The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1905-03-02

"a N heart of hers
She was a tall and
pteaSant-natured girl who, having
married a man two years before, by
the advice of her friends and against
her own feminine instincts, had been
deserted for her pains after a brief
twelve months of married misery; by
one Who had turned out a reprObate of
the finest water. The crueleSt part
OF 1t was that, though the iron letters
OF matrimOny still lay upon her, the
black Shadow to which she was
fnxed had made no sign after his
Night, had sent no token to say
whether he was alive or dead, or if he
would return some day
and while poor Jacques was thus
waiting there came on the scene hand
some young Captain Danegarth, fresh
from campaigning in the Philippines,
and he fell hopelessly in love with her
the very first time they met.
Had it been an ordinary case, Dane
garth would have been man enough to
get him gone at once when he realized
that fact. But it was not an ordinary
case, he told himself when his love
began to grow, and he to argue on it.
The Shadow might already have drunk
himself to death, he told himself; and
"a that were So MOI he could not,
and would not, leave her while all was
so uncertain Thus it came about that
the soldier circled ever near and more
the fame, and the poor lady was
Sn uPaainnS oil that hitter time tina
shallow observers said she had no
IleaTt, and only her close friends no
Gced how her hands frightened when
there came a chance ring upon the
dOor-beIl. At first she had been aware
OF the gallant captain only as a grace
4ut presence added to he circle of her
friends. Later on he became a wei
conn interest, and then, as he came
more often, and the magnetism Of his
hidden sympathy fell upon her, some
thing to ook for, something to which
her troubled heart, cropping about for
> encouragement and support, instructive
ly felt it could turn without chance of
rebuff.
AT last the poor, distraught captain
bethought himself of asking advice,
and, as often happens, got little good
by il. First, he went to a certain vet
eran colonel, knowing in the ways of
the world, and having pr~opitiated the
oracle with its most favorite cigars,
poured out his soul.
"Well, my boy said the voice OF
the old warrior from behind the blue
Havana cloud, there are but two
things to be done, and you won't par
hcuiarly like either of them. One is to
take the FOOLS way of desperation, and
the other the wise mans way of wait.
ing; you will wait, and a kindly PrOvi
dence viii make a note OF your good
behavior"
YES" said the downcast lover, 81
Suppose that is the only thing for it.
So the poor man went off, very little
comforted, his chin upon his chest
and Tor a day or two locked himself
IN b s%ecIusion of his rooms, brooding
and planning all sorts Of ridiculous
ways out Of the dilemma. He was
away so long that acquaintance be
gan to make inquiries of each other
when they met, while shaking theil
heads ominously-young men were 81
ampaGent-always trying to force the
hands OF Providence and oblige dull
footed time to jump according to theil
fancies. as for the lady, she, too
noted his absence, and as the color
which began to bud a little in he
cheeks died down again, she learned
for the first time, with a pang of self
ceproach, how sweet his presence haC
become to her.
Where mad he gone? She did no
Believe for a moment he would do any
thing desperate, but he might have
been wise, which was just as fata
from her point of view; he might have
fled while there vas yet time, and hei
poor little heart went where heroines
hearts are supposed TO be at the bare
.ldeaI She listened day after day witt
consuming eagerness for some mentor
OF him, and egged on his friends al
well as she could to gaake inquiries