The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1907-05-30
Continued from last week.
CHAPTER XIV.

Ariel as be came back into the
room. II shall not keep you
i long"
"Ah. please do!' he returned quickly.
beginning to tumble with the shade Of
a student lamp at one end Of the desk
LET me do that" she said. "Sit
down." He obeyed at once and watch
ed her as she lit the lamp and. stretch
ing upon tiptoe turned out the gas.
"No," she continued. seated again and
looking across the desk at him. 81
wanted to see you at the first possible
opportunity. but what have to say
"Wait." he interrupted. LET re tell
you why did not come yesterday"
"You need not tell me. know"
She glanced at the chair which had
been occupied by Mrs. Fear. Il knew
last night that they had sent for you"
"You didr' he exclaimed. "Ah. I un.
derstand! Sam Warden must have told
you"
"Yes." she said. at was he. And I
have been wondering ever since how
he heard of 1t. He knew last night.
but there was nothing In the papers
this morning, and until came here
heRrd no one else speak Of It. Yet Ca
MAIN is not large"
Joe laughed. ut wouldn't seem
strange II you lived with the Canaan
that I do. Sam had been downtown
during the afternoon and had met
: friends. The colored people are good
deal like freemasonry. you know. A
great many knew last night all about
what had happened and had their theo-
ries about what might happen today in
case the two men met Still. you see.
those who knew also knew just what
people not to tell. The Tocsin Is the
only newspaper worth the name here.
But even il the Tocsin had known OF
the trouble it wouldn't have been like
" to mention it. That's a thing |
don't understand" He frowned and
rubbed the back Of his head. There's
something underneath it. For more
than a year the Tocsin hasn't spoken
of Beaver Beach. I'd like to know
why"
"Joe," she said slowly, "tell me some
thing truly. A man said to me yes
terday that he found life here insuffer-
able. Do you find it soT
'"why. nor he answered, surprised.
"Dc you hate Canaan"
Certainly not"
"You don't find 1t dull, provincial, un-
sympathetic"
He laughed cheerlly. well, there's
this" he explained: II have an advan-
tage over your friend. see a more H.
teresting side Of things probably. The
people I live among are pretty thor
ough cosmopolites In a way. and the
life lead
"I think ] begin to understand lit
tie about the life you lead" she Inter,
rupted. Then you don't complain OF
Canaan?"
''Of course not"
She threw him q quick. bright, happy
look. then glanced again at the chair
In which Mrs. Fear had sat. "Joe." she
said. .'last night l heard the people
singing in the houses, the old Sunday
evening way. 1t took me back so!"
"Yes, It would. And something else.
There's one hymn they sing more than
any other. It's Canaan's favorite. Do
you know what 1t Isl"
"Is It Rescue the PerishingT"
taThat's it. Rescue the Perishing"" I"
he cried and, repeating the words
again. gave forth peal Of laughter so
hearty that it brought tears to his eyes.
"'Rescue the Perishing"
At first she did not understand his
laughter, but after moment she did
and Joined her own to it, though with
q certain tremulousness.
ut is funny. isn't it?" said Joe. wip-
ing the moisture from his eyes. Then
all trace Of mirth left him.. rs 1t really
you. sitting here and laughing with
me. ArielT'
1T seems to be-" she answered in
low voice. I'm not at all sure"
"You didn't think yesterday after
noon." he began almost in whisper
"you didn't think that had failed to
come because r. He grew very red
and shifted the sentence awkwardly.
81 was afraid you might think that !
was-that l didn't come because l
might have been the same way again
that | was when-when ! met you at
the station?"
"Oh. nor' she answered gently. mo.
knew better"
"And do you know" he faltered,
''that that Is all over? That 1t can
never happen again?"
ayes. know It." she returned quick
ly.
'Then you know 4 little Of what
efyou."
No. no." she protested.
YES" he said. You've made that
change In me already. 1t wasn't hard
II won't be-though it might have
been if-if you hadn't come soon.'
''Teii me something" she demanded.
ere these people had not sent for you