The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1900-12-12
CHAnTER VI


huc dc Narenncs. The man was say,
ing:
80 YOU refuse to marry me- That's
ioollSh or YOU. but whether YOU do or
not, you haven't the heart to allOhy me
TO rot in poverty while you luxuriatc IN
afliucncc. Considering our old time re.
lations. the things impossible on tbe
face of it,"
AN. returned the woman. "thcn
you nave como here to bog" She spoke
with careless SCorn.
NO. One hogs when one has no now.
er to enforce he corrected with u So.
rapIlc Stillle. i've come all the way
from America To offer you my hand
anu make an honest woman OF YOU. II
YOU refuse TO recognize my claims upon
you IN In position to take rcprisals. "
The woman did not answer.
III you've amy trace of your old SELF
left, Maric"-thc mans voice was low
ana sort. conciliatory, caresSing almost
surely YOU love me still Think how
you loved me once"
lhe mcSmcric. musical voice came
near undoinS Marie dc Guerin
Was it you loved" she said
drcamily. "or the man my untutored
heart took YOU to be! All, the weary,
weary months when / wanted YOU,
when sobbcd for YOU day and night!
Where were YOU then. Edouard pey.
rac!' She seemed to be living i'm the
hungry past, but only for a moment.
The hot scorn of the present surgcd
over her and dried up the tears at their
source. Now" she said, 81 do not
need YOU"
She rose with an air Of dismissal.
Look here, Marie" pursued the
man, keeping his seat, ''if you will lend
me II helping hand from time to time
I'll promise never to take a step to
harm you. Moreover shall be mod
crate. You might-simply buy pic
ture occasionally. That would be the
incest way. Yes, You might buy my
pictures"
1T might be well to know whether I
am dealing with a blackmailer or n
DaGman," remarked the woman wca.
rily.
Euouard pcyrac flushed red, but he
conquered his Savagcry and went on:
'l've not sold Il picture for over n
twelNemonth, and I'm head over heels
IN debt. I've been hanging around
irlehus' houses for year, and here
you are. rich beyond the dreams Of ay.
aricc. You can't expect me to sit down
In silence"
NOW, If you are quite ready to go?"
suggested the woman quietly, putting
her hand upon the bell button.
Ihis time the mans anger got the
better of him. He scowled and looked
at her blaclily. "Pm not / think it's
absurd OF you to smash your social DO
sition In the face like this. What will
become of it, do you suppose, when
have good, long talk with the fau-
bourg?"
TO man of intelligence the solu-
tion surely can offer no difficulty" she
said languidly. But she added with a
vague little smile. "If you could dream
how remotely my social standing inter.
ests me you wouldn't bother about it,"
"fm going to give you few days In
which to think this over. Perhaps In
the meantime you will care to send me
note" He laid his card on the table
significantly. 'ln return for n check /
Will send you a picture. Now good
day"
The woman rang, and he was shown
out. AS he got into a fiacre lie thought:
"By Jove! What if she means to turn
devOtee again? What If she doesn't
care rap about her social standing2
She always did talk about saints and
miracles and feast days better than
anything else" Then he remembered
her dainty, fastidious taste; he recalled
the sybaritic room he had just left.
"Oh, no" he concluded.
Pierre" said Marie de Guerin to the
servant in the hall when the door had
closed upon Peyrac, 81 expect NJ. le
Cure in half hour. I will receive him
In my boudoir."
So n little later she rose from the
desk at which she was writing and
greeted the priest. Pere Dnrville was a
man whose eyes were kind and whose
mouth was firm. He looked the man to
do without swerving what his con.
science told him, were 1t even to cost
the happiness of all he loved. In fact,
that Is why Mile. de Guerin had sent
for him-she had seen his face and II
had appealed to her.
He sat down In her little blue and
gold boudo.. with the ease Of man OF
the world who was as much at home
among the cushions Of a woman's sane
tum as on the hard seat OF confes
sional.
81 wrote for you, father, because
need help. IL have not many friends"
The woman's voice was listless. tired
81 will help you II I can. my daugh.
| ter. My whole time belongs to each
| sonl that comes to me. Are you n chill.
of the church,"
"Once was. was an orphan, p, @.
pairing to enter convent, when low, -
or what mistook for love--camc II to
my life. balanced the flashing jew el
and the paste diamond, and | thrt "
the first away" The woman's hand.
weighed In her lap like spiritualized
marble, and her hair, so much Of It,
seemed too heavy for her head "The
man for whom I gave up everything
would not give me even his name"
There was a pause. No interruption
came from the priest.
"Since then l have tried-God, how
have tried!-to forget. 1t Is an awful
thing to hate living, but to be afraid OF
dying because OF the other side"- She
settled her hands little more tightly
together