Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-09-22

lie lc1S sitting dlnnc, Wjth his head in his
hdHdS.
to hope for" He dropped his hands
from her shoulders and turned away.
"But--but you WON'T she began,
looking up at him.
"N'hat:'
go back to that old lifo:"
"Win you hold me-" he asked,
stretching out his hands to her with II
smile.
"But--for your own sake" she
'plcaded.
"A worthless anchorage" was the
reply. Come, dry Your tears, You've
tried your experiment. 1t isn't your
fault If you'ye failed at the supreme
ma"ont. Goodby."
She saw tho bitter hopclcSsncss Of it,
saw his head down on his hand, in tho
old attitude as she left the place
Two years went by, and they met
again in quite the atrangcst fashion.
She had been ill-un illness which
might be attributed to actual WEAKNESS
Of tho poor comedy Of life rather than
to any specific diSeaso-an1 had been
ruralizing i'll DcvonShiro with poor
and worshiping elderly female relative
in ATTENDANCE. Sic got up very carly
one morning. after a restless night
long before any one about the place was
stirring-and went ont and rambled
into the cool stiffness of little wood,
And there, suddenly, she came face to
face with Richard Fclgatc.
They stood still for u long moment,
looking AT each other, and then clasped
hands you have been i'll, =" he said at
last.
Eyes. But am hotter" she added
~ am down hero to rccrGit."
And Ito idle" he said, laughing
ooh, don't dccry yourself, " she re-
piled softly. Il have heard of your sue,
cess. "
"Aro you here alono?" he asked pres
emily, striving hard to dig stone ont
OF the path with his stick. "ls--your
husband with you;'
~ am not married, Mr.. Felgato "
He looked up at her quickly. But
the man from India;"
"iins gone back again, " She replied.
| He dropped the stick and camo at her
/ and caught her by the shoulders, "What
/ do you mean" he asked, almost in a
/ whisper, "You We're to marry him-had
/ been engaged to him for years.
Yes, but he has gone back again. "
"Why?"
"IIc would have nothing to do with
me, Hc had heard Of You. / think he
| knew something about You He cast me
of utterly"
"Tho prig Well, what elso;"
"Then quite II number Of other people
cast me Off You see, he camo Of u very
good family"
Il Sec" said Richard Fclgato slow
ly, "You can't touch pitch, you know,
ch?"
II suppose so, And then l came tC
Dcvonshire.
There was CLEAN in her eyes thai
lit II reflection in his own. He looked
at her steadily, laughed grimly.
"Dora, what is this game you are
playing? don't understand. Is its
it tho old game of--of rescue?"
She nodded. "If you like, " she sale
gravely.
"Ah, the life is more to you than thu
man, the work than the worker, Dora, ,
he said sadly, turning away.
at was-onco, she said. Then quit
suddenly sho stretched out her hands t.
him. Richard, / came to Devonshir
to find you.
Eyes, out Of pity" he replied bitter
ly as he took her hands You wer
afraid that after l had loosed thes
hands | should drift again. But tn
touch Of them was with me still, dear
l could not so back"
They were coming out of the WOO
together, All the joyous life OF the new
day was waking about them.
lyon arc the blunderer now," sh
whispered
"Tell me why"