The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1902-05-15
| CHAPTER V.
(Continued.)

II shall be glad to do this" Mrs.
Graham answered. "If you tell me
Tomorrow, or the next day, or any day
In the future that you wish this, shall
believe that you do care. And now.
goodbye, Just Little Me- and all good
things come to you"-for she felt that
she might never again see the pretty
face of this hild-woman-"but prom
ise me here at parting, dear, that you
will be kind to those who love You.
Love is easier to hold when won than
tempted back when once repulsed."
She knew, as she turned. away to
join her husband, who was waiting
for her at the gang -plank-even before
the shy words Of promise were whis-
pered-that she could safely trust the
girl whom all claimed to be heartleSs
and thoughtiess.
The Zingara puffed and splashed her
way. and the Island, with its cleaning
sand-hills and beaches, its huttering
hotel-fag and lighthouse tower rising
calmly above the heaving and falling
Of the ocean at its foot, faded from
view save as speck upon the horizon.
Meanwhile, pretty Bess, with her
warm impulses, the words Of her friend
still fresh in her memory, turned to her
lover glowering gloomily atthe retreat
Ing steamer, and said, very softly and
very sweetly, no trace of their quarrel
upon her face, save burning color on
her cheeks and a tender wiStfulness in
her eyes:
"If only the friends who are good to
one would stay with one, Mr.. Leland.
1t is so hard to be always misunder-
stood and unjustly judged. She knew
that don't mean half that I say that
Is unkind."
Those great black. wistful eyes Of
hers, like the reproachful eyes of
grieved child, scattered his anger to
the four winds Of heaven. He scarcely
heard what it was that she said. He
certainly never needed the lookers-on.
"My dear little Bessw he said, softly.
Her fingers were clinging to his arm
instead of Alecia's, and his eyes were
bent upon the sweet, shy face in Its
beautiful color. reading the heart hid
den by the curling lashes over the be.
traying eyes.
He was bending with great assur.
ance above the graceful figure in its
creamy flannel morning-dress, as they
turned from watching the steamer
bearing away their friends. And 1t
was heaven come down to earth that
morning to Leland, as he sat on the
beach with this willful girl, careful
that her red parasol should shield her
from the sun; that her camp-chair was
set most comfortably upon the sand
facing the blue and gold Of the ocean,
whose white surf brought in many 4
fragment Of beam or plank. What
cared he that she had so often protest
ed that she would never marry for less
than limitlesS wealth, when there, in
the broad light Of morning, she whis.
pered assurance that he must not be-
lieye all that she said, especially that,
because she loved him; and what be-
side that, was wealth?
Particularly" she added, very grave
ly, but so sweetly that there was left
no sting in her words-"particularly.
Lane, dear, when you know that you
are not poor. l couldn't marry any
body, no matter how much 1 loved
him, If he were very poor and had no
chance to rise, because l think 1t Is
quite wicked. Every one should feel
as I do about this, Lane. They don't
think half enough. 1t isn't so much
that l love luxury as that man has
no right to marry woman II he can
not support her.
And what could her lover do but ac-
quiesce and murmur his astonishment
at the wisdom of her words?
"It is straage how the world can be
shaken by storm one hour and brilliant
with sunlight the next" said Alicia as
she and her husband and Gregory Ben
sonhurst, with the party from the
Queen Taphenes. left the steamer at
the Babylon pier and took the stage
for the depot. And the strangest part
of it is that the heaviest storm leaves
no adequate trace of its violence"
"But 1t is better So" said her hus-
band, quickly. LET the gardens OF the
East fall into the sea and the flowers
Of the West are just as sweet! That
is but justice, Alecia!'
"And yet, who would think" said
one of the yachting party, laughing,
THAT some half-dozen hours or so ago
we were in the blacklist storm / ever