Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1907-05-23

they must part for a time. until he
could play again. until some OF the
big teams recognized his skill. un.
til his salary"
Perhaps he meant 1t in the moment
or perhaps he could not bear the
light of the dark eyes. suddenly
blank and eXpressionless. And then
he fell to moralizing. and told her
he had done wrong to win her and
spoke of his life and his habits with
something almost like a touch of real
regret. She chung to him and would
not listen. She loved him. and the
end of the world came with the mart.
ing.
Afterward he knew that he had
loved her then, for he felt his power
that day-and spared her.
He went away and left her tn her
dreams-but her eyes grew haunting
Months passed before his letters
ceased. and in them Before that time
had come the subtle change. the note
of depth, the tenderness. the longing
and-the WEAKNESS. But he told her
nothing of himself. and when thew
ceased, she could not understand
Again and again she wrote until her
letters came back Unclaimed
Valerie was absent from school in
those days, and lay upon a couch be-
side the window for silent weeks IN
a curious illness that defied science.
But when she found she did not die
that not even prayers availed to re-
neVe her OF the task of useless life
she rose again, and II was said that
she was well. She returned to heI
classes, and only now and then some
one remarked the strangeness Of
the dusky eyes.
One day-it was wild February
weather, and it's depression was upon
the school room-one day the strange
ness Of those eyes seemed to hold
wildness as well as gloom She fail
ed In lessons and seemed deaf to
questions and reproof. A teacher
asked II she were i'll again. She look
ed at the Questioner blankly, and an
swered NO"
That evening the janitor swept
from the floor a piece OF crumpled
newspaper. There was hardly more
than a paragraph upon it-a line or
two briefly stating that the player who
had been so popular early in last
season was in hospital at Chicago,
awaiting amputation of his leg, made
necessary by injuries received on the
diamond.
That night Valerie wrote an impas-
stoned letter imploring him to send
for her. She told him she would throw
her very life into the balance and
leave all for him-all for only a word,
1t was a foolish letter, full OF school
girl heroics, and sentences learned
from lurid novels, but there were
months of heart-breaking in it! She
was still young enough to love like
that-and she loved him!
1t was a foolish schoolgirls letter
but when IL came to him as he lay on
his cot, facing the ruin of his future.
and waiting-when it came, impas-
stoned, tear-blotted. pouring out her
wild love for him-he held it beneath
his cheek with two thin hands, and
forgot she was but a child mislead,
and thought what might have been of
life and love.
She had not long to look for his an
swer though the task was difficult
upon his cot, and the time for waiting
past And he told her gently: No"
He repeated his worthlessness, show
ed her the whole of his misspent life.
told her the whole truth about her
idnl-ond hof he
asked her to forgive him, and forbade
her to seek him. He could marry no
one now-and he loved her! Thus he
made his poor attempt at PREPARATION.
In the passing of the years, Vale
rie ceased to search the papers for It'd
ings, for she grew older, and she knew
at length that his day of little fame
was long :ince done. She grew older.
and the piteous something in her eyes
faded, and they hardened. She was
a woman now, a beautiful woman but
with weary curve on the red lips,
and a carelessness of friendship in
her cold heart.
Then Fred came-and loved her
The pain was old. and yet at first she
suffered freshly. But she saw the
end. Fred was true and noble, a ten
der heart, firm will, faithful love.
and she knew he was honored among
men. She did not resist him She
grew fond Of Fred, and used to him.
and when he asked her she consented
quietly.
She wore his ring and grew fonder
of him. His kiss no longer set that
icy hand upon her heart. She was