The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-09-06

mist over everything - but he be-
lieved that Ferrars had slipped from
! the room in that nameless pause.
Res knew nothing more for certain
until Ferrars' hand closed upon his
! shoulder. Ferrars' voice itself seemed
! to come from distance.
| Here, then, take this. I've writ
! ten it; I've not told you-not broken
my word literally. I can't stay to
talk tonight; I have to be at the
! theatre by seven. and my friends are
waiting. She's staying there, at that
address, with friends, not far off.
Send this telegram to her with your
: own hands.
! Il tried to spare you pain by keep
j ing silence. She won't see you-of
! that I'm certain; so this is supposed
to come from a friend of hers, asking
her to be at the main park gate by
9 o'clock, on life and death mat
! ter. It's quiet there-the gates
close at dusk. Say nothing as to
how you found out, and don't go
near the house itself. Simply wait,
and call here tomorrow to tell me.
Old chap, it would be cruel to wish
you luck"
Some word rose in Dams throat,
but it was not sound. He pressed
the others hands and went out. AL
most unconsciously he dispatched the
/ telegram.
Nine o'clock! A thin powder of
snow was falling. Past 9! He stood
on there in the grip of the cold
lethargy because there seemed no
where to go-nothing more to live
for. And then, Lottie! Over there,
about to cross the white roadway,
came the dear slight figure that had
| moved through his many dreams. He
wanted to leap forward, to shout
her name; he could only stand
rigid.
She had paused, looking around.
Only the euro railing was between
them. Then she had seen him, and
given the thrilling little cry for
which he waited. She realized! To
her he was ghost from dead
past He could just make out the
deathly whiteness of her face in the
surrounding gloom. She had quiv-
cred back; she was going without a
workout of his life for ever!
"Lottie! Lottie, dear hear me!
One word-if you ever loved mel"
Not one-no, not one!". She
faltered it family, but with deter
mination that went to his heart.
Don't come near mel am not
worth it! It was not-not like you
to stoop to such a trick with a weak
woman!"
Hush! I won't move; I am not
going to frighten you, dear! Only
let me speak quietly; only tell me
what it all means!" He stood mo-
tionless on his side of the iron rail-
ing. sShe had changed-yes! There
was something in her attitude to-
night, in her chilling resolution, that
he had never known in the old days.
His Lottie!-yet not the Lottie who
had clung to him and .bade him be
strong and brave for her sake.
"If you knew what have suffered
you would forgive me this he said,
imploringly quiet. "It's all mist;
know nothing except that I have
done nothing to, forfeit your love.
had your cruel letter and would not
believe it; I came back home to tell
you so. You never meant those
words. Lottie, you can't-you won't
say that you have given to some
other man what you gave to me-all
that held precious in life. I worked
for you out there; I waited, for
your futures sake; I never will be-
lieve that you turned from me of
your OWL accord, knowing that
prayed for you on my knees every
nignt-.-that l."
It quayered off. His effort had
been made. He caught at the rail
and put a hand to his eyes. She was
looking down as if in deepest shame,
but without visible tremor.
"It is too late," she said in the
sane faint, cold way. II did not
realize you would take it so to heart.
There is no need to make a scene
here; I am known, and-and l
ought not to have been trapped by
trick like this. No, I can't tell you
any more than I wrote. I don't ask
you to forgive me, but just to forget
me. If you persist now, II must
go still farther away and give up my
work here. But if you're the man I
think, you'll go back and find some
better woman who will repay you
for all. I dare not stop; I must say
good-by."
"Good-by." The mans lips echoed
it in. far-away whisper. His star
ing eyes saw nothing now. The lump
in his throat could not be gulped
back this time. Only once his hand
wavered out, as if in hopes Of touch
ing hers, but the dear figure in gray
had gone.
Ten o'clock: A cropping, haggard
figure, he found himself back at the
Tn,