The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1902-09-12
Mary Dudley's
Answer.

ICK JERRAM presented hin

sell nt the Office Of Darlington
Brothers IN no very sangulne
6 frame Of mind. He Hlu felt
that Boer bullet in his right leg. and
his complexion, as well rs his nerves
reminded him of the enterlc, which
had brought him near to deaths door
Worst Of all was the news from Mel.
lerton.
Mary Dudley-hs Mary-had inner,
tied 100000 from her Uncle Harold.
and-and, II that letter Of the rattle
tongue gossip, Miss Brayshaw, to his
mother was TO be believed Mary was
on the highroad to a title. Sir Tarver
Brown was very little other than a
baronet, but the attraction Of a "lady-
ship could hardly help tempting even
such a girl as sweet larry Dudley.
The younger member of the firm
received Dick with sympathy, but no
enthusiasm.
you don't look fit for an office desk,
Mr. Jerram-oh L beg your pardon
Lieutenant Jerram, isn't it, now?" he
said with slight laugh.
II was offered a commission. but I
did not feel that / could accept 1t. sir"
said Dick. Il want to take up my
work again-for various reasons"
Ernest Carrington's eyebrows rose
and subsidized.
Il am very sorry, Mr. Jerram," he
said, but just at present there is no
vacancy. We will, of course, give you
the first chance-the very first chance
that occurs"
do you really mean it?' he asked
family.
my dear fellow, you really are not
fit for Office work just yet. Take a
holiday after your trying labors-your
noble and-er-patriotic self-sacrifce.
dare say, in few months, at the
most, We can squeeze you in some
where, though I fear even then we
cannot offer you the same salary you
received in 1892"
With an effort Dick pulled himself
together and stood up, like the discip-
lined if damaged soldier he had be-
come
your words are final, sir?" he asked
Provisional, Terrain only proyi-
sional. BUT we CANT afford to Cheer
you with hopes that may not Come TO
fruition. Anything we can do in the
way of recommendations, it will give
Us the utmost pleasure to do OF
course, you understand that? Good
heavens! it is the least we could dor'
Dick bowed his head. The smile on
his lips was just a little bitter.
"Quite so" he said. ut is some
thing to be grateful for that you are
willing to do the least possible. Good
morning" And then Dick found him.
self in st. PauPs Churchyard and
conscious that the last straw had been
piled upon his head
Mary as good as lost to him-more
certainly now than before, anyway
his situation filed up, his health
4 broken, and no one to whom he could
honorably look for help in his time Of
trouble.
He found comfort in the recollection
that his mothers own poor little liz
como Of a hundred a year was sufi-
cient for her well measured require
ments.
GAS for me"
He shrugged his shoulders and tot
tered down Ludgate Hill. On his
way he noticed a jewelers. window
with watches and chains and pins and
rings of price beneath his eyes-espe-
ciallv rings. And the rings reminded
him of what it hurt him most to re,
member.
He looked at his left hand with
the plain but solid gold circlet, set
with a tiny diamond, and the words
invisible to his eye, but pressing bis
finger Forever and forever"
h. That was Marys voucher to him fol-
her lifelong love. ''''@.-~
His fngernails closed on his palms
tightly his jaws locked as if they
meant never again to part, and he
drew two or three terrible breaths OF
the kind that mark crises in the life
of a man.
At length he moved again. Yes
that's what I'll do" he murmdred
poor girl! one can't blame her. Sho
shall marry him with free conscience
at all events"
Then once again he whispered
"As for me-"
But he did not ever shrug his shOul
ders this time. His despair was to,
profound. 1t needed no emphasis.
AT the Kings Arm Inn, of Nellerton
that evening, Dick took pen and paper
and wrote the letter to Mary whicl
was to accompany the returned ring