Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1900-08-22

COlpI, eACepI luaI VI lhO ShihA4oo'
shawl which the girl. sitting on
ledge Of rock, had wrapped around her
Laurence Dare, coming along tn
road which ran above the beach, saw
the patch of red and paused.
'"That is Monica" he muttered.
He stood still few minutes, watch
ing the slender figure leaning bacl
against high range Of rock, the shaw
drawn close around her shoulders
the little black hat pushed back on tht
dark hair. her gaze fixed on the gra!
water. At sight Of her Dare's hear
had given a great throb Of JOY. 1t wa:
so long, so long since he had seen her
He made few long strides and stood
beside her.
Monica" he said softly.
The girl turned her head with
quick movement.
"Oh, Laurence"
There was displeased tone in he'
voice and her brows came together IN
n frown as she regarded him. He put
ont his hand.
.tAre you not going to shake hands
( with me, Monica? 1t is so long since
I have seen your
The girl gave him her hand with q
reluctant mir, withdrawing it quickly
from his warm clasp, and turning hel
face again seaward.
After a glance Of some moments
2 which Dare spent in devouring eager
lyswith his eyes every line of her pro-
S file, he Degan:
;i"Monica, you are cruel; you have moi
let me, seeyou once this long winter.
: have been down from the city so often
and tried again and again to see you
but each time that 1 called you had
Just gone out. 1 feel sure that you
saw me coming and went away pur-
posely. Last night it was the same
thing. But chance has been good to
me; have missed my train this morn
ing, and so have caught you; you had
no opportunity to avoid me-"
The girl made no answer.
He went on: LAST summer you gave
me faint hope that in time you
would listen to me. What have you
to say to me now? Have you not
thought of me oil these long nonths?'
: She turned around to him, her eyes
full of tears.
ST was wrong to let you think you
might hope, Laurence, for 1 can't do as
you wish. Don't you understand? 1t
seems wrong for me to listen to you.
Think, belong to Allen: / was to have
been his wife. He was always talking
Of Cousin Laurence; you seemed
Cousin Laurence to me, too. Don't
: you see? I belong to Allen: can't
marry yOu."
"But Allen is not"
She interrupted him quickly.
"Hush; we don't know; he must be
living"
"Monica," he said. with great gentle
ness of voice, "think, 1t is four years;
he was to have returned IN ten
months"
81 must be faithful to him."
Dare flushed. "This is nonsense,
Monica" he said, half angrily. IF
Allen is living" hewent OH, why have
we not heard from him all these years?
Are You going to waste your life In
this little village and give up oil
chance of happiness for fanciful idea
of being bound to him? And think OF
me! I have loved you SO long. Come
TO me. shall love you so much that
you must love me in return; come, l
swear that you shall never regret it,
Monica
81 can't, Laurence"
"v-iI you spoil both Of our lives?'
81 must not listen, Laurence, WISH
that you did not care for me-"
"I can't help caring for you. think
I have loved you since the first day l
saw you, and now that you are free
~ am not Free"
"Monica, listenr'
She stood up. 81 mustnot. Laurence,
Try to forget me. am going home; do
not come"
And before he could stop her she had
darted away.
She went along swiftly until she
knew that she was out Of view from
the cove. Her thoughts were in
whirI. Why should she not yield? She
knew that her happiness would be Sc
cure with this strong, tender man.
How little he guessed her struggle to
resist his pleading. He thought she
did not care. In the old days she had
compared Allen with him, and always
20 the formers disadvantage. For
after the first glamour Of their engage
ment she had seen the shallowness and
selfishness of Aliens nature, and In the
close relations into which through her
engagement she was brought with
Aliens cousin Laurence she had rec
ognized the strong and noble charac.
ter of the latter.
And these last years how the tend
/. erness Of his nature had shown out
What care he had given to Aliens des
olnte mother. He had almost filled
the place Of her son. Still, at first, hel
feeling for him had been only strong
admiration. In spite Of her recogni'
tion of, Aliens weak nature, the ras
cination of his glance and soft voice
had held ler captive. But now
When Allen had gone west on the pros
pecting tour, which was to occupy ten
months, she had promised to marry
/. him upon his return. But the ten
months had passed. and other months
had grown into years, and he had not
returned. They had no news Of him
after that last letter, written seven
months from his departure. Laurence
! had employed every means at his com.
mand to find some trace Of him. but in
vain. He appeared to have vanished
utterly. The only reasonable solution
yof the mystery was that he was dead