The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1902-07-03

al
YOU sold your hearts for coronet OF
Il Jewel in the hair. l should so have
Gespiscd you. though l wouldn't. may
be, have told you so. Lane says am
always telling people mean things.
but l only say the truth. and If that's
mean. don't make ii so.
Alecia smiled kindly Upon the pref
", brightly colorCd face beside her.
LAYING her hand over the small hand
on the railing.
Alecla was eyquisitcly beautiful i'll
her dove-gray dress and delicate bon.
net OF lace. Everything abuot her
seemed infused with her personality
and became parts OF herself. Her
friends sometimes said that things
turned to perfect wOmanliness from
mere contact with her. But Alicia
always smiled at this lavish praise
from her friends. Her sunny hair
under the dainty bonnet was touched
to spun gold as the sunlight fell upon
it from across the water, but her eyes
were still of their old even violet blue.
The smile upon her face was almost
the old smile, for an instant dazzling
her friends. Even strangers upon the
boat watched her with fascination.
"And little Ecss Is to be married in
November" said Alicia, softly. Il
was not far amiss when / read tn
sweet heart under the naughty eyes
that old summer. Three years ago,
little Bess-think of it. That is long
time to keep your lover waiting"
The lovely color mounted even to
the girls dark hair, and touched the
soft lace at her throat. The wide,
black eyes were shy, now lifted to her
friend. They spoke each to the other,
and no one else heard.
But l wanted to be very, very
sure" said the pretty child-woman
shyly, "that really did care only for
him, Alicia, and he for me; because"
who could resist those sweet, pleading
eyes or the trembling red mouth or
that hint of n dimple about the lips,
everybody said was too thoughtless,
you know, to care for any one for
long, and l wouldn't for anything
marry Lane IL I wouldn't love him al
ways, for it would make me so unhap-
py, thinking that may have kept him
from loving some one else. An then,
too" the light in Alecia's eyes was
very tender now, Il couldn't bear to
think of being married without you to
tell me you were glad, you dear, sweet
thing! And so just told Lane how 1
felt, and when 1 came to you, he said
that he was willing to wait for that as
we'll as I. So you see we do truly love
you, Mrs. Graham. could not help
loving you, you know" futter along
the tender words, flicker Of intense
light in the sweet, wide lifted eyes.
"after your kind words to just little
me the day you went away, when you
ought not to even have thought Of me
in your own terrible trouble. But you
don't know how 1 love you for it, dear
Mrs. Graham-you don't know!
"If I helped you at all, Bess, dear"
said Alicia, gently, the light in her
eyes that her friends cared to see, 1T
makes me happy to know it. The
warm heart under your naughty
words made me fear heartache later
unless it were allowed to come to the
sunlight. Sunshine as well as tears,
dear. And you are sure now that you
do love Lane, and will not keep him
from loving some one else, by and
by" ''@-'''' !: 's:c ;, =, 81 So: -
The wide, black eyes searching the
tender face found only love in the
questioning, and gave frank answer.
as Bess Catherwood must always give
Alicia Graham.
II am so sure" she said, simply and
sweetly, q new note in the pretty
voice, as there was new touch upon
her face, that would go right on
loving him always. Mrs. Graham,
though 1 should pevef see him again
in all the world.'
A flash as Of pain struck across Ale
cia's face, but it was gone so swiftly
that the tender eyes uplifted dared
not think that it had been there as 81
lence fell between them.
And Lane Leland, laughing and chat
ting with the rest Of the party-for
the old summer party was there, with
the addition Of the Fields-saw this
vanishing fash on the beautiful wom-
ans face, and for an instant the
laughter died upon his lips at the H.
tensity OF its pain.
"Are all our old friends at the Surf,