Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-05-12

and would have risen to ring for
lights.
''Not yet," besought Mr.. John. 'I
came up here with distinct purpose
tonight, but I do not know how to
set about it. 1 am a shy, awkward
man. Will you forgive me il 1 make
blunder?"
"Surely," answered Christy, in be-
wilderment. -
"I want to show You a letter you
once wrote me-" and he selected o
note from his pocketbook and handed
it to her. "Do you remember it?"
Christy opened it aud read it by the
waning daylight. He watched her as
she leanei to the window, thinking
what dainty, delicate hand she had !:
Dear Mr.. John-I am sorry you asked me,
because it is impossible. Grandmamma
could not spare mo. Harold will explain it
to you. Yours faithfully,
She handed it back to him.
sI remember it very we'll, but it is
long time ago. l thought it must
have offended you somehow, for it was
then that suddenly grew up"
"It is possible for man to be hurt
without being offended. The note
hurt me, but something was said yes.
terday which made me think there had
been mistake. Will you tell me
what it was that I asked, and you
found impossible?"
Christy began TO feel nervous; there
was something almost portentous in
The extreme quiet Of his speech. His
face looked pale through the gather
ing gloom.
s'It was message that Harold
brought from you. You asked me to
ride with you to Bottoms Cove the
next day, and 1 could not go partly
because granny did not think it proper
for me- to ride with you alone, and
partly because the servants were going
to confirmation, and Jones had to
take my horse to drive them. Harold
said he could explain all that in words
better than could in writing. l was
yexed, because 1 wanted to go to Boil
tons Cove. You see, remember it
oil very well" .
"Excellently well," he answered.
with curious intonation. perhaps
you will be surprised 10 hear that
never did ask you to go to Bottoms
Cove, and that l sent you no message
on that day."
81 don't understand.
"No," he answered, his hands NOV
ing restlessly, in curious contrast to
Christy's, which lay immovsble in her
lap. SIT seems that ] had two friends
Just then more anxlousifor my peri
nsnt welfare than my present happl-
ness. I was writing n letter OF some
importance to myself when my uncle
called me away. left my desk un-
locked, not supposing that anyone
would be likely to search into my pri-
vate affairs, but it proved that I was
too trustful. Harold examined my
letter, aud reported upon it to my
uncle. and, as the result, my letter
was suppressed, and message devised
fer Harold to carry in its place. I have
o copy of that letter. Let me light q
candle; I should like you to read it. I"
Christy sat white and silent in her
stimmering wedding dress, ghostlike
in the faint light from the window;
scarcely less SO in the little yellow
CLEAN of the candle. Not pose or a
motion OF hers escaped Mr.. John that
night.
She was rather frightened now,
when he set tho candle down on the
shelf beside her and handed her this Sec
ond letter. The paper trembled in her
hand, and she bent her head nervously
over it. AS she read she trembled more
and more. for this was plain and
simple proposal Of marriage from a
man to whom she had never dared to
lift her eyes from that point of view,
and the very simplicity of it was SO
like the writer that it was like having
his very words breathed into her ears.
1t was written five years ago. and he
was standing over her now as she read
it.
To him the time seemed endless, as
she sat- with bent head considering
those brief words. But it was more
than the words that detained her; it
was the shock of the whole thing and
the difficulty of realizing its meaning.
She moved at last, and he took back
the letter.
"The explanation that Harold gave
me was that you preferred him to me, ;"
he said, with the same forced quietude
of his former speeches. eff I sent the
letter to you now what answer would
you give me?"
"Mr. Johnl" spoke Christy in star
tied tones.
"If you said 'John,' it would be all
the answer I would ask for," he IN.
swered.
Christy half rose. She thought she
would feel safer on her feet, and at
that moment the door opened.
"The mistress wants you in her room
at once, Miss Christy, and shall I bring
in the lamp?'
Christy wentup swiftly to her grand
mother-a little shocked at having for
gotten her for so long, and a good deal
relieved at having gained time before
giving her answer.
Mrs. Wallace was sitting in her chair
by the window, from which she might
have seen Mr.. Johns approach to the
house.
$50 John Turton's here" she said,
in her quick, sharp way. "What's he
come for, Christy? What's he come
forP"
Christy's wits were hardly sufficient
ly collected for her to give an immedi-
ately intell;gible answer.
ItNo,or mind eoid tho n1d 1odv