Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-09-17

near ner deep, regular breathing. and
! was thankful.
And so the moments PASSED TT.
girl started up once or twice ,,s
/ spoke his name; but always at soun5
OF ms calm, reassuring voice sank
back again upon her pillow. From
time 10 time he went and stood above
| her@a spell upon him new and
strange, spell that filed him with
uneasiness and vague alarm. He was
no longer lonely. In some mysterious
/ way burden seemed to be slipping
away from him, and in its place came
sense OF companionship sweet and
comforting. Most men discount mar
RED life in their dreams, and few ever
realize the fullpess of those dreams:
put with him it had been different.
Ihls strange experience preceded the
creams. without a days warning he
mad been plunged into the privacy of
young and modest woman's life, had
become the guardian of her honor and
In a measure of her future; and in a
mysterious way the divine sweetness
! OF her soul had issued forth and en-
Veioped him. In the chiaroscuro of
the still room he could just determine
the outlines of her bed and upon its
whiteness the outlines of her slender
figure. He was glad that she slept;
In that quiet falling asleep was for
him the finest tribute ever paid to his
manhood. glad, quick pulse leaped
from his heart as he realized this
truth, and the words of the girls
mother, SO artlessly repeated, came
back to him.
stranger came before his tent and
asked for shelter. He babe him enter.
Why should not this scene be fixed
and real and lasting? Would it be
possible? Would the girl some day
accept it as such, yielding still the
trust and tenderness she had brought
to the counterfeit? Was she trusting
Brodnar? Or was she trusting him?
lhe trust was in him. He felt it in
stinctively; and her little white hand
seemed to steal forth to his again,
her arms to enfold him What a
child she was, And yet-and yet
NS''''SAN StlItu MIN 10
be near her, to touch her hand. her
hair, and to pass within the electric
radius of her presence again, II but
for moment. He was her guardian
whether she slept or awoke.
A strange curiosity to be near a
sleeping girl, to enter further into
her life and absorb the sweetness Of
i's innocence, possessed him. She
would not know, she would never
Know, perhaps; and why should he
not snatch from fate this one brief
moment of happiness? A doubt as
sailed him and brought hesitation:
nut with an impatient gesture he
threw aside the hesitation. He would
not let even himself doubt himself.
And so he came and stood above the
sleeper, and presently, entranced he
kneeled and saw her living there
vague, dim and unacceptable, but
girl asleep. Her face was towards
him upon the pillow and one hand law
upon the edge of her bed So quietly
did she sleep she seemed not to
breathe. He watched her until a
tremor shook him from head to foot.
fusion seized upon his mind. Instinct
lively he leaned above her hand aud
touched it with his lips-lightlv. rev.
erently. She sighed and spoke his
name, and, overwhelmed with sudden
dismay, he would have withdrawn. but
she seized his arms and cried out:
Light! light" And then. broken
ly: "oh, sir, for tile Fl rst time am
i am-frig'h He sank his
face beside her. overwhelmed with
shame.
at is half-past three" he said. brolz-
emily; Il must soon say farewell to
YOU"
ooh. sir, will YOU not light the gasp
Seeing that she stnl trembled. he
arose and went TO his chair.
NO" he said, calmly. But sIeep
on. shall not disturb you again.
And then presently she came. and.
kaecliag in sudden abandon. before
him, placed her hands upon his shout
ders, her face close into his
81 shall not let YOU leave me think
ing that do not trust YOU" she said
"Oh, sir, kiss me now, my hands. my
Hs'ii' my ApS II you VIII. trust inn
plicitly! l trust you-yes, and
more, I"
Child, child, YOU do not know what
you are saying!" lie covered his face
with his hand
Child! No, woman! You do not
understand; it is you who are the
child. Listen. I was not asleep when
you struck n match and, turning y7our
face from me, looked at your watch.
was awake, and l saw your face in
the glass across the ROOM"
You should not"
ut was an accident, and ! thanked
God, for it has given me living mem
DRY of the kindest friend since mother
died. 1t is not the first time. for vour
picture is in the doctors office. He
did not know that have hung over il
fixing ii in my mind-many-many
tmes-oh, viii you, will YOU saw that
you wish to see me? Have Won no
wish TO remember me?"
Remember you? | shall carry with
me forever the sound of your voice.
the touch of your hand. the nerfnn,a