The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-04-22
"Str, fOTgtpe me-"


would rather fight q pack Of bowling,
starving wolves than the Scotch. They
fight like very devils, which, Of course,
Is we'll, but you have nothing after you
have beaten them, not even q good
whole wolfskin."
In an unfortunate moment Mary
said, ooh. Master Brandon, tell us of
your duel with Judson."
Thoughtful, considerable Jane frown-
ed at the princess In surprise and put
her finger on her lips.
"Your ladyship, I fear I cannot" he
answered, and left his seat, going over
to the window, where he stood, with
his back toward us, looking out into
the darkness. Mary saw what she had
done, and her eyes grew moist, for,
with all her faults, she had q warm,
tender heart and O quick, responsive
sympathy. After q few seconds of
painful silence she went softly over 10
the window where Brandon stood.
"Sir, forgive me-" she said, putting
her hand PRETTY upon his arm. IL
should have known. Believe me, I
would not have hurt you int~cntionally,"
"Ah, my lady, the word was thought.
1881 oDohtii III Io lOIAl CIcSb.
But your heart shows itself in the ask
ing, and 1 thank you. 1 wanted but a
moment to throw off the thought of
that terrible day" Then they came
back together, and the princess, who
had tact enough when she cared to use
1t, soon put matters right Ggain.
/ started to tell one of my best sto-
rics in order to cheer Brandon, but In
the midst OF it Mary, who, 1 had no.
ticed, was restless and uneasy, full OF
bushes and hcsitancy and with n man
ner as new to her as the dawn of the
first day was to the awakening world,
abruptly asked Brandon to dance with
her again. She had risen and was
standing by her chair, ready TO be led
out.
Gladly" answered Brandon as he
sprang to her side and took her hand.
(Which shall 1t be-La Galliard or the
new dancer" And Mary, standing
there, the picture of waiting, willing
modesty, lifted her free hand to his
shoulder, tried to raise her eyes to his,
but failed and softly said, 1.-THE new
dance"
This time the dancing was moro So
berly done, md when Mary stopped 1t
was with serious, thoughtful eyes, for
she had felt the tingling Of n new,
strange force in Brandon's touch. A
man, not n worm, but a real man, with
all the irresistible, infinite attractions
that a man may haye for q
the subtle drawing Of the lodestono for
the passive iron-had come into her
life. Doubly sweet 1t was to her in
tense young virgin soul in that 1t first
revealed the dawning of that two edged
bliss which makes a heaven or a hell
Of earth-of earth, which owes Its very
existence to love.
/ do not mea that Mary was In love,
but that she had met and for the first
time felt the touch, yes, even the sub
tie, unconscious, dominating force 80
sweet to woman, of the man she could
love, and a known the rarest throb
that pulses in that choicest of all Gods
perfect handiwork-a woman's heart
the throb that goes before, tho John
the Baptist, as 1t were, Of coming love.
1t being after midnight, Mary filed
two cups of wine, from each Of whteh,
she took n sip, and handed them to
Brandon and me. She then paid me
the 10 crowns. very soberly thanked us
and said we We're at liberty to go.
The only words Brandon ever spoke
concerning that evening were just as.
we retired:
"Jesu, she is perfect! But you were
wrong, Caskoden. ] can still thank
God I am not In love with her. I
would fall upon my sword IL I were"
I was upon the point Of telling him
she had never treated any other man
as she had treated him, but I thought
best to leave 1t unsaid. Trouble
apt to come of its own accord soon
enough.
In truth, I may as well tell you that
when the princess asked me to bring
Brandon to her that she might have q
little sport al his expense che looked
for a laugh, but found q sigh.
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