The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-09-29

"I have no reason for this
conclusion.-this hope" admitted Mr..
Ransom. TT is instinct with me, an
intuition. and not the result Of my
Judgment It came to me when she
first addressed me down by the mill.
stream. II you consider me either
wrong or misled. confess that l shall
not be able to combat your decision
with any argument plausible enough
to hold your attention for q moment"
but don't consider you either
wrong or misled." protested the other.
'That is," he warily added, II am
ready to accept the correctness of the
possibility you mention and after.
wards to note where the supposition
will lead US. OF course. your first SEN
sation is that Of relief"
1T will be when am no longer the
prey OF doubts"
Notwithstanding the mystery?"
Notwithstanding the mystery. The
one thing l have found it impossible
to contemplate is her death; the ,ex.
tinction Of all hope which death alone
can bring. She has become so blend
ed with my every thought since the
hour she vanished from my eyes and
consequently from my protection. that
] should lose the better part of my
self in losing her, Anything but that,
Mr.. Harper"
Even possible shame?"
"How, shame?"
Some reason Very strong and very
vital must underlie her conduct II
what we suspect is true, and she has
not only been willing to subject you
and herself to seeming separation
by death, but to burden herself with
the additional misery Of being obliged
to assume a personality numbered by
such drawback to happiness and
even common social intercourse as
this Of the supposed Anitra."
"You mean her deafness?"
: II riean that, yes. What could Mrs.
Ransom's motive be Of the woman
sleeping yondsr is Mrs. Ransom) for
90 tremendous a sacrifice as this you
ascribe to her? The rescue of her
eister from some impending calamity?
That would argue a love of long
standing and of superhuman force:
one far transcending even her natural
affection for the husband to whom she
has Just given her hand. Such love
under such circumstances Is not pos
sible. She has known this long lost
sister for few days only. Her sense
of duty towards her. even her com.
passion for one so unfortunate, might
lead her to lisk much, but not 90
much as that. You must look for
some other explanation; one more
reasonable and much more personal"
"Where? where? I'm all at sea;
blinded. dazed, almost at my wits
end. can see no reason for anything
she has done. neither understand
her nor understand myself I ought
to shrink from the poor creature
there. sleeping Off don't know what.
But I don't. feel drawn to her, in.
stead, irresistibly drawn, as II my
place were at her bedside to comfort
and project"
At this impulsive assertion spring.
ing from depth of feeling for which
the staid lawyer had no measure, a
rerrlexed trown chased all the URBAN
ity from his face. Some thought, not
altogether welcome, had come to dis
turb him. He eyed Mr.. Ransom close.
- liOin unuti 4.S LIU.ueo U.U~r. Ia,
could dc this now with impunity, 1or
Mr. Ransom's, glances wele turned
whittier his thoughts and inclinations
had wandered.
II would advise you," came in slow
comment from the watchful lawyer,
mot to be too certain VI your con-
clusions till doubt becomes an abso.
+, lutte impossibility. Instinct is good
thing but It must never be regarded
as infallible. 1t may be proved that
1t Is your wife who has fed, after all.
/ In which case 1t would be great mis-.
! take to put any faith in this gipsy
girl, Anitra."