The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-10-24
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- II a " III
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! Two Meetings

{ A railway station-filled with
crowd of folk, some laughing, some
crying, some pretending-some not.
Victoria-at II o'clock, and the
boat train for Dover.
"Good-by, Jim. take care of your
self" The tall girl gathered her
worn cloak closer round her-the
lady who held the door handle of the
next compartment, frst-class, was
robed in sables Il wish I were COM
ing too"
80 do I, old lady" A handsome
man bent forward on the seat of the
third-class carriage, and his hand
CLOSED over her slim ungloved fingers
with tender pressure.
His blue eyes looked most suspi
ciously moist-but what Of that? 1t
lis not every one who can afford to be
Gallous.
1T seems such long time-three
years, JIM" the girl said again, and
there was a break in her voice. "And
it's such a chance, a mere"
"a mere chance-yes, the man
echoed; "but we must just trust TO
chance, Monica; it's the only thing
ITO be done, dear. Keep up good
heart, because I shall be coming back
fn three years time. Think of that,
little one. Three years, perhaps to-
day, this very day, you may be stand
ling at this very station, waiting for
my train to come in; and 1 shall dash
put-I shall be hungering for the
sight and feel of you, darling, and
you will throw your arms around my
neck"
"Jim!" the tears so bravely with
held up till now overflowed at last,
and fell on to the neat but worn
cloak.
The lady in the furs turned at the
sound Of the pain-flled tones, and
her own voice grew little husky as
the trains steamed off.
Goodbye, Monica, my darling!"
: "A moment later Monica Ward was
standing on an empty platform, with
du empty, aCuluS uedFI.
A hand touched her shoulder.
, Can 1 take you anywhere?"
pleasant, sympathetic voice said. 1t
was the lady in furs. 81 always think
the first few moments are the worst
-afterward-
"Afterward," repeated Monica in
dull tones.
"Oh! afterward one gets accus-
toned to it," returned the other
lightly, "and one wonders why one
felt so much. Come, will you let me
Gust drop you anywhere?"
= It seemed all one to Monica Ward
what she did, and where she went.
She nodded, and tried to smile.
Thank YOU" she said, 'it is very
good of you to trouble yourself about
stranger"
after alive are sisters the
other said a little dryly. Come"
And for the next half hour Monica
;bowled along in the lady's carriage,
behind pair of prancing chestnut
horses.
She did not remember till she
stood once more in the little room,
which looked so deserted now that
Jim had gone, that she had never
found out tho name of her friend in
need.
And the days. slipped into weeks
and the weeks into months, and all
the while Jim Ward, in a distant
country, was trying to court the for
hume which had failed to smile on
him in England.
''It's due now. miss, quite due, and
1 don't think it's more than a few
minutes late
Monica Ward, tall and slim, with
the pretty color coming and going in
her soft cheeks, stood once more on
the platform awaiting the train.
Suddenly there was a noise-a
putting, painting sound, and the train
was in.
Monica's heart beat fast, and she
was so excited that she could hardly
see anything in front of her. Jim
was coming home-home-.
Was this Jim?-this man coming
toward her with Jim's face, and yet
not his face-with rolling gait and
UnEteady eyes?
She shuddered; her color forsook
her cheeks, her eyes looked fright
ened-her feet shook so that she
could hardly stand.
r After all, as the other woman had
said, one gets accustomed to it. Bet
ter-far better-if he had stayed
away altogether than return to her
like this!
Involuntarily she took step back
ward; the advancing man noticed it
and her.
My pretty dear" he cried thickly
and Monica was just recoiling in
horror when man laid his arm OF
hers.
Monica" well-known voice
said.
She turned Jim. the -ea, Jim