The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1900-01-04
haps Gladbrook would never sec him

Ihaps aladbrook would never sec him
again.
At Rockland he had only few MN
uies TO wait between trans, and already
the homc-bound one was waiting Oh a
sidc.track. Purchasing his ticket, he
onsconccd himself where he could
plainly sec the passengers leave the
crOss-train.
uNow for the bridal party, at least
the bride and groom," he said, trying
! 10 be iocular with himself although his
face was very white and his mouth
twitchcd ncrvously.
AT the cry "train, train," everybody
began to hustle about. Fricuds, bag
gage aud good.bycs were mixed up in
Discriminatory, but Leigh was very still.
He could hear his anxious heart beat
out its suspense in great suffocating
leaps, as the fatcful tain thundcrcd in.
Sure enough, there was Miss Su IL
merlicld; and the tinc-lookng young
man who helped her alight also took
charge of her baggage.
Heaven have mercy! Were gossip
and Joe Antrim right, after all? But
pshaw! any chivalrous fellow traveller
would have done rs much.
Notwithstanding this plausible
thought, Leigh slipped into the home
bound coach like thief, taking the
corner seat in the rear end of the car.
When Miss SummerIiclc came in,
the terrible groom-to-bc, to whom the
bridal party had dwindlcd, even he
was not in attendance. Marie carried
her own "grip.'
The man felt trcmor OF hope
culver all over him, something like IN
electric current. She took the third
seat from the door and leaned he: head
on her hand wcarily. a strange air for
a bride, thought the man in the corner
He could not sec her face, but some
way he iclt that this New Years Eve
was not what she wished. Q, was
she in trouble, too? He had halt
Il mlnd to 20 TO her; the seat
directly behind her was providcntially
empty; he could whisper "Maris" over
!hc back of her scat when his courage
warranted il.
AT the next stop he took advantay,
of the stir OF the passengers and slip
ped into the coveted groove. Blessed
privilege. He had not been near. &
near her tor years, and his heart was OF
fire. When he could wait no longer, he
whispered over the barrier: "Marir.'
She looked up, surprised and startled
After the confusion had left her lovely
face, she gave him her hand gingcl,y
and asked in strained tones: How
came you here, Mr.. RrN hurn?'
81 could not help it," he confessed
flushing but looking straight at hcr.
IL wanted to be near you once more
You don't know how miserable am
without you.'
There was Il wCrld Of emotion in the
undcrtonc, bat he kept bravcly on:
81 came down to Rockland fol
nothing else than that | might get {
ghmpcs of you. felt il would com
fort me TO ride home in the same coacl
tonight of all niyhts.'
lie stopped and looked at her IN sucl
Il pitllul, hungry hearted way. 1t wa.
all out now, this confession of his. HI
meant to make ii at the risk of every
thing before his heart failed him--an,
he had done SO.
OF course she could do what sh,
pleased with ii, and him, too, he hat
slakcd and would win, or lose, all Put
ting his elbow on the barrier and lean
ing Il little toward her, he waited fo
her to speak. And her face was ;
siwiy. Presently she gaspcd out
"Then you aren'tto be married to
niyht?' The interrogation snappe,
the last thread holding Leigh Rcy
burns great love in reserve.
"Maric, darling ! Could you-dio
YOU think-O, Heaven rs if could
love anyone but you q, Marie -
The Wilderness Of his face was terri
bic to see but il all dawncd upon hcl
ut once.
w-l-O, Leigh "-Shc put on
both her hands, and two great tear;
stolo down her checks to finish the sen
tencc more cloqucntly than words.
When the train stopped at Glad
brook, a very happy couple ahghtcd
And out across the moonlit snow, from
the bclfry bars Of the gray stone churcl
came the merry chime of bells:
"Ring out the old, ring in the new
The year is dying let it go.'
"Ring In the ncw," said Leigh, draw
ing her arm through his. "Thc year
of misunderstanding are dead lc
them go, dcarcst.'
"Wc will,' she answered, softly an,
happily.
And Joe Antrim laughed in hi
sleeve, and SAID to the bright New
Year morning: 81 am glad | Sc
those two simplctons right by bit o
strategy. a little prcvarjcation, ahem
| But all is fair in love and war;
| e.-<u