The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-05-13

After a fortnight this III humor be-
gan to soften in the glowing warmth
of her heart, which was striving to
reassert itself, and the desire to see
Brandon began to get the better of
her sense of injury.
Brandon, tired of this everlasting
watchfulness to keep himself out of
temptation and dreading at any mo-
ment hat lapse from strength which
is apt to come to the strongest of us,
had resolved to quit his place at court
and go to NcY Spain at once. He had
learned upon inquiry that II ship would
sail from Bristol in about twenty days
and another six weeks later. SO he
chose the former and was making his
arrangements to leave as soon as pos
sible.
He told me of his plans and spoke of
his situation. you know the reason
for my going" he said, "cvcn If | have
never spoken of 1t. L am not much of
n Joseph and am vcry little given to
running away from II beautiful wom-
an, but in this case / am fleeing from
death itself. And to think what n
heaven it would be! You are right,
Caskodcn-no man can withstand the
light of that girls smile. | am unable
to tell how L feel toward her. 1t some
times seems that L cannot live another
hour without seeing her. Yet, thank
God, | have reason enough left to know
that every sight of her only adds to an
already incurablc malady. What will
1t be when she is the wife of the king
of France? Does it not look as if wild
life in New Spain Is my only chance?"
nsscntcd as we joined hands, and
our eyes were moist as | told him how
l should miss him more than any one
else In all the earth-eXccpting Jane,
in mental reservation.
told Jane what Brandon was about
to do, knowing full VOL she would tell
Mary, which she did at once.
Poor Mary! The sighs began to come
now, and such small vestiges of her Ill
humor toward Brandon as still re-
manned were frightened off in Il hurry
by the fcar that she had seen the last
of him.
She had not before fully known that
she loved him. She knew he was the
most delightful companion she had
ever met and that there was an en-
lilaration about his presence which al
most intoxicated her and made life an
ecstasy, yet she did not know it was
love. 1t needed but the thought that
she was about to lose him to make her
know her malady and meet it face to
face.
Upon the evening when Mary learn
ed all this she wen into her chamber
very early and closed the door. No
one interrupted her until Jane went In
to robe her for the night and to retire.
She then found that Mary had robed
herself and was lying in bed with her
head covered, apparently asleep. Jane
quietly prepared to retire and lay
down In her own bed. The girls usual
ly shared one couch, but during Mary's
Ill temper she had forced Jane to sleep
alone.
After n short silence Jane heard Il
sob from the other bed, then another
and 2nother
"AIary, are you wcepingi' she asked.
"Yes."
"What is the matter, dearf"
Nothing" with n sigh.
ado you wish me to come to your
bed?''
"Yes, L do" SO Jane went over and
lay beside Mary, who gently put her
arms about her neck.
"Whcn will lie leave?" whispered
Mary, shyly confessing all by her ques-
ton.
81 do not know" responded Jane,
"but he will see you before he goes"
"Do you believe he willf'
81 know it," And with this consola-
ton Mary softly wept herself to sleep.
CONTINUED