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

met Dorkis in her widows garb up to
that morning when, exultant and
certain OF success, he had stepped from
the steamer to be met by Airlie.
"CMn yon wonder that I long to take
your lile, he cried, painting, torn by a
time you came between us, won her
from me-, l freely forgave you for II 1
loved you as well as the woman, and
gave her up without a bitter thought
against you but now, now to have the
cup dashed from my very lips by your
hand HE paused, the blood rushed
violently to his face, his eyes seemed
to swim in a fiery glow.
docs she love you 2" said Airlie, in
a low tone, gripping the railing of the
bridge.
Love me? No." he cried. did I
not have to listen to the story of her
grief, for you, day after day, week
after week She seemed to forget
that l had ever loved her, that 1 might
still have u heart. Love me! She
would never have loved me as she loves
you !! but l could have won her conf
dence, her affection, could have made
her happy in time"
And Tor the sake of winning that
poor shadow of love you intend to take
"y IAN ooto iNS, 1uISSly. NSll,
the advantages are all on your side. l
am unarmed and 80 enfeebled in body
that l cannot offer any resistance.
You are the only acquaintance 1 have
30 far met. You can kill me, then
Hing my body over this railing into
n of these pools of water, and your
secret will be as safe as though 1 had
really fcllen on the battlefield. Is that
your plan ?"
Yes" said Delaney. "when we
first met this morning, l was stunned {:
thought came to me. l could have
taken your life easily as we crossed the
field"
This is decidedly the best place for
murder, Justin"
why do you take it so coolly f?
Why don't you beg for mercy, or show
some fear Man, do you realize your
position 2"
could I fail to, when I see my best
friend ready to shoot me down? Why
do you hesitate ?"
Delaney threw up his hand, and
Airlie nStinctively, braced himself to
meet the shot; tut it did not come.
The pistol circled through the air,
struck sharply against a tree, startling
n flock of black vulturcs with the
harmless shot it sent into their midst,
then sank with a'hissing sound through
the green ooze of the marsh. Airlie
closed his eyes for an instant, the sense
of relief making him dizzy. He had
faced death too often to cover before
it now, but to have it come when SO
something more Than mere courage to
meet it with composure.
a strange sound smote the silence.
He looked up. DELANEY stood with
his face hidden in his hands weeping
like a woman, and yet unlike one in
that 1T was q thousand times more ter
rlble. What emotion moved him so
deeply, his friend did not know but
it was a sight to stir all that was gen
crous in Airlies, generous nature. He
went nearer; but when he laid his
hand on Dellaney's shoulder it was
shaken off.
Co! he cried, "why do you stay to
Witness my shame, my humiliation =?
The madness-it was madness-is over.
| have had murder in my thoughts but
l will not have it on my hands"
Let me ut least say that l pardon
you, Justin"
Delaney raised his face, married by
the conflict OF his feelings almost be-
yond recognition.
You and I part here, Airlie, never
eS"th Oii ~ IL III vi lOGS ,
but | want to tell you that it was not
alone lack OF nerve prevented you from
receiving that shot, but at the last
moment | realized that friendship was
still stronger than love. Now leave me,
tits all l ask"
Airlie walked slowly across the
bridge and up through the field on the
other side, his head bent down, the
yspring and eagerness gone from his
step. Once he paused and looked back.
RDellaney stood on the bridge where he
pad left him, m%otionless, solitary. the
purple shadows of the marsh thicket
broadening over him.
Dorkis walked in the shade of the
grape arbor. Above her head hung
Eclusters of pale green grapes, and her
white muslin gown-put on for the
fl. st time since her Observation-Disclosures
over grass and struggling weedy flow
ers. Miss Samantha had persuaded
her to put on the white gown.
Justin will be back to-day, and you
ought to do it for his sake."
Il wish that had said two weeks.
or two months" cried Dorkis. Aunt
Samantha. cannot forget jeff"
- don't want you to forget him,
child" said the old lady, pityingiy'
tenderly. Don't marry Justin unless
you think you could be contented with
him."
II will go out in the garden and
think it all over again"
But the more she thought, the more
distasteful grew the idea of u second
marriage. She had spent that week
in looking over her husbands things,
reading his letters and laying them
aside ready to burn. How carefully
she a treasured every line written
by him, from the first note, scrawled
in a school-boy hand, down to the last
letter penned by the light of a camp
fire. The growth of his love could be
clearly traced from the passionate
fancy of Il youth, to tho deep, abiding
faith OF the man. Could she DESTROY
those tender words, written by one who
would never more walk the Garth ?
And yet she must do it if Il new love
was accepted. The past must all be
put behind her, its JOY, its sorrow and
regret. Terror seized her.
"Can | let another man take his
place in my heart, put all the visible
tokens of his life from me? Can | let
him become only q memory, fading out
year by year, until, when old age
comes, our love will seem only q dream
an episode of q day? When others
speak of him | must be silent, not even
as friend or acquaintance dare | claim
him. Oh, | cannot do i'll cannot
L am his wife, hi, love and he is mine"