Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1909-11-17
rel1,- sne replied, .he's the only

-Te1,- sne replied, '.he's the only
one that knows, and ne amt told yet"
When Mary Candy discovered that
Jim was beginning to "act foolish"
she promptly but kindly told him of
: the utter uselessness of his suit.
why don't you want to marry me,
Mary?" he asked in a dull, dazed way,
as if not comprehending the full pur-
port Of her decision. We've always
been friends, and you know you like
me-"
ST know, Jim," she said gently, but
like is not love, and n cannot marry
without love-"
"Do you love anybody else% ne
asked, %quickening a little. "I've heard
that you thought a good deal of Jack
Muffin and him Of you"
Mary Candy was not coquetting with
Jim Doty.
eyes, Jim, I do" she answered
frankly, "and Jack and I n to DE
married as soon as school closes for
the summer"
Jim choked, and the tears came to
his eyes.
Mother said I wasn't any Isl in the
world, and I guess I amt" he said
bitterly, hopelessly.
"Oh, yes, you are, jim" she encour-
aged him. "Your chance hasn't come
yet, but it will"
81 dunno" he sighed despairingly,
and, turning away, he walked slowly
homeward alone.f
The village knew what was the mat
ter with Jim for the next month or
more, but it was considerate Of his
suffering, and he heard no jeering
word mol the laugh that hurts.
Two weeks before the school closed
Jim was down at the railroad shops,
where Jack Murfn was foreman He
was there chiefly because he did not
happen to be elsewhere at the mo-
ment, and, he was sitting in the shade
whiting. Possibly he was somewhat
more active than usual and was think
ing, for he had just see Jack Murfn
walking across the yards toward a
gap in the fence, and he knew the
date Of Jacks wedding day. They
were not friends in the sense Of asso-
ciates, but Jack did not care how
much Jim enjoyed himself about the
place so long as he did not interfere
with business, and Jim had never
been given to interfering with bust
ness If it did not interfere with him.
Intent upon his thoughts, Jim con-
tinued whiting until presently he was
recalled to his surroundings by a shout
Of alarm, 1t was Jacks voice, and,
looking through the gap in the fence,
he saw Jack lying across the rails with
his leg twisted under him and his foot
fast in a frog. he had passed out to
the main tracks, and Jim heard q train
coming. Quicker than he had ever
moved before in ali his stagnant life
he cleared the space between them and
stood in the track over his rivals
body. The heavy engine coming down
udu UeeA ISfSioSO,s puI too AotSS oHo
no power on earth could stop it. But
Jim never faltered. Lifting the pros
trate man to a sitting position, he
wrenched his foot from the fatal
clutch, and.with a giants strength he
flung him outside the rails.
When Jim's body was picked up a
few minutes later a little life remain
ed-just a duttering spark, but enough
to give the light that never fades.
"Jim! Jimw cried Murin, taking
him in his arms
"It's ali right now. jack" whisper
ed Jim, opening his eyes and smiling.
Mary said / was some use in the
world and my chance would come
some time. Tell her.
His words had come painfully and
in gasps, and they stopped with the
sentence unfinished. But Jack knew
what to tell Mary.