The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-08-17

VA
to In matter-of fact words that made
Helen feel, as it was intended she should
that she had walked into a net from
which there wes no escape.
And Will Spencer knew il all. and
writhed under the knowledge, being q
frank, loyal man, whose impulses were
generous and honorable, and who
loved Mary with all the strength of
his heart. Often he asked himself how
could he endure life, If he found his
wife a faithful slave, instead Of the
happy companion he hoped to make her9
IF she never loves me" he thought,
bitterly; eff all my love fails to win
hers, what will my life be7"
He did her justice. He knew that
II his love failed to win her heart, his
gold was powerless to make her hap.
py. He knew that il her mother died
or could not be benefited by her mar
riage, she would rather beg her bread
herself than be his wife.
While matters stood in this unsatis-
factory state, Mrs. Watkinson made q
suggestion: II want you to go away
for a month" che said to him, land let
Mary miss the constant devotion that
she has had ever since your betrothal
Let her feel that a void has come into
her life, and how dull and cherries it
would be if she lost you. The wed
ding day is set for June 10, and this is
April. Stay away until the Ssh or 9th
of June"
It seemed to him good advice, and
he had business in the West that would
fill his time proitably. 1t gave him
the first really happy moment of his
engagement, when Mary said, gently,
yet with a shudder:
81 cannot bear to think of you on
railway trains, Will. Write often that
l may know you are safe"
Her lips met his in a tender pressure,
such as a loving sister might bestow,
but with far more affection than she
had ever bafore given him. Was he
Winning herH The hope made this IN
expected absence endurable, and for
two weeks life held more pleasure than
it had done in all the days Of his court
ship.
Then came a blow-sudden, sharp,
overwhelmingly He was in q large
Western city, when, after night, re-
turning to his hotel, aman on crutches
asked for charity. Toe voice was ia
miIiar, and, in a shock of horror, the
face struck him. One gasping cry es-
capped him:
Lee Rowland |"
The man would have hurried away
but he followed easily.
Lot me go, SpencerW the cripple
pleaded. 81 did not recognize you'll
Don't you know / am dead9"
II know you are coming in here
with me-" VIII SAID, gently, substitute
ing his arm for ons of the crtches, and
entering the hotel where he had a room.
STEADY, nowl' and he led him, feel
ing how he trembled, until he had him
seated in agreat arm chair in his room,
and felt his heart stirred with deep
compassion at the havoc pain and pov
erty had made.
He would not let his guest speak I'm,
til he had ordered a supper and made
him comfortable. Then, turning to
him, he saw that he was weeping.
See what a woman you make of
mel" the poor fellow said. "You
thought I was deadR"
"Yesl All your friends think So"
at was a narrow escape, and I won
der why / was spared. Nine months
in a public hospital have left me Grip
pied and incurably ill. They would
not keep me after I could get about on
crutches, but have begged or starved,
and it will not be for longI I would
not let anyone know for fear it might
get to-to-MaryI
You want to hide from here"
"Yes-yesI What would her life be
tied to mine9 You will not betray me,
spencer9"
but you may recover"
"Nol should be only a wreck If I
could, but I cannot. I have internal
injuries that the cold and hunger of
last winter have Increased, fatally"
Will Spencer literally could not
speak. This man asked Of him only
the silence that would give him bis
wife. Could he let Mary remain in ig-
norance of this strange adventure the
memory of her old love might die away
in time.
When he could speak again. he led
the conversation to Mary. He was
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