The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-06-18
lCoPYniGRr. RoBER7
CHAPTER XXI.
;Continued.)

SuAx ! CN -A<A3.
tContinued)
She drew q little away from him.
the flush deepening In her face. touch
lng the beautiful face. falling even to
the lace at her throat; her lips trem-
bled with her speaking.
"John winthrop" she said. Il am a
proud woman. As tell you. ] could
fnd 1t In my heart to hate myself for
towing you. were 1t not that hatred
has died from my heart. You saved
my life the other day. Perhaps You
think that did not know It? But for
that alone I do not love you. Why
should I? Would not any man have
saved q woman so? And why should
I forgive you that old wound to my
pride, to my truth. to my womanhood:
Now, thinking that you should have
believed me guilty Of perjury at that
trial and sworn against the truth for
the saving Of q few more dollars. per-
haps, from my husbands fortune. I
feel the hot shame In my face that
can still say that I love you. Accord
ing to the exact measure Of your JUS
tice should let you die and yield not
one kind word. Were q man perhaps
would do II. But am a woman
and It may be that woman's injus-
tice makes her weak"
His face was working strangely;
his hold on her hands tightened; his
eyes held hers.
"Alecia-' he said. "Alecia Graham.
who told you that there was ever such
thought Of you in my mind? Do you
not know that such belief Of you
would be impossible to any one?
Would /. loving you, accuse you OF
such perjury? I believed you utterly.
I believed you even when my Will,
fighting with my heart, bade me con-
denim you. Always In my thoughts
You have been everything that Is
GOOD, though I struggled to argue 1t
down. knew my heart long ago.
and struggled with 1t. No woman
had such power over me before; and
would I, I urged with my heart. allow
the one woman who must hate me to
possess such power? 1t has been q
bitter battle from that day. and ! am
defeated. in spite Of the will had
prided myself overcome any pain the
heart might hold; but never accused
you Of wrong. Alecia. Who suggested
such thought to you?"
The sweet lips closed tightly over
the knowledge; she shook her head;
her eyes were exquisite in their light
and cSlor.
what does It matterw she said.
steadily. Perhaps one IL too ready
60 believe Ill Of even the one whom
one loves. hold no hardness In my
heart toward any one. John Win
throp."
He was silent for q moment. lying
with closed eyes. no great change
upon him save the short. steady
breathing. Then opening his eyes
upon her. he said slowly. and
with q touch Of his old sternness In
Ms weak NOice.
perhaps I know who told you that.
Alecia. II I do. rs you say-what
matter? Love should not too readily
believe Ill. All that Is gone. I am
only very happy. knowing that you
love me-"
Then. by and by. he whispered
family:
you forgive me. Alecia - every
thingT
And she answered softly. her low
voice like music In Its tenderness:
II forgive you everything. John.
dear-for US both"
Again the gray eyes closed with
peace upon the face. but the kneeling
woman did not move or turn her eyes
away lest hio should open. seeking
hers. The minutes ticked away upon
the clock across the room. Twenty
minutes - thirty - -forty.nve-fi fifty
eixty minutes-one hour. And still
no other change upon the sleeper; and
still the woman did not rise from her
knees or remove her hands from his
One Of the physicians. believing that
death had come unrecognized. crossed
the room and stood beside her with
his eyes upon the quiet face among
me pillows. Then he stopped and laid
his fingers lightly over the pulse in
the thin, sinewy wrist.
II congratulate you" he said. grave
ly. his eyes upon Mrs. Winthrop's gen.
tie face. although he knew that he
was also speaking to this other i'm
movable woman: THE fever has
turned. He will recover. madam"
But Alicia did not move. did not
speak. did not. apparently. compre-
hend the meaning Of his words or
turn her eyes from the peaceful.
sleeping face.
With q swift movement Of her
hands as though In gratitude. Mrs.
winthrop moved around the bed to
Alecia's side. Laying one hand ten
DERBY upon her shoulder. she said.
sweetly and brokenly:
"Come away. Mrs. Graham. dear,
and rest. Thee has saved his life."
CHAPTER XXI.