The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-05
Our Daily Sbcrt Story

ed he had not made the request. Why should you not?' he added.
 q have never admired anyone more than you, let me tell you" she said. , And let me tell you that you made taken taken from % % me bS the little woman whose memory will always live with you and with me- True, am tired and I'm weary of all this career and, to be frank, I have wished many times through all these years that it could have been different between us. Can you believe me?''
 But now" she went on. without waiting for a reply, T am woman. and not a young-
 She hesitated and carefully watched him.
 You are more beautiful than ever" he interposed, earnestly, gazing admir- ingly toward her. For a moment there. was 8 gleam of pride and satisfaction in her dark soft eyes. Then she quick ly resumed the thread of her words.
 Though am far beyond those days, and past~ail the babbling of youthful love and its circling dreams, am not unmoved by what you offer me. I know too, that you can make of me wife of excellent circumstances and posi- ton. I would like to get away from many things. 1 want no sentiment. Yet. although I admire you above all men. I hardly believe that can be- come your wife,"
 Whatever she really thought may have been carefully hidden away.
 He seeped to doubt the meaning of her words somewhat. but said nothing.
 What is lacking?" iIe asked. briefly,
 T can't-I can't quite tell you" she said. There was a tremble, almost a sob in her voice.
 Tt is rather a cold-bloded way I have" he said, impulsively, but Nell ltn T low 4 nd with the love of a mature, earnest manhood. know now. 1t is beyond and above all that which has been in the past"
 She was visibly surprised. for through all his pleadings that evening, and since she had met him at Lake Ko- nova, he had not told her such words. Instantly her mind was in turmoil She saw before her not only the man she had once loved but the man she loved now with all her heart and her great responsive soul,
 And yet, now there seemed to be a 'but." She could not understand her irresolution.
 Both were still for long time. The shadows of evening fell rapidly and soon extended themselves over all the great expanse of water, and into the thickets and gullies along the shore. From far across the lake gleamed many cottage lights, like so many great stars of night. Nothing but the solemn swish" swish" of the waves broke the stiffness, and even this was unno- ticed by the man and the woman. Both were thinking, thinking.
 Suddenly they were aroused from their reveries by the splash o4oars but short distance out, and then voices, sounding sweet and clear in the still autumn evening, could be heard sing ing, Home, Sweet Home'
 The man muttered something to him. self as his absent gaze lingeringly sought for the source of the song. It was now too dark to distinguish ob- jects on the lake; except, perhaps, a moving bit of a shadow from which 1t seemed. came the voices and the rhyth- matic noise of the dipping oars.
 What were you saying, Harry she asked hastily, yet softly.
 This was the first time since they had been youth and maiden that she had called him Harry" It had always been MT. Lloyd" A happy smile sue ceeded his stern. almost sorrowful mien, but was followed in a moment