The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-10-02

PAouioiuS I'd return the next Qay in
case his presence seemed indispensa.
BILE to his client.
That clients final word to him had
been an injunction to keep an eye on
Georgian's sO-called brother and to re.
port how he had been affected by the
news from Sitford; and when, in the
lull following the lawyers departure.
Mr. Ransom sat down in his room to
look his own position resolutely in the
face, this brother and his possible
connection with the confusing and un.
happy incidents Of this last fatal week
regained that prominent place in his
thoughts which the doubts engendered
by the usual character of these Incl.
dents had for while dispelled.
What had been the hold of this
strange and uncongenial Z man on
Georgian? And was his reappearance
at the same time with that Of a sup
posedly long deceased sister simply
a coincidence SO startling as to ap.
pear unreal!
He had not seen Anitra again and
did not propose to, unless the meet.
ing came about In a natural way and
without any show of desire on his
part The landlady. with q delicacy
he highly appreciated. cared for the
young girl without making her con.
spicuous by any undue attention. The
quiet OF the night remained unbroken
for everybody; even poor Mr.. Ransom
slept. He was up, however, with the
first beam entering his room. How
could he tell but that news of q
definite and encouraging nature await.
ed him?
At half-past ten the representative
of the county police called on Mr..
Ransom, but with small result. Short.
ly after his departure, the mail came
In and with 1t the New York papers.
These he read with avidity. But they
added nothing to his knowledge. He
hung the papers from him and went
out to gather strength in the open air.
There was corner Of the veranda
into which he had never ventured. It
was likely to be solitary one at this
hour, and thither he now went. But
q shock awaited lin there. A lady
was pacing les still damp boards. A
lady who did not turn her head at his
step, but whom he instantly recog.
nized from her Dress and wilful but
not ungraceful bearing, as her whom
he was determined to call, nay recog.
nize, as Anitra Hazen.
1t was the first opportunity he had
had OF observing her features in
broad daylight. The effect was q con-
fused one. She was Georgian and she
was not Georgian. Her skin was de-
cidedly darker, her eyes more lus.
trous, her bearing less polished and
at the same time more impassioned.
She was nc so tall or quite so ele-
gantly proportioned;-or was it her
rude method of dressing her hair and
the awkward cut of her clothes which
made the difference. He could not be
sure. Resolved as he was to consider
her Anitra, and excellent as his rea.
sons were for doing so, the swelling
OF his heart as he met her eye reused
again the old doubt and gave an un-
natural tone to his voice as he ad.
vanced towards her with an impetuous
utterance OF her name:
"Anitra!"
She shrunk, not at the word but at
his movement, which undoubtedly was
abrupt; but Immediately recovered
herself and, meeting him halfway,
cried out in the unnaturally loud tones
Of the vc-y deaf:
They don't bring my sister back
She is drowned. drowned But you
still have Anitra," she exclaimed in
child.like triumph. "Anitra will be
good to you. Don't forsake the poor
girl. She will 60 where you 60 and
bc very chrccdtiont sr1 not get angry
ever ,again."
He felt his hair rise. Something in
her look, something in her manner OF
making evident the indefinable bar.
r1er between them even while express.
ing her desire to accompany him,
made such disturbance in his brain
that for the moment he no longer
knew himself, nor her, nor the condi.
ton Of things about him. If she saw
the effect she produced, she gave
no evidence of 1t. She had begun to
smile and her smile transformed her.
The wild look which was never long
out Of her eyes softened into a mild.
or gleam, and dimples he had been
accustomed to see around lips ne had
kissed and called the sweetest in the
world flashed for moment in the face
before him with story of love he
dared not read, yet found it impossible
to forget or see unmoved.
"What trial is this into which my
unhappy fate has plunged mel"
thought he. Can reason stand it?
Can I see this woman daily, hourly,
and not go mad between my doubts
and my love?"