The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-09-27

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She sprcng to her feet, and her eyes
flashed.
conscience tells me 1 should; but l
can't. and it makes me very unhappy.
That was why l acted so badly"
"Your consciencer' he cried.
sOh, I know what a tumble and puz-
zle it must seem to your
81 only know one thing-that you are
going away tomorrow morning and
that shall never see you again"
The darkness had grown intense.
They could not see each other. but a
wan glimmer gave him feeting, misty
view of her. She stood half turned
from him. her hand to her cheek in
the uncertain fashion of his great mo-
ment in the afternoon. Her eyes. he
saw in the flying picture that he
j caught, were troubled, and her hand
trembled. She had been irresistible iG
her gayety, but now that mysterious
distress assailed her, of the reason for
which he had no guess. she was SO
adorably pathetic and seemed such
rich and lovely and sad and happy
thing to have come into his life only to
60 out of it. and be was so full OF the
prophetic sense of loss of her. it seemed
so much like losing everything. that be
found too much to say to be able to
say anything.
He tried to speak and choked q little
a big drop of rain fell on his bare
head. Neither of them noticed the
weather or cared for it. They stood
with the renewed blackness hanging
| like a drapery between them.
"Can-can you-tell me why you
think you ought not to go?" he whis-
pered finally with great effort.
NO: not now. But l know you
would think l am right in wanting to
stay. l know you would if you knew
about it: but can't, 1 can't. l must
so in the morning
81 should always think you right
he answered in an unsteady tone. al
ways" He wenA over to the, bench.
fumbled about for his hat and picked
it up.
Come" he said gently. 81 an goins
now"
She stood quite motionless fer full
minute or longer; then. without word,
she moved toward the house. BE Went
to her. with hands extended to find her.
and his fingers touched her sleeve.
Together and silently they found the
garden path and followed its dim
length. In the orchard he touched her
sleeve again and led the way.
AS they came out behind the house
she detained him. Stopping short, she
shook his hand from her arm. She
word
"Will you tell me why you so? 1t is
not late. Why do you wish to leave
me. when shall not see you again:"
The Lord be good to mer' be broke
out, all his long pent passion of dreams
rushing to his lips as the barrier fell.
Don't you see it is because can't
bear to let you go? hoped to get
away without saying it. want to be
alone. want to be with myself and
try to realize things. didn't want to
make a babbling idiot of myself. but
am. It is because | don't want another
second of your sweetness to leave al
added pain when you've gone. 1t is
because don't want to hear your voice
again. to have it haunt me in the lone
illness you will leave. But it's useless.
useless. 1 shall hear it always, just as
I shall always see your face, just as
have heard your voice and seen your
face these seven years, ever since
first saw you, child. at Winter Har-
bor. l forgot for awhile. thought it
was a girl | had made up out Of my
own heart, but it was you all the time
The impression l though! nothing of
then; just the merest touch on my
heart. light as it was, grew and grew
deeper till it was there forever. You've
known me twenty-four hours. and /
understand what you think of me for
speaking to you like this If bad
known you for years and had waited