The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-08-13
THE WELL AMID THE
 WASTE.
BY GARRARD HARRIS.


 anyone agreed with him. and the young woman, who had been the only other pas senger In the car for the last hundred miles, smiled in appreciation.
 "Yas. suh, de whole freight train is piled up in dat cut. and de railroad men say hit I'll be six houahs fore we kin git by hit" continued the porter.
 The young man gfoomily resumed the reading of a letter,--it was from his father, and he had read 1t several times before. Come on homo Tom, want you with me. I am getting old and need you Drop what ever you are doing and come on. I will see that you shall lose nothing by It. Your name goes in a partner in the business the day after you come, and that will be worth ten thousand a year to you. have married again. l suppose you have heard know you and Sarah will get on famous ly-and if you have wife. so much the better. Come on."
 It was the first kindly word he had got ten from his father since, on his twenty first birthday. eight years ago. he had left home to make his own way. Ills mother had died two years before, and somehow, when she went, it no longer seemed home to him. His father could never understand him, so he thought 1t better to leave and after drifting about the west three years, the remainder of the time had been spent on a remote ranch of which he had become part owner.
 There he had been isolated from all social life. He had not seen a woman. good bad or indifferent, in nearly two years. More over, he was too busy to think about them. Now on this long trip eastward he had time to reflect. His fathers words 'rf you have Q wife. so much the better."brought home to him the realization that he was offering upon the altar of mere gain, the best part of himself: his dreams. his youth. his opportunities. He was ike siant awakened, and looked at every attractive woman in a new light.
 He liked the girl opposite him. as soon as she entered the car. There was not a ring let clustering around the nape of her well rounded neck. nestling around her white forehead that he had not longed an hun dred times to touch. There was not a curve of her fissom form he had not appro- we'd; not fleeting smile left its impress upon her piquant face that he did not wish would return for him alone. She had lips formed for kisses and low. sweet whispers Her eyes were gray, dark and unfathom- able, with long lashes half concealing their mysterious shadows.
 "Nice prospect, isn't M?" he ventured to | the young woman. She looked out at the | last tints of sunset-great bands of orange | and sapphire radiating from the west | across the space of infinite blue above. | "Oh, I don't know-it might be worse." she responded with an infectious little laugh. +s
 "Come on, let's go up and look at the wreck-this being cooped up nearly runs me | wild" *.
  | side to stay in this car,' she responded | Tn minute-let me get my hat" she | answered readily. ---- ...s ...
 She put on a most bewitching hat. and. | as they stepped from the car he caught a l fIeeting glimpse of a dainty foot and ankle. | surrounded by pillows of entrancing white | frills All of which went to confirm him | in the belief that she was one Of the most attractive women- he had ever seen They | idled away half an hour watching tho ef- | forts of the wrecking crew to remove the 1 debris The foreman said six hours would | be a conservative estimate of the delay which would be occasioned; 1t might be more. Dusk was approaching. and they wander | ed about the old fields adjacent to the | train. He broke for her great sprays or | locust blossoms-sprins's sweetest offering | to warm. languid days and torquoise skies At last they sat under tree in full | flower, a living censer of perfume, which | showered them with white petals at the passing of each vasrant breath of wind | As they sat watching the full moon rise l in mellow glory. the face of the woman | held a radiance enchanting beyond express ion to him. He, too with his bronzed. | clear cut countenance and frame of young l Hercules was a sight good to look upon | Almost involuntarily his hand sought hers | and in a moment 1t lay. warm and pulsing' | without resistance in his steady grasp.
 What Is your .name?" he asked breath lessly "I must know-I can't let you drift | out of my life-I want to Know you better! | ''Hush9 she said in low voice. What do mere names matter? You and are but leaves floating on this silvered' scented sea | of rnoonlight-we are no more to eternity than these petals dropping about us They | have fulfilled their misson-what becomes | of them does not matter. Why are We any better?"
 But I want to know--I must know" persisted the man, leaning close to her The l perfume of her hair made his senses swim. | af her hand caused his heart to pound like l sledgehammer in his bosom. Almost With l out thought he put his arms about her and l drew her. unresisting, to him, until the eyes of the deep shadows looked closely into | his and her lips tempted him. She gave a little sigh of utter content and whisper l ed: Do you know, feel as though I have known you-oh, always. and that belong l right here?" | Then lips met lips. breath mingled with l breath fin a long, long kiss in which time | and space. and conditions were annihilated With a drowsy gesture of lazy happiness she raised her perfect arms and placed them about his neck, and pilIoWed ner heau on his arm. ~
 who are you. and where do you liver" Insisted the man with dogged persistence.
 Listen dear heart" she answered. "I 1 don't care to know your name; l am not going to tel you mine Tonight We live and love and are happy. tomorrow We go our ways and a gulf impossible separates us Do you remember that verse from old | Omar
 "'A moments halt-a momentary taste l Of being from the well amid the waste And lo!-the phantom caravan has
 reach'd
 The Nothing 1t set out from-oh. make haste! "
 There is no gulf can't cross-nothIng shall keep us apart" he answered sturdily. This Is the first bit of real love that has ever come into my heart I have dreamed | of you all my girlhood. and you have 1 come too late-too late" The wondrous eyes yelled full of tears. as she clung | closer to him. It took several minutes for him to comprehend.
 You are not" His lips reluctant 10 frame the word She sadly bowed her 1 head in assent
 Yes-married-sold by mercenary
 mother six years ago to a bloodless old
 curmudgeon old enough to be my grand
 father He Is miserly. mean. hateful-an
 old dog in the manReryou remember
 ahont the dog who couldn't eat' the hay
 himself-don't you?" she asked smiling
 through the tears, the man kissed her
 again.
 Get a divorce-I don't know who you are
 and don't give a cus-I know you are the
 woman I want and the one l am going tc
 have"
 "Ah. If only could And I want you There Is something about you. your eyes |, l your face. your way of taiking.-whief