The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1905-06-07
nGoIng awayg pIsmay was in bis

| =
she said nothing but slowly measured
something into glass. He could not
see that she was trembling.
MAY 1 have a drinkf" he asked, as
she put down the tumbler.
She had intended to go now imme-
diately. She felt she had fingered TOO
long. but she could not refuse his
request. She held the cup to his lips,
and he drank slowly, looking at her
hands. which would tlutter away so
soon, like white birds of passage He
was very weak, and the tears came
into his eyes. The hands were so beau
tiful-so like her hands.
She took the cup and rinsed It care
! fully and slowly At the same moment
| little feet pattered along the passage
and baby hands beat upon the door.
She opened 1t and carried little Mar
gerry to the bedside. telling her to be
very quiet But Geraldson had turned
his face to the wall, and took no
notice Having looked at him gravely.
the child seated herself upon the door,
and began to examine the heap Of
treasures In her lap. Suddenly she
held out chubby hand with an en-
velope.
"A etter!' she said, emphalically, to
the strange lady. "a etterw
as it for me. dcarf"
"Ess. for 'oo!" She ran across the
room. and held it out, triumphantly.
The eyes under the sunbonnet glanced
at it with Indifference Then Mt the
name on it-a name with no address
the beautiful hands clutched it eagerly.
A moment after a touch on Geraldson's
shoulder forced him 70 turn.
Here is letter" said the quiet
voice, "to a Miss vlnlng. The address
is not finished. Do you wish it
| mailedT'
! At the thought of her so far away,
so inaccessible. Geraldson's eyes filed
| again.
mo. no." he murmured, turning to
the wall again, at isn't to be posted.
I haven't any right" The next min
ute he begged her. half-querulously TO
give it to him that he might put 1t
under his pillow. But the room was
empty. she had gone.
| Outside. on the verandn. she paced
nm and down with the unopened envel-
one in her hand. He had wanted il
back. She had known that even rs
she had closed the door, but it didn't
belong TO him. With her name upon it,
| It certainly belonged to her. But
ought she read it? Ought she? Well,
she didn't care-she must II was hers,
after all. Tearing 1t open, she saw
the tender superscription. and all her
scruples vanished like the wind. Then
she read it. to the end and kissed it
many times, and walking up and down.
longed, yet hesitated, 10 go back into
the darkened chamber.
Geraldson lay awake without any de-
sire to take up the thread Of life again.
! All his difficulties pressed upon him.
and he felt listless and dispirited in
his gloomy room. But a soft sound
the dra wing of the blind, the flood
| ing Of the room with sunshine caused
! him to turn with a faint revival of in
terest The light was the light Of sum
set. just bright enough to make every
| thing clear, and some one with shining
hair was standing near the window.
Surely he knew that polse of the
head. Only one woman carried her
head just like that! And yet he must
| be dreaming,
who are you?' he cried eagerly.
A clear voice came through the still
ness. 1--WE brought an answer to your
! letter"
my letter to her? But it wasn't ad-
| dressed. 1t wasn't"
There wasn't any need to send it.
You see, Elsie Vining isn't in Boston
just now"
Not in Boston! Then where is She?
Where Is she?'
She came toward him. He saw her
in the level sunlight as men see WIS.,
| ions
Don't you understand, Gerald?
Don't you understandT
1t was her voice. He raised himself
on the pillows.
elsie. Elsiew he cried.
She dropped on her knees beside him.
she gave him her hands and her face.
San Francisco Argonaut.