Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1890-10-03


straight before her, and both s nall,
white hands clasped tightly over her
heart.
He had forsaken her forever, and she
could never have hoped to look on his
dear face again. Now the lonely, re-
morseless sea would hide it from all
other eyes as well as hers After all,
perhaps, she would rather have it SO.
But three years passed away, and
Zoe, after long period Of mourning
and seclusion, once more began to
mingle with the world
Again she was mentioned in society
as "the beautiful Mrs. Dupstan," and
again her eager admirers anu suitors
thronged around her.
Among them was, and ever he'd been,
Fred Hammond, the handsome, dashing
fellow whose admiration for hor in the
past had led to that fatal quarrel.
To him she was always colder than to
any other man in the whole circle OF
acquaintance, yet her GOODNESS did not
daunt him from trying again and again
to win the love he had vain]y sought
before her marriage.
you must learn to look Kindly on
my suit in time" he urged once more,
after many failures. HE is gone, and
it is foolish, nay, it is terribly wrong,
to waste your whole life III useless
mourning for him, Oh, Mrs. Dunstan
Zoe, dear Zoe-try to forget-try to
care little for one who has loved you SC
long and faithfully as l."
Zoe sighed YEARLY.
How often she had told him she same
old story-that she never could forget
the one she had loved and lost.
But she was on the eve of starting on
a long journey throughout Europe and
the East with some old friends-Mr
and Mrs. Seymour and perhaps this
would put final end to the annoyance
"You are asking still in vsin, Mr.
Hammond" she answered, calmly,
with the usual touch of GOODNESS in hel
voice. 'And it must ever be in vain
were you to ask the question every day
to tho end of our natural lives. l have
no love to give to you'll never had.
loved Earle Dunstan only, and shall
never forget him or cease to love hi
memory L But here comes Mrs
Seymour; let us say no more about it
Only this-you have my final, irrevoc-
able answer, Never mention love tt
mo againl"
"Ah, my dear Zoe" murmured Mrs
Seymour, half-reproachfully as Fred
Hammond bowed himself away with &
white, despairing face, I'm afraid yol
are really doing foolish thing,
heard enough to know that you refused
that poor fellow for the fiftieth time
and he absolutely worships you Dom
you really think that you have mournet
poor Earle long enough2 1t can neve
bring him back, you know" she added
gently.
NO. it can do nothing but prove tn,
love he doubted when he left me,
sighed Zoe, drearily. But that man
and her dark eyes turned, with t1asl
of scorn, toward Fred Hammond's dis
tant, retreating form-''why, his pro
fessions of love but seem like sacrileg
to me! 1t was on his account that W
had that fatal quarrel which drove m,
husband to his death. No, no, dear Mrs
Seymour, no living love-much less hi
shall ever take the place of my poo
Earle's memory"
For months the little party Of tourist
wandered about the Old World, and a
length found themselves in one of tn
famed picture galleries Of an Italian
city.
AS they strolled slowly along, stor
ping now and then to examine SOM
work of striking merit, Mrs. Dunstan
happening to turn abruptly, came fact
to face wit n handsome, noble-lookinl
man, whose proud, stern face and sad
blue eyes changed at sight of her, a
though she had been ghost.
And sheP She grew so deathly whit
and faint that Mrs. Seymour, who stool
near and saw it all, thinking her abou
to fall, hastily passed her arm aroun
Zoe's slender waist.
But the young widow did not faint
the very strength of her emotion re
vived her and kept her up.
"Earlel" she gasped, in strained, VI
natural voice. "Oh, is it you2 l.
thought you deadl"
did you?" he retorted, with the oil
bitterness, mingled now with sa
, pathos indescribable. 'Oh, no, l hav
merely been dead to you. l left you fc
your own happiness, you remembe
, And you-you have secured it, l SUI
pose? Tho law would not refuse d,
serted wife her freedom and the right I
marry again. BY the way"-glancin
, about him with a proud disdain IN hi
blue eyes-"shall have the honor"
Earle" broke in Zoe, proud,
: There is no other-never has been, an
| never will be. mourned you at dea
for years, for believed you lost at Sc
with the rest who went down on tn;
: doomed ship. 1t was mistake. Oh
the Joy"
| Her sweet voice wavered, and agai
r Mrs Seymour thought she was going
! faint But this time Earle Dunsts
took his wife by the arm and led hi
still farther from the small crowd, WI
, had not perceived the little drama G.
ing on so near them.
, And you have never married, b
, lieving me dead all these yearsP"
! asked, his low, deep voice filed wit
| wondering tenderness. "0h, Zoe, 70
give me-forgive me, my darlingl b.
t l never knew that you thought me dea
A dear was rescued from the wrecI
} but was i'll and senseless for long weel
: afterward. did not know that WI
reported lost, but | should not hay
r cared | thought you would seek yol
' freedom in time, and so have wandere
about asking no questions, and on
4 trying to forget And oh, Zoe, you d
' love me, your husband, instead"
: well, IL you had heard her refuse