The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-03-11

circumstances"
"The letters tell ALL"
Her tone carried q feeling OF disap-
pointment. He did not appear to care.
"The estates are larger he asked.
Eyes, large enough-twelve thousand
a year."
"And has your mother-in-law any
n with herr"
"She has friends, but, as she says,
none near Of kin. Her nephew looks
after the works-iron works, you know.
He has shares In them" "
"She is evidently very lonely" he an
swered gravely.
"What shall I doT' she asked, and I
knew she was waiting to hear him
urge her to stay, but he did not see or
at least gave no heed.
II cannot say" he repeated quietly.
"There are many things to consider.
The estates'-
"The estates seem to trouble you,"
she replied almost fretfully.
He looked up In surprise. I wonder.
ed at his slowness.
Eyes, the Estates" he went on, "and
tenants, I suppose; your m~other-in-law,
your little Marjorie's future, your OWL
future" "
"The estates are in capable hands, I
should suppose" she urged, "and my
future depends upon what I choose my
work to be-"
"But cannot Shift ones responsf-
bilities," he replied gravely. S"These
estates, these tenants, have come to
you. and with them come duties" ~.
II do not want them!" she cried.
"That life has great possibilities Of
good" he said kindly.
II had thought hat perhaps there
was work for me here" she suggested
timidly. -
"Great work." he fastened to say.
"You have done great work, but you
will do that wherever you go. The
only question Is where your work les"
"You think I should 60" she said
suddenly and a little bitterly.
II cannot bid you stay" he answered
steadily.
How a I go7" she cried, appealing
to him. Must I gof"
How he could resist that appeal I
could not understand. His face was
cold and hard and his voice was al
most harsh as he replied:
"If it is right, you will 60, you must
CO." n.
Then she burst forth:
"I cannot go. / shall stay here. My
work is here. My heart is here. How
can I go? You thought 1t worth your
while to stay here and work. Why
should not II"
The momentary CLEAN In his eyes
died out, and again he said coldly:
"This work. was clearly mine. I am
needed here"
Eyes, yesy' she cried, her voice full
of pain. "You are needed, but there is
no need OF me-"
stop! Stopw he said sharply. "You
must not say 80"
~ will say Il, ! must say itr' she
crieu. her voice vibrating with the in
tensity of her feeling. III know you do
not need me-. You have your work,
your miners. your plans. You need no
n You are strong. But" and her
voice rose to a cry, II am not strong
by myself. You have made me strong.
I CAME here a foolish girl, foolish and
selfish and narrow. God sent me grief.
Three years ago my heart died. Now
I am living again. I am a woman now,
no longer n girl. You have lone this
for me. Your life, your words, your
self-you have shown me q better, a
higher, life than I had ever known be-
fore, and now you send me away"
She paused abruptly.
"Blind, stupid foolp' 1 said to myself.
He held himself resolutely in hand,
answering carefully, but his voice had
lost its coldness and was sweet and
kind.
"Have I done this FOR. your Then
surely God has been good to me. And
you have helped me more than any
words could tell you"
"Helpedp she repeated scornfulIy.
"Yes, Helped" he answered, wonder
ang at her scorn.
you a do without my help" she
went on. "You make people help you.
You will get many to help you. But 1
need help too"
She was standing before him with
her hands tightly clasped. Her face
was pale, and her eyes were deeper
than ever. He sat looking up at her
in a kind of maze as she poured out
her words hot and fast.
II am not thinking Of you" His cold
ness had hurt her deeply. ~ am self
ish. / ara thinking Of myself. How
shall Pdo2 ! have grown to depend on
you, to look to you. IL is nothing to
you that ! go, but to mo-
She did not dare to finish.
(. ~ this time Craig was standing be.
fore her, his face deathlys pale. When
she came to the end of her words, he
said in a voice low, sweet and thrilling
with emotions:
"Ah, IL you only knewl DO not make
me forget myself. You do not guess
what you are doing"
What am I doing7 What 10 there to
know but that you tell me easily to
gor'
She was struggling with the tears
sho was too proud to let him see.
He put his hands re~solutely behind
him, looking at her as IL studying her
face for the first time. Under his
searching look she dropped her eyes,
and the warm color came slowly up In
to her neck and face. Then, as IL with
a sudden resolve, she lifted her eyes to
his n looked back at him unfinch-
ingly.
he started. surprised, drew slowly
near put his hands upon her shout.
ders, surprise giving place to wild Joy.
She never moved her eyes. They drew
him toward her. He took her face be-
tween his hands, smiled into her ewes.