The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1902-07-31

X l Esaa=zzzszassaasss Asaaass
n " g JOHN WINTHR0P'S DEFEAT.
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JEAN KATE LUDLUM
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JEAN KATE LUDLUM,
NrHNIE'e SoSG Is2". !

road to the Celestial City! JeWciS
scattered along the beach where the
breakers threw their spray. murmur-
ing q strong. deep. musical song OF
the worlds love and the pride or hu-
man hearts. Silence and peace and
beauty. Even the sand hills were
formed in mysterious heaps OF golden
light. and shadow stretching away TO
the beach.
Alecia Graham was sitting at her
window in the full tide Of this glory
OF moonlight. her pale-blue wrapper
making more exquisite the pale beauty
OF her face and the golden hair loos-
ened about her shoulders. Her hands
were lying idly in her lap. very slim
frail and white upon the blue Of her
gown. She was smiling with her face
turned toward the soft fshadows be-.
yond the windows circle of radiance.
Beatrice was sitting there, hidden
by the fall of lace drapery. and the in
tense light within the window. Her
face was unseen. but her voice was
lo-T with tenderness and love.
"And in spite of everything. Alecia
remembering all the old. cruel
wounds from his hands-you love him,
and have told him that you do:
Il spite of everything, Bee
"And you are not ashamed to own it
,-en to me, Alecia, in your pride and
womanhood. with that betraying ten
derness in your voice! Why do l not
hate you as l believed that l should
If ever you gave your love to that man
your enemy and your husbands en-
emy."
Il have somewhat also to forgive
said Alecia very softly. Have You
forgotten that l told You it would be
difficult for me to forgive you had you
deceived me. Bee?'
A tremor in Beatrice's voice. She
leaned forward into the light Of the
window. reaching out her hands.
But l did it because l loved you.
Alecia. l could not believe that you
truly could ever love that man. and l
wished to remove him from your life.
Would l wound you knowingly, you
beautiful dear? Have you not had
enough sorrow in your life? Have l
not put away the hate from my heart
for this man because of you:"
But your hatred was unjust al
ways, Beatrice" said the sweeter
voice, steadily. 81 told you from the
first that he was ain honorable man."
But l believed that you defended
him only because Of your kindly
heart" said her sister, in a low voice.
"Alecia. would l hurt you Willingly?
| am very proud, too, but l would not
ever have set up my pride against
your happiness had 1 >ktramT that 1t
was your happiness"
! Silence between them, eloquent with
| the call OF those distant breakers and
the cry of q night-bird upon the beach.
The house was perfectly still save for
| those sStifids from without. Then
| Beatrice rose from her chair and went
over to her sister. Kneeling at her
| side she took the two slim hands with
in her warm hands. holding them
| closely and with tender recklesSnesS
! of sorrow, her lifted face beautiful in
the moonlight streaming through the
window.
"Alecia! Alecla" she said, bitterly.
"My sister, look right down into my
| soul and see that there remains not
one atom of hatred there. not one
thought that is not kind. not one wish
| but for your good. If John Winthrop
holds the power to grant you the hap
piness that you deserve, il he loves
you as you should be loved. If he has
descended from his heights Of AFRO
gance and pride to acknowledge that
there are purity and goodness and
| truth in a woman'S heart, then John
Winthrop shall have the right to win
! ycur love and make your happiness!
While cried out against your softness
of heart, was l not cruelty hard: l
claiming the tenderness of woman
hood, Would l not have crushed my
own heart in my pride and unforgive-
ness: Alicia! Alecia! Here, with
my heart bare to you, see that l
meant only love-"
Alicia stopped very tenderly and
pressed her smiling lips to the mouth
! OF the girl.
Dear little Beew she said. always
my brave girl! Could doubt your
love, when only you have thought Of
me-"
Tender silence again between them.