The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1907-01-31

! como 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, 50 vtvante, day and night since
that last time. Madame-fifteen years
ago, Is 1t not7'
/ Yes" was all Lady Featherstone
could ind to say In that moment Of
supreme emotional retrospect; ives,
fifteen years ego, M. Gressonier, I
think It is long time. truly" she
added, with an odd little laugh, "and
you see, ! am no longer girl, young
and romantic but q woman--a widow
with children. People change. M.
Gressonier. Old feelings change"
All, Madame-you say?" broke In
the Frenchman, pleadingly. "No. no:
1t 10 not sol The love Of mans life
changes not. But yet. it is true a
young girl soon forgets!"
mot soon." she corrected. "You
went away. You did not return. I
married-as all girls In society must
DO. never expected to see you again.
M. Gressonier. gurely you do not
wish to reproach me-after all these
yearsl'
She gave another little laugh en-
deavoring to place their interview up
on more commonsense and conven-
tlonal footing. The tension of this
nigh level OF sentiment oppressed her
as something bizarre almost theatre
cal; and yet her heart responded like
a sensitive instrument to the touch of
musician, to every word, to every
tone OF M. Gressonier. He perceived
ner embarrassment, and, with quick
adroltness, adapted his attitude to her
unspoken wish.
Let me explain" he said. 81 to re-
proach you? No! I went from you
Tor there was no other course open.
Tnen, when I would have returned,
| heard you were married. Madame,
| learnt but a week ago that you were
a W1dow-and, I am here! But why?
10 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 a 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. am a poor,
shabby old man. I should not have
come. You have forgotten all-alI. 1t
Is well. will leave you, for / have
learned what | 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
shock-she loved him still. With a
quick, shy gesture, she turned to the
shabby figure and held out both her
hands.
do not leave me-" she said simply.
II love you!"
M. Gressonier turned too, and a 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, sit is
too much My love-my own true
love-"
IF | marry you, said Lady Feather
stone, a few minutes later, Il lose all
my money-you know that, Paul?''
Money! he stretched out his
hands, deprecatingly. What of it? It
is not your money-no it is you your
self that | want, that I have wanted
ah, so lon,g!" Then he looked at her
with sudden anxiety. But your he
added 1T is a great sacrifice! I am
SO poor. You do not love me well
enough to give up your money!
Lady Featherstone sighed. 1t was
a great sacrifice, certainly But she
loved him. After ALL so long as they
had enough to live upon. She turn
ed her soft eyes upon Gressonier's
face.
EYES," she said, "I will give up
everything for you'll
There was a curious smile upon
Gressonier's face as he drew her to-
ward him and kissed her reverently
upon the forehead.
Mon angel" he whispered. Mon
ange! Mon angel"
The sudden striking of the little
clock on the mantelpiece awolxe Lady
Featherstone the next instant to "a
rude consciousness of the realities of
life once more, and she recollected
that in two hours she would have
to receive her guests.
II am giving dinner party to-
night" she began, and then stopped,