The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-01-25


and held out her hand.
Lady Featherstone-ah, Madame,
permit mel" With a grave reverence,
M. Gressonier raised the outstretched
hand to his lips
Madame" he murmured 1T is
long-so long-since last time!"
Lady Featherstone withdrew her
hand somewhat hastily; her cheeks
were suddenly crimson; what magic
was there in voice that could set
her heart beating SO at the first must
cal vibration OF its tones? Yes, it
was the voice of her girlhood's days;
the same low, tender, passionate,
pleading voice that fifteen years ago
had thrilled her, stolen it's way into
her heart, fingered so long after in
her memory and now again was sound
ing in her ears-the voice of the man
she had loved.
Then Madame" went on Gresson-
Ter, still with his eyes upon her face
fifteen years, is it not, the last time?-
then | said, one day, perhaps, l would
come back. Madame, ! have come;
| am here. Alas, you find me changed
but you-you, Madame, are the same,
more beautiful-no older-than the
girl whose face has lived treasured in
my heart and memory, so fresh, so
radiant, SO vivante, day and night since
that last time. Madame-ffteen years
ago, is it not?"
Yes was all Lady Featherstone
could find to say in that moment of
supreme emotional retrospect; yes,
fifteen years ago, NJ. Gressonier, /
think. 1t is long time, truly" she
added, with an odd little laugh, "and
you see, | am no longer a girl, young
and romantic, but a woman-a widow
with children. People change M.
Gressonier. Old feelings change"
"Ah, Madame-you say?" broke in
the Frenchman, pleadingly mo, no;
it is not so! The love of a mans life
changes not. But yet it is true--a
young girl soon forgets!"
Not soon,' she corrected. You
went away You did not return. l
married-as all girls in society must
do. never expected to see you again,
M. Gressonier. Surely you do not
wish to reproach me-after all these
years."
She gave another little laugh en-
deavoring to place their interview up
on a more commonsense and conven-
tional footing The tension of this
high level of sentiment oppressed her
as something biZarre-almOst theatre
cal; and yet her heart responded like
a sensitive instrument to the touch of
a musician, to every word, to every
tone of M. Gressonier. He perceived
her embarrassment, and, with quick
adrOitness, adapted his attitude to her
unspoken wish.
Let me explain, he said. Il to re-
proach you? No! / went from you
for there was no other course open.
Then, when | would have returned,
| heard you were married Madame,
| learnt but week ago that you were
widow-and I am here! But why?
To see you once again, to hear your
voice, to feel-it may be for the last
time, Madame-the pressure of your
! fingers upon mine! And, Madame, for
| something else-to learn whether the
heart of maiden can remain true
for fifteen years Regard me, Mad
anne! | am not young. | am poor
alas, your eyes are eloquent; they
tell me much. 1t is true. ain poor,
shabby old man | should not have
! come You have forgotten all-all 1t
is we'll / will leave you, for l have
learned what I wished to learn"
He turned to go Then a sudden
veil seemed lifted from Lady Feather
stones eyes. She saw before her
no longer an addressed, middleaged
man, sunk, as it seemed, in poverty
and failure, but the handsome, gallant
lover of her youth the man who had
loved her so long and faithfully, whom
once she had loved-ah, whom in her
heart she had never ceased to love
whom she loved STILL
Yes, the truth came on her in that
instant with the thrill of an electric
SuOChT- sic lONCQ 4llu oIllI. WIFI q
quick, shy gesture, she turned to the
shabby figure and held out both her
hands.
DO not leave me" she said simply.
Il love you!"
M. Gressonier turned too, and light
leaped into his eyes. He became sud
denly erect, he looked ten years young
r, he seized her extended hands and
carried them again and again to his
lips
"Ah, Madame" he murmured, 1T is
too much My loye-my own true
love"