me-" he said, quietly.
'Pm not bound to flatter myself in that
way, am 2" returned she, with a smile
that charmed him, despite the tumult of
his thoughts.
You are not bound to fatter me by
considering my feelings at ALL" he said,
/ gently, but hope you will"
surely There are other cOnsidera-
} tiOns, however"
Her face was little troubled.
"My dear girl, pray don't let me inter
I fere with them. You know l believe in
I you always, whatever you do. I'm conf
( dent you have the best reasons"
Yes, l think 1 have" answered Con-
/ stance, thOughtfully.
] Il shan't ask what they are'
''lf you won't, please. They are excel
lent, as you say, but if you will truss me
| won't repeat them. | can tell YOU,
though, that / have wanted to see New
/ York again ever since | left it. Aunt
/ Cynthia asked me TO come when we left
( Judea together, and | have never ceased
I to include it among my plans"
''YOu can't go at some other time?
1 You've no idea how precious these first
days are to me-"
"Ah, yes, | have! You must remember
that | have little measure of my own"
| she exclaimed, Offering HIM impulsiyely
the hand in which she held her whip. II
! shan 20 for q fortnight yet"
/ She gave him look in which she al
/ lowed him to read something of her love
I and her great pain in troubling him.
/ They had reached the summit of the
/ hill, and March gave his horse a thought
/ ful cut with his whip. They gallOped on
( for few moments Ia silence, and then
as the animals fell into a walk again at
( the foot of another hill:
"COnstane DEAR" said March, abruptly.
Its not Mr.. KeatOr, is it?'
( 1t came with overwhelming sudden
I ness and she was not able to restrain her
I quick blush. nor make the defense she had
arranged.
How Mr.. Keator?' she asked, meekIy.
Il mean you are not going from any
/ fancied dutyY
]
! duty" returned she, difficultiIY. After a
pause, helplessly; Pm going because
! l think l ought"
"Fhen you are Obeying an obligation of
conscience, and it is to Mr.. KeatOr since
! there is no one else. l don't ask you not
4 TO do it, darling. You probably know
| best. But L entreat you to think we'll of
/ it."
"Oh, assure yOE didn't want to do
! it. They are all SO kind to me.D
She hesitated. For the hundredth time
! that day she was truck by the incOngrui.
", the anOmalOusness of their situation.
she wished to COON and add that it was a
grievOus thing TO her TO be Obliged to 20
away from him, but she could not frame
the statement in any language that
seemed to her becoming. She could not
/ have said all that WAS in her heart ii they
! mad been formally betrOthed, but in the
I present singular posture of the affair she
/ las unable TO give her feeling even so
much form as she felt she owed him.
/ IL am very sorry" she ended, and en-
! deavOred TO make ner tone say all that
/ she wished TO put into words.
/ March caught the uncertain pleading in
/ her voice. and, suddenly halting his
1 horse, said as she also paused and turned
/ somewhat wonderfully to face him:
Darling, you must not go. l don't
I know that L have any rights worth men
] iiUNtii@s Bub 4 lItdu W USE ali L nave
/ Welded al first because | thought it was
! your wish. But see that you are only
yielding To a sense of duty. It may be
/ necessary am willing TO trust your
sense of that-but if either of us is to as
sumo the obligation it must be l."
! Constance eyed him fer moment In "a
soft surprise. 1t was rather a wonder
/ that she found her thought cOnsenting 50
/ readily to his than that he should take
! this tone of authority which affected her.
/ 1t was not so strange that he should
! command as that she should unconscious
I ~. almost .mpassively, obey.
You mean that you will go away"
she asked, at last.
Certainly. You don't think that when
| il is SIMPLY question of separation | can
allow you To make the move. 1t is my
/ duty, my privilege TO 60"
But your work at Gerrit?"
! Lincoln can take charge of that. On,
! dear, was il that YOU were considering?
Be careful; l shall begin to believe you
I really care for me-"
Constance blushed.
"YOu know | was interested before"
Would it have occurred TO you then to
90 away to keep me there? No, let us
leave it the other way. The effect upon
my cOn3eit ID most mischievOus, but let
US take the risk"
They were riding at a walk and the
IUtt0 was foCduLs CUG rev aIuetl MN Win
the smile of perfect trust and under
standing which only passes between low
ers, and no mere man could have been eX-
pected to resist the temptation of her
lips.
ooh, if you insist" said Constance.
"Insist is an ugly word. 20 away to
return when | have your permission.
That is all. Only make the time short
as possible"
II gave my promise TO Mr.. Keator in
May" unused Constance. 1T will be a
long time"
ID you mean to keep me away until
then?'
''Do YOU think wish it? But it's due
due Mr.. KeatOr and myself. You
NAV say [ owe something TO you. I'm
willing to acknowledge that dabt-after-
ward"
lit VIII be a miserable time for me. l
don't pretend to deny that. But if | may
claim YOU at last l could wait twice as
long. l snail have that to sustain me.
Poor KeaJor, He has not even that con-
ISOLATION"
"Where shall you gof' asked Con-
stance, sOlicitOusly.
He looked at her inquiringly.
''HOme-snall | not? You are giving
me time. l shall need some one to talk
with aoOut you, and want to make you
familiar TO my mother before l bring you
to her"
Constance's cheek was swiftly dyed
again. She glanced down.
You are looking a long ways ahead"
Chat is all l shall have to console me.
You wouldn't have me look at the pres
ent?v
Don't see too much in the future"
That won't be easy. You must re
member that see you in the centre of
it,"
Lincoln accompanied March to New
York and saw him sail. In his law Of
fee be had fortunately not yet done so
much business as TO make its temporary
abandonment costly; and when ne had
made certain arrangements regarding its
disposition he returned to Gerrit.
Constance did not attempt to conceal
from herself the poignant sense of loss
and absence which she felt after Marcu's
departure, and in the midst Of this she
found LincOln's frequent and cheering
presence kind of benefactIOn. In his
calls they talked CHIEFLY of Gerrit, of
which Constance deemed 1t duty to Sc
cure the most full and accurate reports,
and very frankly of March. When her
thoughts dwelC on this foremost figure in
her memory she was often guilty OF wish
ing that she had not sent him away, only,
10. Il i'm