The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1895-11-29
his child in words that brought tears

his child in words that brought tears
to the readers eyes and then he
turned passionately to the old days,
and questioned her of the future.
The letter fell from her fingers. She
felt as ono must feel with the earth
rocking under foot. Was the old love
dead in her heart - dead like the
mother of his child? She thought of
that grave under the Indian'palms. and
feeling rose slow and strong out of
her heart. No-his part in her life
had ended years before. She did not
hold herself blameless, but she had
suffered once she had no wish to suf-
fer again. She could not change the
pleasant, settled boundaries of her
life. Toward him and toward that lit
tie child of his her thoughts would
ever go kindly-but his, apart in her
life was over. She sent her answer
before she slept; and life went on as
if it had not paused. On the evening
before Thanksgiving Sylvia went ear
ly to choir practice, and Miss Barbara
sat down to read the city paper, which
had Just arrived. A glowing fire
snapped in the CRATE, half Il dozen car
nations scented the air, and Opheiia.
the cat, purred lazily at intervals.
Outside round full moon shone high
il the sky, and the frosty ground
sparkled in its radiance.
''Fire fire fire !" shouted voice in
the street. Miss Barbara rushed to tho
window; before she reached it the de.
moniac shrek of the fire whistle, pro-
longed aud awful, smote upon her
ears. Then came the sound OF rum
ming feet. Snatching up shawl, she
hastily locked the door and joined in
n wild race toward the swelling muir.
murs that rose tumultuously in the
air. She was soon in the midst of tho
excitement, but paused in the out
skirts of the crowd. 1t was barn that
was burning, and it stood out against
the smoke -blackened sky glowing
mass of triumphant fire. There was
no longer hope Of saving it, though
the hose still played upon it, The
rescued horses stamped and neighed,
the tiremen shouted hoar5e orders,
dogs barbed AMI baby cried. Sud
denly there arose a cry: Look cut!
Look out
One OF the frightened animals had
sprung loose and charged wildly for
ward. Miss Barbara felt herself
snatched up and borne persistently
through the shriehinS crowd into u
deserted street white with moonlight.
iI1r cu>r.;er made 40 uot.uu - :e,n,so
her, :Y!, startled u4d snUoy, /, sNe
turned A-r gaze fall upon hlm; the
next instant her breath stopped, her
Il ~ Sl,o,
to the face OF the man she once loved
the man whose letter she had lately
answered. A flock OF girls ran laugh
ing and calling into the street. Let
me go-there are people about-you
must let me co. she whispered sharp
ly. His arms dropped from her waist,
but he walked close to her side She
moved away towards the further edge
of the walk.
''Barbarn-"
A loose board shot suddenly down
under his feet-the other end went up,
Miss Barbara went down. She tried
to rise, but fell back helplessly. Ford
nam dropped on his knees beside her,
speaking passionately.
81 am not hurt" she said, her lips
white and set, sit is only my foot-I
I'm afraid l must haze carriage"
Many weeks elapsed before Miss Bar
bara was able to walk again. During
those weeks Fordham received her let
ter, which had been forwarded from
Bombay. He had been too wise to
await it there. Emmett had smiled
Senially rs he changed the address
upon that letter. He had always
known that more Of Forlham's heart
lay in the Grub OF his child than in the
grave OF MS wife, but had not before
OWNED that his own communications
concerning Omitted States bonds" rs
he would have phrased it. were respon-
sible for his friends sudden journey
across the seas. Fordhnm laid tho let
ter unopened in Miss Barbara's lap.
He knew the answer 1t contained, but
the writer had verbally admitted that
with only one foot to go upon she
found it impossible to escape from
f,ta