San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-12-07

"You are Ogden Chalmers. Tell me
qThHt il means "
was to go out into the world again and
become part of it. He had lost touch
with it. and felt that he had no longer
any share in the worlds work. AL
though he had not thought of it, per-
haps if the question had been asked he
would Just as lief have served the rest
of his days out there. The prison life
does not make man ambitious, anX1
ious to cope with his fellows.
At the warden's Office, where he must
go for his formal discharge, woman
was waiting to meet him. Some sister
of mercy-a would be good Samaritan.
he supposed. and wished she had not
come, but with hi old instinct of cour-
tesy toward al women he went forward
and greeted Len.
1t was Lima Tenant.
81 wrote to the warden she said in
quick explanation. He told me it
would be today; so | have come to sec
you and to say goodby."
Chalmers stared at her, but did nos
answer. She had not extended her
hand nor given any other sign of greet
ing or of recognition beyond her mere
words. He tried to think why she had
come-why at all if only to say goodby
and why was she so cold and distant? 1t
had not been so when they last met. He
looked down while he was asking HIM
self this, and his eye took i'll the coarse
suit that had replaced his prison dress.
He was not a convict now-but-and
slowly and fearfully the truth dawned
upon him-burned like molten iron
through all his being-sent the red
blood surging up over face and fore
head-made him shrink and cringe from
this woman's eyes as he had never be-
fore from any human being's-dawned
upon him, ! say, the fact that now and
for all time he was an ex-convict To
Lima Tenant, to all pure women and
noble men he was now and for all time
an outcast. He heard her words but
duly as she spoke again. He wished
that she would have mercy on him and
go away.
81 promised YOU" he heard her say,
ing, "that | would wait, that if living
would be here to meet you today. This
promise l have kept, although you can
not know what it has cost me. But
another promise that made | cannot
keep, and because | am not willing thai
you should mistake my reasons and St
think hardly of me will tell you why
If you had not deceived Inc | would We
have been your wife. If, having de
ceived me, you had yet confessed you
wrong and asked to be forgiven nigh
have yielded. But now both love anc
and faith in you are dead. Goodby."
She put out her hand with the las
words, and Chalmers took it and held i
close in his own, while his poor confuset
brain tried hard to understand he
meaning.
She had promised to be his wife
No, not his, but Georges wife, and nov
she would not, for both love and fat
were dead" Love for him? No. fo
George that was dead. She was talkin
of George, not to him. And she though
it was George before her.
Chalmers held her hand in grasp {
iron, so that she WINGED with pain; bU
he did not see. for he was clingins
through it, to life and hope and low
Lima! Lima Tenant" His voice W.
only a hoarse whisper, but something
it brought startled look to her fac
"Look at me-" he said. Il am NJ
George Chalmers. Do you not kno
me?"
Eyes, yes" she said, gazing at hi
with wide eyes. Il know you. kno
you now. You are Ogden Chalmer
Tell me what it means. How did yc
come here"
"Waitw he answered, cautioning he
mot here-not in this place. Let us
away, outside-anywhere."
They went out together upon Il
street into the midst of the busy life
the city; but Chalmers forgot to loC
about him at the brightness from whi'
he had been shut so long. There W
but one fact in the world for him no
Lima Tenant had renowned her 10
for George of her own free will, and
was free now to win her if he cOu
against the world. He forgot the pa
the horrible life of the prison, the inera