St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1892-12-10
tExcuse me, Whose picture have you

| EXCUSE me. whose picture nave you
got there under the papers2'
autobiography? 0, that's of Clara Ray
| mond,n said Eric carelcssly enough, as
he drew it from the hiding place.
"What did you put it out of sight
| for2"
"Out of sight2 1t was purely me-
chanical movement on my part
"You are in love with Clara Ray
mond," declared Nash, bluntly.
"Who says anna" asked Eric, to gain
time.
II say so. I've been watching the
game from the first"
"Then wish you'd tell me exactly
how the case stands on her sidc,' re-
marked Eric.
"You would know yourself, it you
weren't binder than bat. She has been
fond of you, but she's weaving herself
now as fast as possible"
Eric stared at him helplcssly.
How long 90 you expect self-re-
specting woman to stand with her heart
in her hand waiting for you to ask for
it?' demanded Nash.
Eric still stared blankly. Then his eye
fell upon the sealed compact. He took
it up obviously.
''Brcak it open!' exclaimed Nash.
Eric obeved. Nash had the whip hand
of him He drew out the sheet of paper
and handed it to the other.
"Shall read it?' asked Nash.
eyes, if you want to-"
Nash's brows puckered over the reso-
luton
"This is pretty piece of tomfoolery,'
he declared. "But keep the compact by
all means To be kept until October IS,
1890, nine months ahead. BY that time
Clara will be as far beyond your reach as
the moon. She'll reject you, as you de-
serve, and you'll see at last what one
sided, selfish specimen you really are
Eric was kindling now. He caught
the document and tore it in strips de-
liberatcly.
want to win Clara Raymond, don't let
grass grow under your feet"
''But, Clara, I have loved you from
the first. My profession of mere COM
radeship was mask. have lived only
in YOUR presence. But I have been de-
ceived once. I feared to trust myself, or
YOU. meant to be true and wait"
"You meant to treat me as child, to
keep me on probation,' she interrupted.
You compromised me in the eyes of the
world. I was pitied as a woman who
had given her heart to a man who cared
nothing for her. Eric may have loved
you once, but | love YOU no longer. I
have outgrown my weakness. But we
can be friends still"
Without word he turned and left her.
And SO these kindred spirits, mis-
guided, the one by suspicion the other
by pride, went separate ways.
Went separate ways, but not for a
lifetime Two years later they met in a
scene OF death and disaster. There had
been frightful railway accident. Pas
senger cars were hcaped up at the foot
of steep embankment The engines
red, angry eye glared through the star
lit gloom upon the men and women
struggling amid the wreck, and crying
helplessly over their dead.
Clara was among the uninjurcd. She
had not been even stunned, and now felt
marvellously clear headed as she walked
around trying to infuse courage into the
panic stricken Suddenly she came upon
Eric Fleming. His face showed white
and dcath-Iike by the light of that pitt
less red eye He was pinned down in
the wreck 50 that he could not move a
muscle.
"We are both here, it seems" he said
with weak smile, as she stopped before
him.
"And one of us is a prisoner she re-
ioiGcd in Il cheerful tone, though her
heart was heavy Can you not move at
all?'
"No. I think my arm is broken, and I
cannot breathe easy in this position
Still, | am much better off than many
others. If they would only move these
things off, could
II am pretty strong" she interrupted
''Perhaps | can help you-'
She stopped suddenly with strange
look IN her eyes. A fire had kindlcd from
the engine. The flames were already
leaping toward her.
Clara wonders to this day at the
strength which came upon her. She
moved the wrecked sections Of the car
around him, sufficiently to cxtricate and
drag him to the brookside beyond the
reach Of danger. BY that time he had
tainted from the pain Of his shattered
arm. She bathed his face with water and
he revived presently to see her standing
over him. He could feel that strong,
soothing influence outhoWing from her
toward him, as in the long ago. 1t was
bracing. 1t gave him strength to rise
above his pain.
"You have saved my life," he said.
"My arm will he all right after a
while"
But you will suffer a great deal of
pain, first" she suggested.
eyes, but if might hope that the wall
is broken down between It's" he began,
wistfully.
"You may hope" she said softly. And
then they heard the ambulance coming
Yankee Blade.