Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1891-03-27

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upon little bench just within the gate
and masked by lilac bushes.
The narcotic calm of the scene and
hour had lulled him into serenity, and
night fell unmarked, until, at length, a
| familiar voice broke in upon his medita-
| tions- He recognized it on the instant
as Aice's, but it was mingled with
deeper tones that were unfamiliar to him.
Although no words had yet detached
themselves from the tangle of sound, it
seemed to him that one voice was urging
and one demonstrating. Presently they
came nearer and stopped by the gate.
sob, cannotl / cannot!" some one
cried. 1t was Alice's voice, and although
there was not a jot of the spy in Hadley's
nature, something in the intonation held
him spell-bound.
'But why not2' said the other voice,
a melodious baritone-low, persuasive,
thrilling. "But why not9 Itwas con-
ditional promise; the conditions have
changed and that is"
"No; it is not that" broke in the
girl. She was speaking quietly, hut a
pathethic little quaver ran through her
words. "Oh, can't you understand! He
is honest and true, and could not break
his heart!"
A moisture sprang on Hadley's fore
head and very slowly he opened and
closed his hands. There was pause, and
then the pleasant baritone again:
''Are there no rivers in Damascus9
What of my heart, Alice2" Hadley
heard no more. Something seemed to
further than than his throat, and the
dusky web of lilac branches danced in
black and shapeless phantasmagoria be-
fore his eyes, He was dimly conscious
of patter of feet, wave of perfume,
and gush of yellow light as the hall door
clashed open and shut, and then he knew
he was alone again.
Alone! A hideous sense of loss, and
bitter, hopeless desolation, such as he had
never felt and never dreamed of, over
whelmed him. He did not think; he did
not dare to think. He staggered to his
feet, opened the gate and passed out.
To run away, to elude this thing as if
it was some sentient, pafpable pursuer,
was the first impulse that possessed him,
and he hurried on, blindly, stumblingly,
he cared not where. How far he walked
thus he had no means of knowing, but
when he stopped it was on thronging
thoroughfare, before the window great
emporium, aquiver with electric lights.
He drew long breath and pulled him
.oIf xosotl,a, An illuminated 1ial that
punctured the gloom of the upper air
marked after midnight, and faintness
began to assail him, deadly reaction
that turned his knees to water. The
careless, alien crowd Jared on him, the
barbaric spendor of the windows smote
upon his brain; he wanted to be alone,
and presently he saw the open, doorway
of cafe and entered.
A few people sat at tables here and
there, and on one hand were the cur
tanned doorways of a row of little rooms
or stalls. He walked iRstinctively
toward one OF these and drew the
drapery aside A man within, who was
musing, apparently, over bottle and
half-eaten meal, turned at the sound,
anu Lnc TOOll- -ludteo ioohOt ohSf ~hOthSi
in the face.
Ashton was the first to recover him
self, and sprang up with outstretched
hand.
s.Why, my dear fellow!" he exclaimed,
"Am | indebted to insomnia for this
pleasure2'
Hadley took his hand absently, but
did not at once reply. What was there
about that voice, with its plausible, Vi
brating timbre, that thrilled him so9
az have been little troubled, he
said, hesitatingly, "and tried to-walk
it off,"
cha! And came in here,.I dare say,
to drown it in drink, as the proverb
goes. My word for it, tronble is the
thirstiest thing on earth. l tried to
drown small sorrow in drink once, and
when was under the table there was the
sorrow, sober as a judge. But I'll tell
you something, Hadley, it won't stand
feeding. The proper thing to drown
sorrow in is mutton chops and fried po-
tatoes. Suppose we put'it to the touch.
Waiter"
ssHold" said Hadley, who.burned to
stop this badinage, 'I am not hungry
not in the least. Let me sit down a mo-
ment and think"
He sank into vacant chair and gazed
at the other with sudden, .haggard in
tentness. A thought had just occurred
to his distracted mind. Why'was not
this man, so bright, so versatile, SO self
contained, so en- rapport with the great
world and its usages-why was not he the
very man of all men to give him counsel
in this predicament2
ssAshton," he said, ~ am in, distress.
Will you give me your advice2"
Ashton smiled grimiy.
"You have come to a good shop for
advice" he said. ''My whole life is
more or less a warning. However, if l
can be of any service to you, blaze away.
Out with it, my boy!n
But Hadley did not find the story so
easy TO tell.
'sI am engaged to be married." he