The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-05-18

pledge you my word that speak iron all kindness and sincerity. He handed her back the manuscript, but 1t Tel frcm her trembling hand. Her httl'
 could not but pity her. She was SC young. so foolish. so misguided.
 Finally she raised her eyes. wet with tears and said. Thank you for your advice, but 1t is SO hard on me" Then
 followed bursts of sobs.
 Nora" he said. unconsciously drop. ping the Miss you must not feel | hard toward me because have spoken SO plainly. It was all for your own good
 1 She arose and went to the window. | It was getting gray and misty and dtm. l and there she stood with her dyirg
 hopes in the dying daylight. Listen" he said. You know noth- | ing of life, You have only begun to | suffer. and not till after years of suf- fering can great works of genius be | produced. You will find this precti- cal world. learned that lesson. l was once considered rich. I was in love with a girl who. as I thought. loved me in return. Then a lawsuit arose and swept away my entire for tune. l appealed She, case to a higher court. where 1t IS now pending, but my lawyer has given up all hope of ever winning it. As soon as lost that suit the girl whom I liked best threw me everboard, and so here I am slav- | ing away on this old magazine" He appeared to be talking to him self He seemed to have forgotten her entirely. else this reserved. taeiturn | man would never have confided in a silly girl he scarcely knew. l Recovering himself, he quickly rose,
 and she. taking the hint, grasned Ter | reflected manuscript and hurried away. | t,a hoA at laa at I true te, the predictions of her poet | lovers. The air was so balmy. the sun | light so genial, that Jack determined. | one Saturday afternoon, to take a walk through the suburbs. Passing out of
 the noisy. dirty streets, he walked
 through the green lanes beyond the city limits At last he reached the limits
 of the town itself. and as he passed by
 modest iittlo brown cottage he met
 face to face with Nore herself at the | gate. N
 He was not only startled by seeing | her so suddenly. but by seeing her SC changed In appearance. She was evi- | dently just out after q long illness. Her | big brown eyes seemed bigger thar | ever in her little tain. white face; un- der them were dark circles. Her hatI | had been cut short like a boys, and only few little brown ringlets were left. She was leaning for support against the gate. and her small hand was emaciated by long suffering. You have been ili." he said. T am very sorry"
 | "Yes; few days after I saw you I last was taken with a slow fever. and have never been out of the house until | today"
 T am sorry. did not know yor were | sick. Nora. I hope you will soon be en | tirely we'll" he said.
 | As he passed by her house the next
 day he brought her same flowers beautiful red roses--and hoped that her | cheeks would soon be as red as they.
 Was 1t a coincidence that brought Nora
 to the gate just as he passed hy7 | The southern Household Magazine
 was fast becoming burden on its own | er's hands. Jack saw his stock in At depreciating every day. Each month | showed a financial loss. It sbade fair | to soon Join the long list of defunct Southern magazines
 | During those days he often found | time to pass Nora's house. though he seldom went in. He found that with lher he could be perfectly frank, and he Tiked to talk to some one whom he | was not compelled to adopt the usual 1 rigid reserve. This simple girl ap-
 pealed to him in peculiar way.
 One day. in passing by, he asked hei l to walk short distance with him ' returned and went with him. Well" he said, after awhile. 'the
 Household Magazine has gone to the | wall"
 l Had he said: 'The rock of Gibraitat has toppled over," Nora could not have | The Southern Household Magazine. that august periodical which she and all other rejected contributors held in such awe-to think of its being fallible! l Nevertheless it was true. | And I have made up my mind to
 leave town and go east" he said.
 Leave town-7go eastY' she sasped, uplifted to his in astonishment, and
 at the sweet face. which was pale with pain.
 | Yes" he replied. simply | And you are going away. never,
 never to come baokT she asked. They had both stopped still She said nothing.
 T go alone" he said. You will re-
 member that I once told you loved . | girl who deserted me when l lost my
 money I would have felt able to stand anything had she not turned against
 me. but I had to fight the battle alone There, just as here. shall be alone ]"
 oh" she replied. why do you care
 for her longer? If I were a man, ]
 would not care for any girl that cid not
 care for me. Why, If loved man. I'd
 stand by him always, and follow him
 to the end of the worldr' ,.s
 T do not care. for her. any ionger."
 he answered. ..--, -. t..- -.-is St
 They had in the meantime resumed
 their walk, and, silent and dejeotad found themselves in front of The House hold Magazine offiee. Expecting to md some mail on his desk. he took her with him to the office It was now de- serted the magazine had suspended, and the few employees still connected with it had gone away for the even- ing On his desk was a telegram and a note.
 He hastily read the telegram; 1t was from his lawyer, and said;
 The Supreme Court has reversed your case. You win a great victory. Accept hearty congratulations.
 Ills head swam in a delirium of joy. He grasped the notel 1t was from his former fiancee, and said; T have just heard of your winning the great lawsuit. Accept my warm ing congratulations. Why don't you come out to see me7 Yours always, Rose e"
 He took her hand in his and led her to the window She did not attempt 70 take 1t away. but drew close to him, as any child might have done.
 Nora" he said simply, ''1 love you. Do you love me?.
 Yes" she said, simply, dropping her eyes and, drawing nearer still,
 He took her face between his hands. lifted it toward hIs, and kissed her.