Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1907-03-08


of the poor to one another also was
another thing to wonder at. She
liked the people, and they liked her;
they were friends.
Polly did her errand expeditiously,
and when she returned the baby had
just risen, who appeared contented
with his new nurse.
You did not see the gentleman, l
suppose, Polly?" said Joan.
yes, Miss Joan, did, and he gave
me half-a-crown"
Polly, you didn't take it,"
We'll, l did; he remembered me;
he told me to buy something for the
baby. He's that sort, Miss-master-
full do like i'm"
Joan smiled, but a little SILVER
passed through her, nevertheless.
Masterful? Yes, that was the word.
Could she suffer herself and her life
to be dominated? Would the long
struggle not be better after all? She
held the baby while Polly got her
uncles tea ready, then went back to
her little room to wait. 1t was now
five o'clock. BY six, or soon after,
she calculated her visitor must ar
rive, or a letter explaining that he
would not come.
He was very methodical in his ways
and careful in his courtesy. There
was nothing of the Bohemian about
the man to whom she had written:
he left nothing to chance. Therefore
he came to answer the letter in per-
son.
He was a large, tall man, whose
presence seemed to fill the little
room, making it appear smaller by
comparison. Not quite young, he had
a fine, open, clever face, though it
was not the kind of cleyerness Joan
admired.
1t was the capacity to get on, to
grasp the main chance, to make the
best of every opportunity; so she had
judged from an acquaintance now COW
ering a period of three years. But
in this her judgement had shown its
limitations. There was another side
to John Westcote, which as yet she
had not touched. He put down his
hat, and looked at her with a great
depth of compassion on his face. He
ran his fingers through his gray hair.
as if something perplexed and worried
him.
you look wretchedly ILL., he said
quickly.
q feet it," she answered dismally.
Il may as well own up. I'm at the end
Of all things. Twelve ben paid off. >
I'm not surprised" he answered
as he knit his brows. 1--WE been ex-
pecting it."
"Why?"
Why, because you have been the
round peg in the square hole. 1t was
impossible that you could satisfy
those vampires. l know their tribe"
why didn't you warn me?"
Dear woman, l did; and you told
me to mind my own business"
She family colored.
Il am sure l never was so rude"
Not in these blunt words, l admit:
but you drove it home. Now what
can | do for you?"
In the circumstances it was an ex-
traordinary, even a terrible question.
The occasion to which she had refer
red in her letter was one on which
he had asked her to marry him, and
she had declined. Her allusion to it,
she had imagined, would be sufficient.
She colored painfully, and drew her.
self up.
Il don't know why | wrote to you,
/ am sure, except that l felt desper-
ate, and wanted friend" she said
family
We'll, l am your friend" he answer
ed steadily. But l can't be purchased
at such a price,
What can you mean?" she asked
quickly.
What l say You would marry
me, Joan, because there is no other
way out But what would become of
us both? l love you as devotedIy as
ever, but will not make shipwreck of
both our lives. Believe me, if l were
to take you at your word, your last
end would be worse than your first.
| can wait or | can endure; but /
couldn't face that, my dear"
Sharply reproached, she had not a
word to say. She had held him too
cheaply. He began to rise in value
in her eyes, in proportion as he seem
ed to become inaccessible
But l am your friend; you have ac-
corded me the privilege, and am go
ing to take you in hand. You give up
this fat at once; let it, or do what
you will; and you go abroad. know
of little house near Dinard, where
you will be welcome, and where you
can recover your bodily and mental
health. And you will stay there until
give you leave to quit"
cat whose expense? I have twenty.
eight shillings in the whole world. y
Mine"
He spoke the word quite ruthlessly.
What does it matter? 1 have
money, there is no one to spend it on.
God knows how gladly | will give you
the very little you require. Payment!
There cannot be any question of that
between you and me. Don't you see
it will be something for me? Not
much, but something; it will make
perhaps little bond"
Mo-" she cried quickly. mot a
bond, debt, which would weigh upon
me. l can't do it,
Il am sorry you feel like that. I
don't think have deserved it. Joan,
I have effaced myself"
She walked to the window, drew
aside the yello,s blinds, and looked
out The rive flowed sluggishly, the
whole city sesmed to anguish in the
burden and heat of the day. She
stood there 30 long in silence that at
last he SPOKE again.
IF yoa don't do as / say, what can
the END be?" he asked gently. "You
will Pfeak down completely; then
there is the hosnifa1 and Heaven