The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-09-06

then: II wonder she added, slowly,
why he never came. or-or wrote. l
have often wondered"
| spoke then.
Perhaps l suggested. practically.
'he waited for you to tell him you were
sorry
Priscilla started and flushed.
II never thought of that" she said.
You see." ] said "some men"
Priscilla interrupted.
Hush" she said. Listen"
thought IL was very rude OF her TO
interrupt me just az was about to de-
liver myself of some suitable moral
precepts, but she was apt to be rude at
times. / think all women are. more or
less--principally more.
l listened, but heard nothing
II don't hear anything" / said. Per-
haps-"
Hush Priscilla interrupted again.
/ listened again, and then l heard a
step on the gravel outside-a firm.
manly step that / did not recognize. On
and on Ii came till IL reached the open
window; there IL paused. and moment
later a man came into the room-a big,
oad-shouldered man whose dark
face was deeply scored with marks OF
the worlds wear and tear. Just out
side the window he stool still aHI
he and Priscilla looked at each other.
as men and women sometimes do look
at one another across the gulf of years.
'Priscilla."l he said. "Priscilla!"
She faced him with pale cheeks and
wide, startled eyes.
"Guy," she said i'm a voice that did
not seem TO belong to her. Guy, is IL
your"
He moved step nearer.
YES" he said, 'It is l."
Priscilla did not move. She stood as
If turned to stone. but marvellous
light flashed over the white, cold beau
~ of her face
After all these years." she saii.
"after all these years."
suppose j ought TO have gone away
AMI loft them together. butt didn't
i wanted TO see the end OF this strange
scene. because i did not understand II,
am not curious man. nobody can
accuse me of that: but I always like to
understand things. Besides. neither
Priscilla nor the man whom she called
Guy seemed to object To my presence.
or even TO notice IL. AS far as I could
see they had forgotten everything i'm
tns wofld out each other
After all these years." echoed tho
man called Guy. II wonder Won
haven't forgotten me. Other women
would have done-but you were never
like other women" And then he came
won't you let me have the place?
have come to ask you why you won't
let me have the place"
At last | saw the daylight, This. then
was not only the lover whose loss had
shadowed Prlscilla's life. but also the
whose solicitors had offered
a fancy price for her little property.
Fortunes wheel turns queerly some
times.
Priscilla looked at him, and her face
and grew cold.
You have come TO ask me why [
won't let yor have the placer" she re-
peated duly. You have come for
that?"
Yes" he answered. yes"
she looked at him again and laughed
1T never occurred 10 me-" she said.
that YOU had come for that"
His eyes grew grave and clouded with
a puzzled kind of wonder. Evidently he
did not understand why she laughed
Ike that--and did not either.
But" he said. didn't YOU know
surely you knew--that II was who
wanted 10 buy the placer"
she laughed again.
"Dh. yes she said. n knew u was
YOU You may imagine my surpris.
when ! got your lawyers letter. l
i hadn't seen You for ten years. and then,
All az once. heard that you wanted TO
buy my home. IL was rather--start-
ling"
He laughed. too. but his laughter did
not ring so bitterly az hers.
IT dare say n was" he said. Il was n
hit startled. too. just at first when 7
found myself with all this money.
rather wondered what 7 should do with