The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-09-19

the nre-StralSnt, tense, ner sl1mueS9
accentuated by her velvet coat, the
whiteness and delicacy Of her face
starting out exquisitely from the laces
at her throat and from under the big
black hat. AS he approached her he no.
ticed the nervous tapping of her foot in
the fur of the rug. the tense pressure
of her clasped hands Was it a dream
Alice in her home again, years mis-
cry Cancelled in moment? He held out
both hands and noticed her eyes in the
mirror they were facing as he said:
"And have you come to me again,
Alice?''
She started visibly and then slowly
turned.
"Yes," she answered quietly. "I've
come to you. And you mustn't fail
me-" she added beseechingly.
"Wop't you sit DOWN." Witherspoon
asked. She was trembling.
"Thank you," she said, and she sat
on a low stool, and the man noticed
with a sinking of the heart how she
drew her little cloak about her, the
thumbs of the clasped hands turned up
and back. How he remembered!
81 must come to the root Of the mat
| ter at once, the girl began, and grad
nally her voice grew fierce and she look
ed him full in the face with her wide,
cad eyes. He noticed, with almost a
feeling of exultation, that her face was
| now the face of the woman who had
lived and suffered.
| "You haven't heard from my father
for some time. have you?" she began.
| "No," Witherspoon answered. "It
must be some weeks now."
II received telegram this after
noon." the woman went on quietly.
"He arrived in New York this morning
and will be in Cincinnati tomorrow.
He is bound for California, and he
will, on his way, stop in town with
-, his son and daughter.
Her voice had broken. Witherspoon
rose to his feet and walked to the win
dow. The silence was painful.
"And what will you dor" he said, al
last, turning to her.
There's only one thing to do" and
the girls voice was determined. "My
father has very little longer to live
He's not had much but disappointment
in his life, and, cost what it may. can
rot bring more sorrow to him. Yor
know how the CHASTITY thing wouli
shock his old time conventionality. ,
She hesitated and seemed to look to tn,
man for his help in thought or deed
but his fear of her scorn kept hin
silent. At last, taking a deep breath
she went on:
Tomorrow morning must send her
the few things 1 took away. The por
traits, my piano, my work-they' re cas-
lily put in place and will be as easily NOV
ed away again. 1 m sorry to so inconven
: fence you, but you must see it is un
avoidable." She stopped again an
looked into the fire. "My room," sh
asked, sis it much changed?"
The man was kneeling beside he
now, his arms about her. "Sweetheart
sweetheart" he almost moaned, "sta
with me, beg of you to stay with me
My life's been a misery since you'v
= not been-everything is fiat and with
: : out flavor. We've taken a year out G
! the radiance that is given to man bu
sparingly. Don't let's throw away an
other moment of it. I love you-ot
God, how love you!''
His head was buried in her lap, an
slowly she took off her long glove an
stroked the hair she remembered 6
y we'll.
. care you perfectly sure you war
, me?" she asked softly.
And so it happened that on the secon
> anniversary of their wedding Mr.. an
Mrs. George Witherspoon were see
= by party of gay young friends takin
dinner at the st. Nicholas. "Gad" &
one of the men said later. "They wei
like two children off on a lark, an
L aren't they quite the best looking coup
in Cincinnati?''- ?''-Cincinnat Post.