The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-06-03
I'LL don't know

I'll don't know"
"You never we,t to see him. You
never wrote. You haven't had kind
word for him all these years. To tell
you the truth. I've wondered some
times. OF course, he deserves all he
got, only some women are slch FOOLS
Was | too wise ," she asked.
"Since Eric's death | feel differently
about many things. am not certain
about myself. l see what he has fallen
to, but he is still Il young man--clever
oh, might there not be some chance
for him if. But l doubt my own
strength. l am not sure | can do it
AS l watched him at the grave the
q memorial for Eric Could anything
be better than to save Eric's father,
body aud soul ?"
lat, ~
'Ah, but is it's it ever? If there
were not germ OF good in him, would
he have come to the grave: You
don't know that the cot at tho hospi.
tai will actually save child's life. yet
you would end0w it. So with u. .gby.
lie has fallen low, very low he may
DC lncuraoie, but Is that any reason
why should not make the effort ?''
aud kissed her forehead. For , owl
part, he sincerely hoped she would
never see her husband again: and yet
he no more liked to interfere than he
would have done with her performance
of some religious rite in which he
could not participate.
For several days Norah walked to
the cemetery at the same hour, but it
was not till few days before Christ.
mas that she saw Digby again. AS he
stood lost In thought at tho foot of the
grave she drew near.
"Digby !"
He started like man whose nervous
strength Is sapped.
Norah -
lnetinctively his right hand went up
TO his cloth cap, as he stepped a few
feet away. They stood one on each
side OF the grave, which was now
hidden by young evergreens and
plants.
lyon have been here before" she
SAID, hardly Knowing what to say.
" / did not intend to come again, 7
saw the announcement of the bows
death. Tell me of him, Norah."
Across the grave she gave him in
formation concerning Eric's short life
and last days, and then she asked:
"Wny-why did you come to-day,
Digby -
~ came in tho hope of seeing YOU.
had no right to put myself in your
way-but | am leaving England. l
have fallen very low"
de threw out his hands. "You see
what | am. The first time l came
simply to look on the spot where the
boy lay. | saw you had put my name.
Eric,' he read from the headstone.
dearly beloved son Of Digby and
NOrah-'"
81 hesitated,' she admitted 81
hesitated, till was looking for text.
Then | thought it ought to be there.
Where,-where are you going ?"
heaven knows. | neither know
nor care. What does it matter? Look
at me. Do you think l can sink
lower ?"
You can rise higher, Dlgby. Is it
ever too late ?"
"Oa," he cried, 81 dare say you
arc right. Sometimes | feel l have it
II me. 1t is memory that throws ms
oack. Norah, you don't know what
tho utter dcsolation Of it is. All,
know you have lost your child, and he
had a scamp for u father; but you
dont know the curse Of being your
own accuser. On all the earth there
is not a human being who cares
whether 60 under, or how soon--"
Yes" she said there is one who
cares"
He stared at her for few moments,
then leaned eagerly forward across the
evergreens.
What-what do you mean 2" he
muttereG
Norah held out her right hand.
Dlgoy," she said, II will bury the
past. and, II you will let me, will do
my best to help you in the future"
Do you mean you will come-come
away with me =;
- For E:ic's sake" she said quietly.
The caretaker of the cemetery
stopped to look at the poorly clad man
beside the grave, and Moran standing
with her hand on his shoulder.
At first Digby shrank from facing
Major Armistead but she nerved him
10 this as to much besides. it was q
little hard on Major Armistead, who
had now to look forward to being left
alone in his old age. But he was the
only one who regretted NOrah's de-
cislon, which had not been arrived at
without misgiving. Norah never re-
GREETED. She had found one more pur-
pose in life, while Eric's fath,r hrgan
new career that day. And career
which went far to make atoneme 1T for
the past.