The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1901-10-24

y
must let me know. l viii be glad to
help YOU" As she spoke she drew a
chain from her neck and fastened the
coin to it.
"Good-by and thank you" She
smiled at the old man as he went to
open the door for her-a smile that
was like a golden CLEAN of bright
ness. As he laid ms hand on the
latch it was pulled from him by some
one on the other side. The door
swung inward and man stood in the
opening. He opened his lips 10 speak,
but his eyes met those of the WON
an, and with a cry he started for
ward, then stopped. Nicolini stood
between them and looked from one
to the other The woman had grown
very pale. The chain which she was
clasping about her neck when the
stranger appeared fell through her
fingers to the floor. The man bent
forward and picked it up. Instead OF
returning it to her he kept it anC
looked first on one side of the coin
and then on the other.
"You came here for this" he SAID
to her, his eyes fastened on her face
"You lost it and came to claim il
Madelain, l came to claim it, too. ]
read the description by chance anC
thought it must be yours-the token
that I gave you. But didn't know
didn't dream that ] would meet you
here"
NO" she said, slowly, raising he
eyes to his. And | didn't dream o.
meeting you here--or anywhere eyei
again. thought"
"You thought that | was dead?' he
he asked She nodded. Tie gave her
the chain.
Il am sorry to disappoint you h
said, bitterly. She did not speak, bu,
looked past him through the ope'
door Nicolini retired to a corner o.
the room and pretended to put thing
in order
Il have often wished to die, III.
man went on, "but is not an easy
thing to do. ! suppose you wer'
sorry for me when you thought | was
dead. Sorry, perhaps, for yoursei.
too, and for the things that happeneC
long ago. But if you knew yol
would be sorry for me stil."
q am only sorry that you came here
that we met. 1t can do no COCO
and must leave you now" she said
stepping past him towards the door.
"Madclain, don't go. Listen to me,
he begged This is the chance that
have dreamed of--the chance Of see
ing you, of hearing your voice. knew
that it would come. and now | must
not let 1T slip by me, and let you g
your way without me"
"Our ways were parted long ago.
she said; there is nothing to be saia.
nothing to be learned, because we can
do nothing"
"Why are you so hard, so hopeless?''
he asked. getting nearer to her than
he had been before. You must still.
care, else why would you have come
here to claim the token | gave you
years ago?"
Il came because l was foolish
couldn't bear to give up the last frag-
ment of the broken dream of love.
Women always treasure their painful.
memories, and men try to get rid of
them. l wanted to keep this little re
minder of my misery, my misplaced
hopes, because | have always had it.
would feel strange without it,"
"Do you never forgiven" he asked.
forgiveness is 50 played OUT" She
said, YEARLY.
And the motto? Our MOTTO" he
asked, "'Amor Nincit Omnia,' is chat
too played out?"
Yes, long ago we realized the fol
ly Of that" Again she turned from
him and, nodding to Nicolini, passed
out. The man followed her. A look
of desperation had come into his eyes,
and his face was drawn in hard lines.
He laid his hand on her arm,
"Madelaiu, you must listen to me, =
he said, hoarsely. 81 did wrong once,
but can't you see that have suffered?
Because we both made horrible mis-
takes at the turning-point. is that any
reason why we should blindly close
our eyes and go on suffering, when the
chance is given us to retrieve our hap
piness? You are free now-free to
choose again.
'Free!" she whispered, putting her
hand to her throat, as if the word
choked her.
Eyes, your husband has been dead
for years and that leaves you at lib
erty to-"
ITO marry again" she suggested.
There was pause, then she faced him
and said, slowly: Eyes, my husbands
death left me at liberty to marry again.
and took advantage of that liberty /
was married last spring"
A terrible despair darkened the
man'a face, and the ungloved hand that
she put into his was a S cold as death.
Nicolini watched her from the little
window as she crossed the lots. He
held the money she had given him. the
ransom She had paid for her love
charm fiubf in bic hand ~