The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-01-18
CHATTER NNNY.

IA FiRS. CR.ANSTON followed Lydia
EW into the sitting room. where
III she WAS putting Cn her hat be-
S5 fore mirror.
You will not compromise yourself
by going there. DEAR" Mrs Cranston
said eXcitedJy.
You may call it that II you like" re-
torted the girl. tl:i'::::::..; rs she was
thrustinS hatpin into place behind
her head. Il am going to explain why
be has not beard from me-
"Oh, daughter. don't. don't! Think
Of your family. Of me. Of your father"
"I'll think OF you when have more
time" replied the girl. I'm going
straight to George Buckley now. Moth
er, I respect him. I honor him more
than any man alive. I-love him. Yes,
I love him with all my heart and soul,
and I'm simply furious at the way you
have treated u.s.
"You don't mean that you would
actually marry him, Lydia Cranston"
"Well, you just let him give me the
chance and see II won't. I'd rather
live on bread and water with him than
with the richest man the sun ever
shone on There, are you satisfied?
You and father have been treating me
like child, with no regard for my
feelings, but now that you have dared
to interfere through me with George
Buckley's rights as an American cit-
zen, intercepting his letters when. he
lay at deaths door, treating him as if
he were a dog-well, you have simply
forced me to do my duty"
Lydia, daughter But The girl had
turned into the hall and was walking
rapidly across the lawn toward the
gate.
She went directly to Hiilyer's house.
Hortense was in the yard gathering
flowers and greeted her with a sur
prised smile as she came toward her
across the grass.
"Hortense," said Lydia tensely, Il
want to see George. May II"
"Why, yes, of course" said Hortense.
'I have just left him. came after
these flowers for his room Go right
up; it's the first door on the left at
the head Of the stairs. Oh, Lydia, I'm
so glad you came; it is very good Of
you; it will make him so happy. Ever
since l.e was hurt he has
"Oh, I know, but it wasn't my fault;
that's what I want to explain
The door Of Georges room was open.
His face was turned from Lydia as she
entered the room and he did not look
toward her, thinking it was Hortense
returning with the flowers. 1t was not
till she stood over him, her burning
glance of sympathy on him, that be
looked up; then he flushed and started
to sit erect.
Don't, don't George she cried, and
she laid her hand softly on his brow
and gently pushed him back on his pill
low.
"It's kind of you to come" he said.
'I really was not-not expecting-that
is''-
"No; know you were not looking for
me, George, and wonder what you
have thought Of me- I've come to ex-
plain and beg you to forgive me. am
not quite as bad as I seem. George,
did not know of the shooting till we
returned from Atlanta. heard the
danger was over, but I at once wrote
you a letter. have just discovered
that mother intercepted it. Not hear
ing from you, wrote another. It also
was intercepted, but, not knowing that,
I took your silence to mean that you
wished all to be over between U.s."
Buckley was staring at her fxedly.
What did you writer" he asked.
She was silent; the warm color was
mounting into her fine face; her eyes
were downcast.
Don't you want me to know now
what the letters contatned:' he ques-
toned gently.
IL don't see how / can tell you,
George, unless Sbe paused.
"Unless," he prompted, the fire Of
hope almost afame in his eyes-"un-
lessw
"You see," she said, Il don't know
how you feel about me right now, and
when I wrote it was under the-men-
ory Of what you said that night In At
lanta."
81 could never change, Lydia. love
you with all my life and soul. am
famishing for one little word Of hope
from you Did your letters
II told you frankly in the first one,
George, that I loved you, that was
tired Ct the way I was being treated
at home and that If you wanted me I'd
come to you in spite Of all the world
and consider myself the luckiest won-
an alive to be your wife, but when you
did not answer hoped there was some
mistake, so I wrote another note tell
ing you I had received no reply and
that If I did not get one I'd take 1t that
you wished everything over between
US. Oh, George, I have been very un-
happy! I never realized low much I
loved you till I knew you were lying
here wounded, and T. She covered
her face with her hands and began to
sob softly. He reached out and drew
her hands down and held them, while
he feasted his eyes or hers.
"God bless you, little Woman!' he
said. 1T seems like dream. can't
realize that you are here telling me you
you really care for me and are will
ing to be my wife. Oh, darling, I'm
afraid I'll awake. It can't-can't be
truer'
1--WE loved you for a long time" she
said gently, returning the pressure OF
his hands, "but I did not realize 1t til
that night in the summer house, when
I overheard Governor Telfare insult
you as he did You seemed king
among men when you spoke to him as
you Gid, and what you said about your