The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1890-02-07
want to refresh myself little, and
then 90 on


then go on"
ooh, you do-and you don't !" sneered
the man. Got any money?'
She had to admit that she had none.
well, then, you go right on. Sus-
piclous characters without money amt
my kind"
The fellow laughed at his own bru-
talltY, and the distressed girl moved
away.
She hardly had the courage to ask
again; but at the next house pleas
ant faced young woman, with three or
four children at her heels, came run
ming out to her rs she passed, with an
exclamation of surprise and pleasure.
"Why, if it amt Miss Bryson! Where
on earth are you going to at such
time of day? And on foot, too! Come
in, and tell me all about it."
The good creature had formerly been
her nearest neighbpr at the old house,
and she remembered mony littlo eot. ~f
kindness that Jess ca had shown her.
The wanderer went In and rested
herself, and ate and drank, while the
woman never ceased to ask her ques-
tions. The girl evaded most of them,
and such answers as she gave were
very unsat sfactory to the questioner.
"There's something the matter with
you, miss; I'm certain of it. You just
take off your things, and stay with me
awhile. Somebody's been trying to
impose upon you; L see that by your
looks. Tell me who to send for, and
my Joe shall go and carry any message
you want to send"
.cssica rose in alarm.
"There is no trouble" she said. al
thank you for your kindness, and will
bid you good morning"
Against the good woman's urgent
protests she went on her way.
Walking on until she was too eX-
hausted to move, she obtained ride
with farmer in springless wagon,
VIII CHI hardly relieved her fatigue, but
whi IN brought her three miles further
on her way.
The sun was now high, the day was
warm. Until near noon she went on,
weak, dizzy, feverish. She saw a
spring by the roadside, and went to il
to rclievo her thirst. She sat down
upon stone, intending to rest for a
few moments. When she tried to rise,
she fell helpless in tho grass.
She could do no more; her strength
was utterly gone. She closed her eyes,
and wished that she might die here.
The clatter Of hoofs iii the road
caused her to open them. The vision
of great black horse appeared to her
she heard an exclamation, sound OF
hurrying feet; an arm was passed about
her. and she was held up gainst Ran
dali Belmonts knee.
"How cruel this is OF you, Icssica!"
he said. at is cruel to me; it is
doubly cruel to yourself"
How did you iiud me?" she asked,
-1i-l lainad lind your fs eapnii
heard of you all along the way, when
onoo got on the right track. Now !
shall take you over to that large house
there, and have you made comfortable
till l can get carriage and take you
back to Mrs. Van Wyck's."
"No!' she said, sitting upright.
"Iou did not read what | wrote to you
last night"
Indeed did; every word of it."
And can you, after that, continue
to seek me?"
why should I not? Dreadful as
tho story is to me, shocked as l am to
hear the truth, why should you suffer
more because of it? You are limo.
cent, as you wrote; you are all to me,
and more, that you ever were
Her resolution wavered at last. Yet
she still resisted.
you do not think of yourself; you
arc too generous, too noble. You
would overshadow your whole life
with me-"
"This is the last time of asking, Jes-
-siaa. "---,a --said. witt, deep -soiemnity.
i know myself; no change was possi-
bic in mo toward you; nothing that
you have told me has changed YOU the
slightest in my eyes. Now, will take
my final answer from your own lips.
Is it Joy? or must it be woe?"
A sense of rest came over her as she
heard him. His arm held her up; she
looAed into his kind, serious eyes, and
saw there that which reioiced her more
than the sight of the green oasis re-
loiccs the traveller in the desert sands.
She saw new life before her, with all
that happiness that he had often pict-
urcd to her; and she could no longer
refuse to call it hers. And so she re-
piled:
at is JOY, dear Randall; Joy and