The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-01-23

from poverty as well as loneliness"
Miss Samantha, you ~ an angel"
cried DELANEY. and seized and kissed
her withered hand. She smiled.
81 car trust hsr with you, Justin ; |
and 'ITl do oil IAN to help on your
suit. / loved jef III L would have
loved u son but / capuOt be selfish
enough to want Dorkis to remain q
widow for his sake. She may not love
you as she loved him, but she'll always
be tender and sweet and faithful. She
has grown morbid In her grief, and we
must try to draw her more into the
world"
Delaney was intoxicated with the
sudden hope inspired within him. To
everything. If she did not deem it
disloyal to Jetf's memory for him to
marry Dorkis, why should he any
longer hesitate?
Unconscious of the plans for her,
Dorkis came down to greet Delaney,
~innocently pleased to see nim. She
had donned the plain black gown
again but her lover held hat charm
ing window picture in his memory.
He was careful not to throw of the
guise Of friendship o quickly ; but as
often as he could he led her thoughts
and conversation away from JEFF. He
had never been a fluent talker; but he
found so many subjects to discourse on
that he puzzled and amazed Dorkis.
Sometimes after n Of his calls she
realized that Jeff's name had not been
mentioned between them, and re-
preached herself for it. But that was
only the beginning Of still greater
changes. Before she knew it she was
drawn back somewhat into the social
life of Marion.
The barriers were broken down.
She could no longer seclude herself
like q num-, 10 refuse to see that
beauty and Joy were still in the world,
though she had been so long O stranger
to them. She rebellcd against the
possibility of being consoled, and in
vited every sad and morbid thought
that she could to bear her company {;
but they refused to come as readily as
they once had, put to flight by the
q~uickening of healthier claims within
her. She felt that Miss Samantha
and DELANEY were leagued against
her in common purpose to make her
forget jeff, and grew secretly resent
full. But she could not cast off the in
huenCe drawn closer and closer around
her. Miss Samantha talked q great
deal about Delaney and his noble
qualities. He was tender and faith
full, too faithful for his own good for
if he loved u woman he would remain
true to her through time and change
and separation, whether she returned
his love or not. Dorkis felt her face
grow hot with color.
Has he made you the confidant of
his love affair, Aunt Samantha 2"
II ave known his heart for years."
said Miss Samantha, with sigh.
You cannot mean
Yes, Dorkis, he loves you"
"Then The has acted like q coward
to pretend to be such a good friend to
me, toto jeff. Does he think that L
could be faithless enough to-oh,
Aunt Samantha, why don't you send
him away? 1t is wicked. l am Jetf's
wife ~ she cried, bursting into tears Of
grief and anger.
JEFF has gone where there is neith-
er marriage nor giving in marriage,
my poor Dorkis," said Miss Samantha,
wlping her own eyes. You are too
young to go mourning all the days of
your life. and too gentle and delicate
to be left alone"
Dorkis sat rigidly upright, staring at
her.
DO you want me to marry again ?"
she demanded, in a low tone.
Yes | do"
Then you are a wicked old woman,
n | { espise you"
The result of this conversation was
that for a week Dorkis remained in her
room, and refused to sec her aunt or
DELANEY, though her heart relented,
and her tender conscience .smote her
for her waywardness. From behind
the J~ealousies of her window she would
watch her lover ride dejectedly away,
and sometimes the sense of her power
battered her, n sometimes sympathy
for him mOUp1 har In tao,
The week of self-imposed isolation
wcaried her so of her own thoughts
that she made peace with Miss Saman-
tina, and received Delaney into her
favor. She had lost instead of gained
by it, and to herself acknowledged q
sense of defeat. If she had not sought
the reconciliation-but the very Just
ness of that act seemed to weaken her.
She had grown really to depend u good
deal on ~Dellaney's companionship, and
found herself reluctant to give it up.
but with the patient steadiness of q man
determined to win. Neither her
caprices o her fits OF colduess could
drive him away
Winter advanced into spring, and
spring into early summer. The war
was over. and people were trying to
take up their former occupations; but
III would be a long time before the
troubled currents of life would settle
into peace again. One of Dorkis'
friends, a young widow, married, and
DELANEY sought to advance his own
cause by it. Dorkis listened to his
arguments until they ended in a
declaration of his love for her, then she
refused to listen any longer.
But you will not SEND me AVA ell
tirely," he pleaded. Think how
long, how faithfully | have loved you,
what it is to me to see you to often.
Dorkis, Dorkis, be not so cruel to me-
But | cannot love you, Justin.
Would it not be wiser to leave me 2"
No, no, let me try to make you love
me--Just let me try 1; if / fail, the blame
be all IN my own head"
You will think hardly of NO."
No, l swear | will not"
His wooing moved her to pity, but
not to love. Still she felt herself borne
onward by it, and by Miss Samantha's
approval to the verge of promising to
marry him. When she reached that
point, he felt certain that he had won
her. When she urged him to go away
for a week, while she considered the
matter, he readily consented.
When you return, | shall be ready
to say yes or no." she said, trembling,
growing white and red by turns.
1T will, 1T must be yes" he cried.
She turned silently away.
1T was Tho morning Of tho sovepfb