The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-03

ulous You must be sensible. I shall begin
to wish that we had not met at all. since
the sight of me makes you so unhappy.
Won't you say good-oy
In my despair a wild thought leaped to
my brain and / uttered IL. IF may not
tell YOU what is in my heart, help me 10
bear this hard condition. What life wil
be when you are gone 1 dare NOT thlnA-
Give me but one touch of your lips before
YOU go, and for whatever 1 have suffered
or may have to suffer, l will say. Verify,
I have had my reward.
She dropped her head for a moment.
and | could see the crimson flushing her
checks, and ears, and neck / thought
she was going to be angry, but she gave
swift glance round the room. and then.
before / could realize my beatitude, she
kissed me fun upon the lips. She rose.
While / was still struggling TO control my
pulses she looked the picture of serenity.
Remember, ] have taken you at your
word. Good-by." With nod and a smile
she was gone.
I stood ike one entranced for a moment.
and then l darted after her, with the mad
idea of following wherever she might go.
/ saw her pass out of one end of the next
gallery as ] entered at the other Then I
was bloced in the crowd, and 10y the time
I had freed myself / had lost her If 10
had been impossible to Danish her from
my mind before, il was infinitely less pos
sible after this second meeting. / brooded
over my memories till my friends be-
came alarmed for my health, and to please
them l undertook long foreign tour. In
the course of time / drifted to Heide-
berg. 1t was vacation time and the town
was quiet. Every day would find a com
Portable seat on the castle terrace. and
sit for hours gazing at the streak of sill
yer on the horizon which indicated the
distant Rhine, and thinking ever of one
thing-my hopeless, helpless love for
woman l should never see again.
one day, as l occupied my accustomed
corner, l heard the sound of English
voices and of approaching footsteps. /
mentally cursed the intruders and kept
my back to them. 1 was fretfully wonder
ing now long they would stop, when /
heard the voice which had been ringing in
my ears ever since / left England I turn
ed sharply. with a catch In my throat. and
saw her before me again Some half-doz-
en- ladies were with her this time, and she
did not recognize me for a moment. But
suddenly she started. as shel looked in my
direction. My brain was In a whirl and my
blood at fever heat again. while / stood
wondering whether she would leave me
without a word. But when an elderly lady,
who seemed to be i'm charge of the party,
castle We're TO be seen before lunch She
l could only think of her in pronOuns-
expressed a wish to be left behind.
As soon as we were alone went to-
wards her and held out my hand. AT
last" was all that ] could find TO say. She
dld not take my hand, and seemed great
" agitated.
Il did not know you at first" she STAN
mered. You are so changed"
Il nave lived years since our last meet
ing I answered; and my one thought
y
again"
And my own anxiety has been"-she
spoke slowly and with her eyes on the
has now happened"
Why do you say that?" ] implored.
Because it Is time this farce came to an
end" she answered impatiently.
me farce. as you call 1t, has been very
near to tragedy for me-" / replied. "All
the light has gone out of my life since
She was going TO answer me netuIantiv
but when she lifted her eyes and saw my
stricken face she checked herself, and
II stopped behind to prevent anything
foolish" she said. But my friends will be
here directly, and do not wish to be seen
claim to your consideration but l appeal
to you as a gentleman to obey me i'm
plicitly now"
Don't ask me to let you go again." I
broke out For all these weary months
have been living on the memory of you.
and now that fate has brought us together
once more l must tell you all that is in my
lips.
She drew back with a little cry. No. no.
you are not serious: you are only acting
your part" she exclaimed.
Serious / rctorted. Nothing else in
life is serious but my love for YOU"
She was trembling now. and it was some
moments before she could control her
Il cannot explain now" she said at last.
"and I dare not. But tell me-" here she
laid a little hand on my arm and her eyes
were full Of gentleness-"do you remem-
Der all you said when last me metz"
1T is not what was said that l remem-
She biushed and continued: II mean
what you said directly after-after that
whatever l said, meant it,
There was something about Verify l
have had my reward, she said demurely.
Ibid you mean thatE'
I understood her now. Eyes, I meant
hot I
She thanked me with her eyes. promise
me that you will in future act as though
we had never met, Do not follow me now.
DO not make any attempt to find out
who I am, or where / am going. We leave
Heidelberg early tomorrow. If you will
he here at noon / shall arrange that a let
ter shall reach your hands. Then you will
know all And-and-we shall never meet
again-the third time pays for all, you
know, so-good-by."
She gave me her hand, and in my utter
misery l lifted my eyes to hers for the last
time I would have raised her hand TO
my lips; but before l could do so she
snatehed it away and swiftly kissed me
on the forehead. It was her benediction
Then she turned and never once looked
back.
Next day I returned to the terrace for
my letter. 1t was brought to me by one
of the castle guides, who had been direct
ed to look out for an English gentleman
of my description. 1t was addressed ITO
NV Unknown Friend and this was how
1t ran: ''Of course, il does not make things
better to say that ! am very, very sorry
but I should ike you TO know that first
and-if you can-tO believe it, For what
L have TO tell you must seem like an in
suit to your suffering, and l would gladly
spare more pain to one who has already
been so greatly Wronged. But the malice
of fate has followed US to the last, to
make your pain and my humiliation com
plete. And because the fault was mine
in the beginning, ! must blame myself for
all the cruel consequences which chance
has inflicted, and which / never could
have forseen. If / must tell you all let
me tell you quickly and impersonally, for
it Is a shameful narrative, and difficuIt
enough to write The wide-eyed, but re-
spectful admiration Of gentleman for
lady whom he saw one day in the park
suddenly suggested to that ladys irrepres-
sible love of mischief that it would be great