The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-03-19

directly. He threw out various hints
which his sister ignored, till one night
about q month later, he arrived homo
in good spirits.
| Has he sold his practice ?" asked
Gertrude.
| He would hardly go without. Not
that there is IN lcb to sell"
Edna sat quite silent. Her fa % was
pale and her eyes wero moist. 1t was
all she could do to prevent the tears
from falling till sho reached her own
room. At dinner she scnrcel spoke,
and that evening went to bod though
not to sleep. early.
The following morning she happened
to bo passing Testers house at III
o'clock, and, seeing no sign Of him,
turned and repasscd tho door ten
minutes later. He WINS just coming
down the steps.
Don't let me hinder YOU" ahc said,
when he stopped.
~ am merely going to the post
oi1ice," no answered.
| IL am going that way, too," said
| Edna, and thcy walked together. Is
it true you arc leaving Uppercombo ?"
shc asked presently.
Perfectly true"
| "Thcn you have sold your practice p"
"Weli~-it was principally u question
OF getting tho house aud SO forth OIL
my hands; but l have every reason to
bciicvc the matter will be settled this
| afternoon"
DR.. Lester" Edna exclaimed as he
| halted at tho post-oflice, "if | were
you II would not run away from it !:
but, perhaps, you nave some enticing
place to fly to-"
No." ho answered 81 am fortu-
| l., 1 i
choose from except this one spot,
and," ho added, this is tho best ana
| the worst on the faco OF tho earth"
"Suroly you can--you can stay if
you please" she said. BY tacit Ion-
sent they turned their faces toward
the country.
"No, Miss Sinclair; things are too
unprn liising."
"But you will live it down." she
| urged. suppose the sama--thc sar.
lnisfortuno had happened to DR.. =.
urcwS ~
He could have borne with it; his
reputation was made. Mine has been
| spoiled in the making, as far as Upper
combc is concerned. Honestly, | am
positive that no power on earth coulC
| nave saved StranGCway's life. | am
cqually positive that | was iDjutliCi0us
| in performing the operation myself a;
| 80 that, in ~ way, was to blame. Auy
hGw, IT has ruined my practice"
4" But if you coutd only stay your
practices w',nld cone back. People
are very tickle. 1t isn't every doctor
vino en- buy Il practice. yet they man
age. How Go they do it :"
lie hcli open gate for hor to pass
! thruu rh into Il meadow "a she spoke.
The sun ~honc brightly and the 1t dyes
we've fragrant With wild rose and
| hUnrySuck' 'c.
"On. there are various ways" he
explained. "SoiOc take parish work
| hu1 und too unpopular TO attempt to
get that. even il lhcrr were an open
ing 1T the moMcnt. OLhCrs receive
resident pnti"nAs-~lunatics, hypochon-
| urlacs ana 50 torth.'
| "Thrn couldn't YOU take patients :?
Wnn'd not that enable you to--to Gtay
1t CDpcrc2mbc p
"On, yea only first | should have to
take II wife, Miss Sinclair"
II" turned to look down at her face
aud at the same moment Edna leaned
across the ditch To pluck u spray Of
honcysuckic. No sooner had she re-
covered her balance than she began to
pull the blossom to pieces.
"Wcli, DR.. LHster?" she said, looking
up suddenly.
Ah that sort Of q thing is over AZ
far as ] am cOnccrncd," ho answered
Sho h":At her foot potulantly ON ths
grass.
81 don see why, il it would
it would really help you"
He leaned forward eagerly. She
bent her neck to spoil the honey,
sucklc.
L" Elna.' he muttcrcd "you are
triillng with me ~
She shook her head slowly.
'Bnt you you said"
Is IT generous to remind ono OF q
mistake :" she rCtOrtrd.
" AIN not in Il position. Things are
at a very low chb--"
" The tide will flow again" she said,
and-~and | have three hundred a
year Of my own"
What will your brother say ?"
| On. = she cried, am not child.
| am Il woman, and have a right to
please myself; though to be sure" she
added, you may not think ] have
| play ed very womanly part this morn
| ing.'
She looked very dcmurc, very pretty,
as she stood dissccting the honey
sucklc, and perhaps he would have
been more than human to have re-
sisted.
1--WE will face it together" he said.
Iun will bc my comrade as we'll AS
my wilc-my best beloved you known
you have been since the first week |
saw you
Presently she limited at tho dcsirah;-
lity uf raturs ing.
'Ah, yes" he answered, II ought
to lose no time in seeing Sinclair"
"tumc around after dinner to- night"
! She said, ard returned home alone, not
without trrpiGation.
That afternoon she took Gertrude
INTO or COuil .rncC.
Now" snc concluded, "you must
tel Alfred. 1t isn't that am afraid,
ony lon't want him to say anything
sc shou.d both regret al our lives.
Nn,UiHg h" can say will make tho
slight>s, difference, so he may Us we'll
yield with good grace.'
" 11u know, darling,' said Ger.
truG". "yoh viii mis- things awfully."
Wait for IL year, was the answer.
" iOI viii see b. that time. by tho
by, Of tho conr~c ynu must make an
cX'n.r TO DR.. cnkinsopp."
"Oh, Of course, said Gertrude. SIN
iHrt. between ourselves, | have never