The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-05-14
haps-I would not-mind, if-if--I
loved you less"

n"Po-l woulu not-miHu, It'll
loved you less"
When her husband entered, Agnes
gave a startled cry.
"Oh, Raymond" she exclaimed,
"Raymond, dear, what has %haprened9"
His face was ashen; his eyes were
dull and l~istless; his hands were trem-
bling. Helplessly he staggered to q chair
and covered his face with his hands,
while she stood beside him, terror in
her eyes, her lips dumb. "It is all
gonel" the man groaned. 1T is all
gone, Agnes-all gonel"
"All gomez" she asked. You
mean---"
He clu;ched the arms of his chair
desperately.
"The corner" he cried. "I tried
to protect it; L tried to head them off,
but L couldn't. The bottom fell out,
Agnes, and-and-oh, Godp'
He sprang to his feet and strobe
across the room. Then he turned
suddenly.
"Agnes," he cried, we are beg
CARS; Z" we are penniless. Everything
is gonei"
No, DEAR" she replied, almost
c~heerfully, not everything. My
money is yours, dear-all yours"
He turned away his head and grew
still paler. His lips parted and he
tried to speak, but he could not. He
held out his hands to her as one who
Is cropping in the darkness.
1t is gone" he groaned, at last,
God, Agnes, forgive me, but l tried
L tried to save myself, and l used your
money, too. And it is gone-all gomez
His hands dropped to his side in ab
solute helplessness. The woman put hel
arms around his neck and he felt tn,
silk of her tresses against his cheek.
!, emo, dear" she whispered, al
is not gone, for my love Cor yo'
remains, and---"
"But you are penniless," he said
"you have nothing"
. emo, L have nothing" she said yer,
slowly, very sadly. CT have nothing
not not even-your love. But L will
not complain. L am-your wife
Raymond, and l will help. We cal
, rent some of IL rooms; L will tax
9 pupils in music and You-you cal
certainly do something"
"I can do something; I will d
something's" he cried, resolutely
. "I-I-God bless you, Agnesl"
The man sank into a chair an
watched his wife as she walked to
small table in the corner of the room
, and commenced arranging some rose
in a vase.
AS she bent over the flowers, tn
glow of the electric light glistene
softly upon the wonderful gold of he
hair.
And the man sat i%mmovable, fascins
= ted by the beauteous picture. Sh
turned her head slightly and he SAL
" the soft CLEAN of her cheek and tn
. shadows playing around her dimple.
:, A thrill swept through HIM and h
leaned forward and bowed his head i
silent worship. Then he raised hi
head again and she, unconscious of hi
newly awakened devotion, smiled &
) the roses in her hand and hummed
u love song, soft and tendery
u Impusively the man caught her nan
q N his and pressed her finger tips to hi
Ups. She turned and faced him i
c wonder, and he look her in his arr
and tangled his fingers in the gold c
. her tresses.
u She tried to speak but he folded he
arms around his neck and covered he
3 face with kisses. Then he smile
down into her eyes. Her lips partec
but she could not speak. For a me-
ment she gazed into his earnest face
. the light of ineffable happiness shinin
{ in her eyes. And then
Little sweetheart" he cried,
love you; L love youl'
y And then-her arms tightene
u around his neck; her head sank upo
his shoulder like a chlld's and he hear
her crying softly to herself.
Y