The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-25

feet. The hack was swinging down the last long hill that dropped to the river. the hack that held Gresham.
 Bettie got her lips into something that resembled a smile. She meant to come down the church aisle doing a ragtime that would set all her jewels quivering; she meant to have her bridesmaids fairly swooning with envy when she made her brilliant exit from the village life.
 As the hack, still far of and crawl ing along like an ugly black beetle, came in sight Bettie snatched some thing from the treasure box and held it tightly as she flung the box over into the river.
 "Bettie," said an amazed voice at her elbow" what on earth are you doing?"
 I'm telling myself goodbye" she said, I'm going to be- and flashed about, I'm going to be-" "Is that part of yourself. Betty?" Betty looked down at the little home made valentine in her hand and laughed tride wildly. "Of my past she said, and waved a small tragic hand in the direction of | the hack. My future is approaching. I'm going to be-" "Bettie," the cry would have gone | straight to the heart of a woman who
 loved him." you couldn't! you would not!'
 T could. would, am." in passion | ate incoherence." It's just that down | in the bottom of woman's silly heart | she wants"
 But Bettie's lips would not finish it. | She stood motionless, her eyes fixed on the black thing creeping nearer. That's it." the boyish voice said quietly" It's just that down in the
 bottom of your heart, your golden, beautiful, woman-heart, Bettie. there is-"
 | "what?" her panting breath shook
 her.
 1 Love for me-" said the steady young voice. He drew her hands together
 between his own. T toddled and l tumbled over the grass and into your heart when a pretty small chap. didn't
 I Bettie?"
 But Bettie did not stir or speak. Her dilated eyes were fastened on the hack. | "Bettie," the deep. boyish voice was
 husky, "love's just love-no more, no less. Since I gave you that kiss you've I You are far more dear. l could never tell you how much more--the root of
 my morality, my courage, my inspira- ton"
 Bettie freed her hands with a wrench. She looked at the lean, pow lerful young figure cleanly cut against
 the fading light with hard, defiant eyeA
 "It's no use," she cried I'm tired | of being starved of all that's beautiful
 and desirable in life; tired of standing like a beggar girl at the closed gate ] of world l may not enter; tired Of | eating my heart out to get beyond these hateful hills, and so I am going | to marry him."
 | eho ,rayad har bandkarnhfef frantic- l ally, and caught an answering hutter. The hack was almost on them. | q never meant that you should beat your life out here," the boy was pant ing now;" life doesn't have to be lived here. We have youth and health and hope. Won't you put your hand in | mine for the climb over these big hills,
 Bettie?'
 Bettie's lips twitched; her face went
 very white in the gloom.
 Tt is so hard? Too hardT' | The hack rolled up on the bridges
 approach and stopped. Gresham climbed down somewhat laboriously You don't think you can. Bettie?" | The voice swayed to her as from a great distance, you don't think" She couldn't think. She had no | thoughts She was only struggling, l battered bit of humanity, stranded on | this change of current, and tossed by | wave after wave of doubt. l Then goodbye. Goodbye, dear; and | God bless you"
 "Bettie, are you there?" Gresham's | big voice boomed out on the bridge.
 For one reeling moment the world
 swayed about Bettie; 1t then lighted itself.
 | Let's run" she gasped as her fin- gers closed down on the strong. lean | young fingers so near her own. Let's run as we used to when-When to run | seemed best"
 She flashed past Gresham. midway on the bridge, like a swift white bird
 As the hack rolled off the bridge Gresham took off his spectacIes and
 wiped his perplexed middle-aged eyes; | then he took off his hat and mopped his perplexed middle-aged brow.
 Dusk lay on the world like wide purple flower, and through its haze he saw that they were running lightly, hand in hand like children, headed for the low, gray. weather-beaten house that had for it's background an orchard at that moment glorihed with lumin- ous promise ot a climbing moon. I