The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-07-31
."AnOtllcr Love
StOry...'"

, rod. sione mansion. The house look
ed 70 he untcnanted. The halls echoed
with unfurnished nudity as the two en-
tered. They walked familiarly into an
oblong room, which was rs barren as
the hall, with the exception that it
contained small imitation mahogany
table and two uncertain chairs.
The girl laughed half hysterically as
sho removed her hat and sat down,
resting both elbows on the table.
"Our den of thieves seems remark
ably fit this evening, dear. 1t chimes
in with my mood. Perhaps it's be-
cause this is The last time"
The man stared moodily at the white
wall $50 you mean what you say;
you arc going to quit?'
The girl went rather white and nod
ded her head. /" It's the only thing we
can do; you must zee that. l can't
live this way, with turbulent quarrcls
and tcmpesLuous rcCOncillatlons.
can't do it, It's better to end it--bct
ter for both of us. You couldn't make
things right, and somehow | seem to
have developed a conscience Of late"
The man tapped call bell on the
table and dlminutive Chinaman am
bled through the open door. The man
and the woman ordered chop sooy and
tea.
"See here, Halle, l can't stand
this" The mans face was smooth
and boyish, but it was lined with
emotion as he spoke.
" can't live without you. Think of
all we have been TO each other for two
years. Why did leave all the set l
knew and take the fiat with our little
red parlor, if it wasn't to see more of
you? Do you remember our Sunday
lunchcons when you would come out
early and make those wonderful dishes
on our little gas stove? You couldn't
reach up to fasten the tubes on the gas
jet, and L always had to lift you----"
Yes" she interrupted, eagerly,
"and how clumsy you were and how
you used TO crumple my clean shirt
waist. And do you remember when
old Eben, the janitor, would come in
with the beer, he would stop and talk
when we were dying FIR him to go?
How many pirates did he say he had
killed with one shot-forty3"
They both laughed.
Yes, AMI that night you thought
you were going to be fired from the
paper AMI wanted SCOOP; how we
had burglars IN the building and went
out and treated the policeman on the
beat so he would swear to it? Have
you got the official belt buckle that he
gave you? All, but those were good
old daysl Halle, how can you forget
them?"
All enthusiasm died from her face as
his words brought her back to the
present. She sat up very straight.
" at first" she said slowly, 81 Just
loved you and never thought of any
thing else. [ went on and on, and
gradually I couldn't see my future.
Always before 1 thought l would be
something Of writer. But after you
came L always seemed to see you in
stead of success. Perhaps if l had be-
longed to some one, you would not
have filled every crevice as you did
but L didn't, you know. There wasn't
a soul who cared, unless it was the
people to whom I paid my board. And
then after while--God, can't YOU
see2 You went on telling me that you
loved me and couldn't live without me,
but still you did not say word about
about making things right. And all
the time l knew that no one could
love you as l loved you. And vet
that awful dread began to come over me
of the ultimate woman-the woman
you must meet some day"
Halle, child, he broke out impct-
uously, it isn't my fault. I swear it
isn't. You don't understand"
"Oh, yes," she sighed wearily, "I
do understand and that is what gives
me the strength to break with YOU"
The little, one-slded Chlnaman
brought IN the chop sooy and lighted
single gas jet, which spluttered from
the wind blowing through broken
pane IN the window. The interruption
IN some occult way seemed to place
them out of sympathy. The girl's
voice took on serious tone. The
man grew impatient.
81 have an engagement at 8 O'Clock, )"
she said suddenly. " We must be
going. Besides we gain nothing by
talking things over"
They walked to the car. "This ia
the first time you have ever loft me
this way" he said, as they stood on
the corner awaiting the approaching
tram. Who is the man?"
" One of my claft, the new dramatic
editor from New York"
"Oh, 1 see, and he is the cause of
your new departure9"
"Perhaps."
I" 1 wish you prosperity, Miss Doyle.
This is your car, I believe. Shall |
ride down town with your" He was
always most punctillous when about to
lose his temper.
No, Carl, IL is better to part now.
Goodbye, goodbye, Carl" She
reached out her hand half pleadingly: ::
her resolution was wavering. If he
had spoken her name then she would
have turned back; but man like, he
remembered only her reference to tho
other man.
Ernest Rheicard, the new dramatic
editor, was an iron gray man well in
his forties. His hair was sprlnkled as
If to match his eyes, which were steadv