The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-16

AS she spoke she drew a chain from her
neck and fastened the coin to it.
Good-by and thank you" She smil-.
cd at the old man as he went to open
the door for her-a smile that was like
a golden CLEAN of brightness. AS he
lald his hand on the latch it was pulled
from MIN by some one on the other
side. The door swung inward and a
man stood in the opening. He opened
MS lips to speak, but his eyes met
those OIL the woman, and with a cry he
started forward, then stopped. Nicolni
stood between them and looked from
one to the other. The woman had
grown very pale. The chain which she
was claSplng about her neck when the
stranger appeared fell through her fin
gers TO the floor. The man bent for
ward and picked it up. Instead of re-
turning it to her he kept it and 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 it. Madelain,
l came to claim it, too. l red the de-
scrlption by chance and thought it
must be yours-the token that l gave
you. But didn't know-I didn't dream
that l would meet you here"
NO" she said, slowly, raising her
eyes to him. And 1 didn't dream of
meeting you here-or anywhere ever
again. l thought"
You thought that 1 was dead?" he
asked. She nodded. He gave her the
chain.
Il am sorry to disappoint you,' he
said, bitterly She did not speak, but
looked past him through the open door.
Nicolini retired to corner of the room
and pretended to put things in order.
hnx xnyicH t. h.
man went on, "but it Is not an easy
thing to do. l suppose you were sorry
for me when you thought I was dead.
Sorry, perhaps, for yourself too, ana
for the things that happened long ago.
But if you knew you would. be sorry for
me STILL"
Il am only sorry that you came here
that we met. 1t can do no good, and
1 must leave you now" she said, step
ping past him towards the door.
"Madelain, don't go. Listen to me-"
he begged. This is the chance that l
have dreamed of-the chance of seeing
you, of hearing your voice. 1 knew
that it would come, and now l must
not let it slip by me, and let you go
your way without me-"
Our ways were parted long ago."
she said; there is nothing to be said,
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 should you have come here to
claim that token l 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. 1 wanted to keep this little re-
minder of my mystery, my misplaced
hopes, because l have always had it,
l would feel strange without it,"
DO you never forgiven" he asked.
Forgiveness is so played out" she
said, YEARLY.
And the motto? Our motto" he
asked, Amor Vincit Omnia,' is that
too played out?"
Yes, long ago we realized the folly
of that Again she turned from him,
and nodding to Nicolini, passed out.
The man followed her. A look of des-
peration had come into her eyes. and
his face was drawn in hard lines. He
laid his hand on her arm.
''Madelain, you must listen to me"
he said, hoarsely. II 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.
Yes, your husband has been dead
for years and that leaves you at lib
erty to"
ITO marry again." she suggested.
There was a pause, then she faced him
and said, slowly: yes, my husbands
death lett me at liberty to marry again,
and l took advantage of that liberty.
/ was married last spring"
A terrible despair darkened the mans
face, and the ungloved hand that she
put into his was as 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, tight in his hand until the
strange man had disappeared by the
way that led to the river.