The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-12-23
As the Fathers NiIEed

cathnr pleegod har Co TIN naD SfRss
because be WIS tuna Of his fsfAac.
He had no rlaht to 90 Il waea she wGs
20 yessg sRa gow that she had DO
erse Of age this unn was hotaiRs Fer
to IL. HSs father. William RovESa,
bad promised Fsaetan ErsithoWaate
that whom Myrtle waH q his gen Glt
bert shoula spend ct least month
with hor. altar which time, II they
agreed 10 marry Zach other. thoy
ahould beth receive $1e,eoo. Mr. Eow-
ard had provided for this tn his will,
and II they failed to marry. the meRey
was to go to certain charieaA
Gilbert was now fulfilling hiB "a.
thor's PROMISE. Ever sinee he had
come to visit his promised faReee be
had besn baked IN every way by her.
She only appeared ct the breakfast
table when he specially asRed IL the
sapo at lunch, and ho knew that she
| came to dinner only because enc must
treat beF fathers guest With COM
mon courtesy. With Gilbert, without
thought of the money II had eeen
lave at frat sight The thought that
he had come to try to vim her made
Myrtle hate him before he got there.
II be mentioned drive. wslk. teaais.
or even Just to cit and read or ts!s
she always had ready excuse. let
teTs TO write, oraers TO give to the ser
vants, or Some equally unnecessary
thing. He bad almost given up in des'
pair.
Myrtle bad not appeared az break.
Cast and be had gone for walk by
himself to tiy and make up hIs nina
whether to give In DOW or walt httie
| longer. She, too, Gas ca riding BY
herself trying to make plans. Eisha;
be must go away or she would. She
had dreamed of him all night. Why
vas he so good looking anyway? Why
couldn't she get him out Of her mind?
| The more she snubbed him the more
pleasantly he alniled. Oh. how she
hated him for It! just that morning
! she had founa some beautiful orchids
on her desk because at dinner the
ntzht hafnre she had astd che wa
fond OF them. Her frat thought than
had been to crush taea, but they
were too bsasutiful
She vas 80 euErassea In her
thoughts that she did Rot gee Gilbert
sitting By the roadside until the sDir-
ited horse etartea and reRo on heT
launches. He inaRed up quickly saa
canght the bride.
:. sorry to have stArtlsd you." ho
said. "Are you going far ride7 why
didn't you ask me?
"simpiy because I wanted to DO
alone"
Very well" be said and touched hts
hat.
Myrtle bit her lip and uneonscionH-
" touched the horse with her spns.
ue reared and striking out wildly
caught Gilbert ON the shoulder. knock
Ing him down. Myrtle thought ne had
been struck on the head. The blood
ruehed to her brain. her heart !eaped
an II 1t would leave her, body. she
snA frem her saddle and vas beside
him IN q moment.
"etlbers. ere you hurt? Tell me. Oh
spaak to me!
Her vheie frame was trembling.
her eyes were wet He sprang TO hi9
sese and caught her by the arm.
"l'm not hurt-Myrtle!"
They were looking into each osheTe
eyes: HE breath was coming fast.
nninsully; her heart had seemed TO
stop beating.
Myrtle" he said again. "Yon
cared! You cared if | were hurt! We
are not-not friends. yet you careal
Myrtle. look at me; I love you.
She drew away from him with a
feeling akin to fear. but that fear wus
mingled With a strange Joy. She bad
shrunk from his grasp. yet she longca
for him to take her again.
DO you hear?" he said. Il love
you. My little girl. can't you love
me?''
He caught her and drew her toward
him. Her pride fought hard. but her
heart was the victor. His arns closed
more tightly around her. he bent bic
head and kissed her. But foT that
kiss she might have resisted but y
seemed to take all her strength and
haif unconsciousiy she whispered Il
love you" Re crushed her to him
again. There was pause. No sound
reached them bat the twittering OF the
birds overhead.
You love ne" he said. With catch
in his voice III is too great to BE-
lieve."
"Is seems so strange. so inpossi.
ble." she murmured from Ills shout.
der. "Why only last evening We quar-
relied. In fact have quarreled with
you ever since you came. | don't see
how you ever could love me after the
way | have treated you. thought I
hated you. but it wRs just my pi:ds.
I had to love you and know why.
You are so strong, SO self.wllled. 10
much OF a man and-I lovaSp man..
So they sat In the silence OF their
great happiness, until be whispered
to her: Darling what clever men
our fathers were"
Beetle Hunting in Queensland.
A reward ot Is I'd. q pound was re-
Gently offered by the Queensland