The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1902-01-03

Godfrey gathered himself for a
spring and shot far out IN a wild en-
deayor yet 20 catch the boat. But he
was breathless now. and the space was
widening with every instant He felt
himself falling short, but with des-
perate effort he clutched at the boats
deck and chung there until two men
dragged him up, swearing roundly At
him the while.
Painting and overweight, Geoffrey
ventured into neither cabin-who
knew who might be there to recog-
nize and speak to him? So he stood
In a narrow space between the vohi-
cles, breathing hard, and with his hat
pulled low over his eyes to hide the
slow tears which now and then coursed
down his cheeks
On the train be sought the smoking
ear, where he pretended to fall asleep.
He was sorry now that he had
jumped so we'll II only he had fallen
short of the boat altogether and had
been drowned before they could get
him out Of the water-that would have
been the most fitting ending. But
since he was still alive, If he could
only get the ring back upon Alice's
poor dead hand before It should be no
tiCed that it was gone, then no one
need ever know that even before death
came to separate them they had bid
one another goodby-for the last time.
The train stopped at Elmcourt and
Godfrey, more than ever dreading rec
ignition, cast a swift glance about
him for some vehicle to carry him to
! the house.
And there, right before his eyes and
just as he had left her not yet four
hours ago, he saw Alice in her phaeton.
He thought it some mad delusion
of his brain. He passed his hand across
his eyes and looked again, but the Wis
ion still was there. She was bending
forward looking eagerly for those
working girls who had failed to come,
and he saw a shade of disappointment
overspread her face. Then she spied
him, and her expression changed to
one of bewilderment and then anxi-
ETY..
He staggered forward to the phae-
ton and grasped her arm. Alice! is it
really-and are you-alive?"
Godfrey! what absurd questions!
you certainly are crazy, or you are ill!
Come, get right in-every one is star
ing at you"
He scrambled into the phaeton, still
holding her fast, and Alice drove
swiftly up the road.
What's the matter?" she asked anx-
iously. What brings you back this
way? I'm sure you must be i'll"
Williams came to my Office and told
me you were-dead," Godfrey said
slowly Some horrid accident-and ]
L came back"
ooh" said Alice, 81 begin to under
stand, Well, what you heard was
partly right, only it wasn't l. 1t hap
pened to Miss White you didn't know
ncs, middle-aged woman who lived
above us on the hill Evidently your
friend mistook the names, White fol
Wright Her horse bolted and-shC
wasn't much of driver, poor thing
she turned him against a stone wal
and was instantly killed. But-pleasC
don't hold my arm so tight, Godfrey;
it hurts, and really / cannot drive"
Then only did he become conscious
of the tightness of his grasp upon her
and he released her with confused
apology and a forced effort to laugh.
But instead of laughter came sud
den sob, and burying his face in hi
hands Godfrey broke down and wep
like child.
With an exclamation of disma,
Alice turned off from the road into
quiet woodland lane.
But after a few moments Geoffre,
recovered himself and begged her par
don for the exhibition he had made o
himself, adding with a really cheerful
grin, by jove, did you ever see such
fool as I've been making of myself
but couldn' thelp it. Fancy flndin
you alive and well, after I'd been think
ing of you as-ugh!"
"And you cared for me-like that,
Alice said, marveling.
Il didn't know it'll thought tina
you were-gone," he admitted rueful
= ly. "And then; well, I simply couldn
stand 1t, that's all. Alice, it's no use
you must consider things a bit. Can
you make up your mind to put up wit
5 me? know you don't think much c
me any more, and l don't pretend t
l care for all those things you're inter
5 ested in. But then you are so av
S fully good and patient with all thos