The Pickens sentinel-journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1903-1906, 1906-01-03

was intercepted, but, not knowing that,
I took your silence to mean that you
wished oil to be over between U.s."
Buckley was staring ut her fixedly.
"What did you writer" he asked.
She was silent; the warm color was
mounting into her fine fnce: her eyes
were downcast
Don't you want me to know now
what the letters contained? he ques-
toned gently.
II don't see how can tell you.
George, unless She paused.
''Unless," he prompted, the fire Of
hope almost afamc in his cyes-"un-
less?'
"You sec," she said, II don't know
how you feel about NE right now, and
when l wrote 1t was under the-mem-
ory Of what you said that night in At
luntn."
II could never change, Lydia. 1 love
you with all my life and soui am
furnishing for one little word Of hope
from you. Did your letters
II told you frankly in the first one.
George, that l loved you, that was
tired Of tte way was being treated
Mt home and that If you wanted me I'd
come to you In spite Of all the world
and consider myself the luckicst wom-
IN alive to be your wife, but when you
did not answer hoped there was some
mistake, so I wrote another note tell
Ing you I had received no reply and
that If did not get one I'd take it that
you wished everything over between
us. Oh, George, l have been very un-
happy! never realized how much 1
here wounded, and ~ She covered
her face with her hands and began to
sob softly. He reached out and drew
her hands down and held them. while
he feasted his eyes on hers.
God bless you. little woman" he
said. ut seems like a dream. I can't
realize that you are here telling me you
you really care for me and are will
ing to be my wife. Oh. darling. I'm
afraid I'll awake. 1t can't-can't be
truc!'
"Tve loved you for long timc," she
said gently, returning the pressure Of
his hands, "but 1 did not realize it TIL
that night in the summer house. when
l overheard Governor Telfare insult
you rs he did. You seemed king
among men when you spoke to him as
you did, and whnt you said about your
respect for me and the sacrifices you'd
make rather than help link his life to
minc-oh, George, then I saw the diff
ference between you and him; he SEEM
cd dwarf in soul and body contrasted
to you. Afterward, in the parlor.
tried to show you how I felt, but you
misunderstood. did not blame you.
| could not have expected you to act
otherwise after his disgraceful con-
duet. I threw that In his teeth. too.
the other night in Atlanta. shall al
ways be glad did 1t. 1t was little.
but it wns all could do FOR you"
"You told him you overheard lt~
said George.
"Ycs; it was this way: He was beg
glng and imploring mo to give him n
final answer. l had not openly re-
fused him. was afraid he would
write to father and that father might
be affected by 1t, to his injury. But
the morning we left Atlanta Governor
Tclfare came t0 sec me and began
"S"' ny uiSc liz W lN"AiJ HILL h"'-
ly refHs,A. He then dared to speak dis
respectfully Of you, and told him just
what coward he was and how l
knew 1t. told him also that I know
about Mr.. Truitt's pulling his ears.
told him everything I could think OF
and sent him away with Il flush OF
shame on, his face. 1t may not have
been eXactly ladylikc but I lost con
troll Of myself. couldn't bear to hea,
him speaking lightly Of you"
"God bless you, dcarv George said
and he drew her head down and kissed
her on tho lips. God bless your
When Mrs. Hillyer returned hom
sho found them together. Lydia 81
on the edge Of the bed holding his hand
On their faces lay expressions that re
-.