The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-07-24

she had gwen, and because there was
no object on which to bestow it, she
locked it up in her heart, and has kept
it there through all these sad years,
strong, deep, pure, as then, but OBJ
jectless and therefore wasted"
For moment both were still--she
seemed to have forgotten that she had
q listener. Recollection came to her
suddenly, and she gave little embar-
rassed laugh. She feared she had be-
trayed herself.
Have l not pleaded well?" she
asked DO you still condemn the wo-
men unqualltiedly2"
He was slow to answer. Their hos
tess had introduced them hurredly,
and he had not caught h,s companlon's
subsequently to ask for it. The
strange fascination that the woman
had had for him from the first mystilcd
and delighted him, and he had yielded
to it without attempting to probe for
its meaning. But during her last inn
passloned speech something IN her
voice had with startling suddenness
caused wave of profound feeling to
pass over his heart. He gazed at her
intently for moment, and the mystery
of her attraction for him was cleared.
He wondered that he had not recogniz-
ed her before, time had changed her
so little. With mighty bound the love
that had lain dormant in his heart for
twenty years sprang into active life
again, and mad impulse to throw
himself at her feet and once more to
crave her forgiveness, as he had done
many years ago, almost gained the
mastery over him. But he was we'll
schooled in self-restraint, and his voice
was almost natural when he answered
her question.
you have indeed made noble de-
| fense," he said. " But If that woman
should have been rs noble as you have
made her out to be, would mercy and
forgiveness have found no place il he;
heart. Would twenty years of unal-
tered love not have eXplated the error
of n moment of passion? Would she
blight his life, and perhaps hers, mere.
ly because in fiji Of jealousy, for her
he had failed TO measure up TO the i'm.
possible nigh standard she had set fol
himG1' Would that he just, and woman
ly, and Chrlstian-like9"
lie saw dreamy look creep into hel
eyes as he spoke, and her voice had 8
far-away sound to it when she answer
ed HIM. But her words opened a new
life for him.
elf | were that woman," she said
" and he had indeed proved true to me
all these years, if his love for me hat
dwelt unchanged through il all, az
mine would have, should thank Goo
from my soul for the blessing of sucl
a love; and if he were TO come back tt
me now, should ask his forgiveness.
for having misjudgcd him 30, ant
would beg him humbly to take back a.
a voluntary gift what | took flom hin
then. But men are strange--thei
pride is ever stronger than their love
He would not come back, and my love
and my forgiveness, and my repentance
would never he known TO him."
!. Her voice had sunk lower and lowe
as she spoke, and at the last, she brOk,
, down and buried her face in her hands
All his heart went out TO her; ard h'
bent over and touched her hair will
his lips.
Mildred," he said, so softly tha
!; he hardly knew whether he said it.
But she had heard it, and she shranl
from him like startled fawn. For
long moment she gazed at him will
painful intentaess; then, without
word, she threw her arms about hi
neck and sobbed as if her heart woult
break.
| But joy has never been known t.
break heart