The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-05-18

and voice and the touch of her land be-
came intulerable-
My God. I'd give all the world holds OF
sin to see her and hear one word from her
lips!' he exclaimed as he locked himself
III his room one night
why didn't she answer one little word
to my last letter he continued. "Ah, mat
was the best letter l ever wrote her. /
put my soul in every word. l didn't be-
lieve the woman lived who could read such
confessions and such worship without re-
ply! Surely she has a heart"'
When he went to the Post Office next
day he got a letter forwarded from Fam
bright by the preacher. 1t was postmarked
Narragansett Pier, and addressed in a bold
masculine hand he had never seen before.
He tore it open and inside found his last
letter to Sallie Worth. returned with the
seal unbroken. He sprang to his feet. with
flashing eye, trembling from head to foot.
All they did not dare to let her receive
another OF my %lettersi So a clerk returns
it unopened" he cried.
And a great lump rose in his throat as
he thought of the scenes of the past two
weeks. The old fever and the old longing
came rushing over HIS PROSTATE soul now
in resistless torrents. How dare a strange
hand touch a message to herr ] could
strange him. We will see now who wins
the fight" He set his lips with determine
ton. packed his valise and took the train
Tor home without a word OF farewell to the
companions of his revels.
When he reached Hambright he felt sure
of a letter from her. A strange joy filed
his heart.
II have either got a letter or she's writ
ing one to me this minute"' he exclaimed.
He went TO the Post Office in a state of
exhilaration. The letter was not there. But
II did not depress him.
1T is on the way" he quickly said.
For two days he remained in that condi-
ton OF tense nervous excitement and ex-
pectation. and on the following day he
opened his box and found his letter!
II knew it," he said. with a thrill OF
joy that was half awe at the remarkable
confirmation he had received Of their SYM
pathy.
He hurried to his Office and read his big,
precious message.
How its words burned into his soull Ev-
cry line seemed alive with her spirit! How
beautiful the sight Of her handwriting! He
kissed It again and again. He read with
bated breath The address was double ex-
pressiye, because IL Contained the first word
of abandoned tenderness with which she
had ever written to him, except in the con-
cealed message dotted in the note that
broke their earlier correspondence.
MY Precious Darling-I lave gone
through deep waters within the last three
weeks. 1 became so depressed and hungry
TO see you, I felt some awful calamity
was hanging over you and over me, and
that it was my fault. 1 could scarcely eat
or sleep.
II felt I should go mad If I did not speak.
and SO 1 told Mamma She sympathized
tenderly with me. but insisted I should not
write. She is so feeble I could not cross
her. But. oh, the agony of it! Sometimes
1 saw you drowning and stretching out
your hands to me for help.
Sometimes in my dreams I saw you
fighting against overwhelming odds with
strong. brutal men. whose faces were full
OF hate, and 1 could not reach you.
II was nervous and unstrutx. but you