Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1904-08-26

| Louie s voice at the door. Aunt Janet,
are you there?' And Louie rushed i'm
petuously in. "Oh, Aunt, has he
gomez"
what hep" asked Aunt Janet.
"Why, Bernard, of course. Oh. aunt,
1 am so unhappy" And the girl sank
into a chair and began to cry.
Lady Janet flew to her side. What is
the matter, dear? And why are you
unhappy"
Bernard is going away from Eng
land-and all OH account of me-"
Il understood something of this from
the boy. l have just seen him. He
told me that he asked you to be his
wife, and that you gave him no an
swer"
But that's just it. He didn't ask me.
So how could l answer him?''
Listen TO me for a minute. What
answer are you going to make Lord
Clayton? He can give you home.
name and position. And have very
little to give you"
ooh, Aunt Janet, but don't love him.
I cannot be his wife. And 1 do love
Bernard, though he is so stupid. And
l can be his wife, If he asks me- And
now he'll go away, and never know
Aunt Janet. will you let me go and
stay with my cousins in South Africa?
want to go away. so that Bernard will
remain in England"
| Perhaps it is better that you
should" answered her aunt. "Tm
sorry you can't marry Lord Clayton,
but won't stand in your way if Ber
nard should ask you''
| HE will never ask me now" said
the girl.
''You needn't be afraid of that, my
dear. He is sure to do it sooner or
later. And when he does, tell him that
l have no plans, except for your hap
piness. love the boy, if for nothing
else. for his fathers sake" She
stopped and kissed the girl, and then
went quietly out of the room.
Louie sat upright in her chair, her
face flushed and her hair slightly dis
heveiled, but looking very pretty with
al. "Was there ever such a complica-
ton? Here is Bernard, whom / love,
marching out of England because /
won't be his wife as he hasn't asked
me; and here am 1, whom Bernard
loves, marching out of England be-
cause he won't ask me-" And she went
again to look 1T the picture on the
easel. "It's very like me, but much
more beautiful than l could be-"
AS she was thinking this, Bernard
came back into the room. Louie looked
at him from behind the easel "Oh,
is that you?" she said in q lame kind
of way.
81 have come FOR the picture" he
answered.
II have seen Aunt Janet, and you
needn't leave England, because I'm
going to do So"
"Oh, really. I'm glad. OF course, l
don't mean that. But I'm the right
person to CO."
"Oh, no. 1 only came to look at the
picture. It's very NICE"
ooh, yes. And 1 came to take it
away"
"Then we can only say good-by
again. 0OOU-Dy, Bernard.
'Oh, good-by" They clasped hands,
so nervously that they didn't know
what they were saying or doing
"Good-by. God bless you. His arms
were open. She sank against his side
and he kissed her. In another moment
they were separated. as they thought, !
forever.
One week later, and there was q
great hustle at the London Docks, for
one of the royal mail steamers was
leaving for South Africa. Among the
passengers was Louie Maynard, who
had gone on board in the company of
her Aunt Janet. That lady wished to
see the last of her much-loved niece
before leaving her in the care of an
old friend, Mrs Robinson, who was
going out to South Africa to join her
husband, and was delighted to have
so charming q companion on the vOy-
age. Louise had not gone to her cabin
to arrange her things, as she wished
to spend her last minutes in England
with her aunt. The poor girl felt very
disconsolate as she chung to her and
the first bell sounded for the passen-
gers to go ashore
'.Now. my dear, try and cheer up"
said Aunt Janet, as she chung to her,
..'good-by! And if you see Bernard.
tell him he's very stupid, and how
happy l am to be going away"
ANY one for the shore?" called out
an imperative voice.
Eyes, yes" said Lady Janet.
"ThiS way, madam" And Lady
Janet hurried to the gangway and
went ashore.
Louie. instead of going to the cabin,
watched from the side of the ship till
her aunt was on the, quay, and waved
a last adieu as Lady Janet got into her
carriage and drove away. Then the
second bell rang for lthe visitors to go
ashore. Louie still remained at the
side of the ship, interested in all that
was going on about her. She saw
cab, laden with baggage. driven hast
fly up to the vessel, out of which
dashed a young man. He was soon
surrounded by helpers. land was quick
ly on board. There seemed something
familiar to her in the figure. and as
the young man stepped from the gang
way on to the deck sheS moved toward
her cabin. and the two came face to
face.
"Louiev' Bernardo And they
looked at each other with the frankest
astonishment
what are you doing on board this
ship" asked the girl.
I'm going to South Africa. And
youY'
''I'm going to South Africa. / told
you was going away from England
to stay with some cousins
'But you didn't say they were in
South Africa. of all places in the
world"
"And you didn't say you were going
there. You were to stay in England,
for the sake of your work"