The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-05-11

had shone on him In his curious
dream.
Are you very ill?" he murmured.
Speak to me-tell me-are you 20
Ing TO die?"
Don't be goose. boy"
I've had a wire from Ruggles."
Dan said: "he tells me It's true.
have nothing but my own feet to
stand on. and I'm as poor as Jobs
turkey" Looking at her impressive
ly, he added, Il only mind because h
Will be hard on you"
Hard on me-"
Yes, you'll have to start poor
Mother did with father. out there ip
Montana. Ii will be rough at first
but other have done IL and been hap
py, and we've got each other" The
eyes liked on her were as blue as the
summer skies. Moneys a darned
poor thing to buy happiness with.
Lefty. 1t didn't buy me thing fit to
Keep, that's the truth. I've never been
SO gay since | was born as | am to-
day. Why, feel" he said, and would
have stretched out his arms, only he
held her with them, like a king.
Later I'll have money again, all right
don't fret-and then I'll know its
worth. I'll bet you weren't all unhap.
py there in Blairtown before YOU
turned the heads Of all those John
Mes He put one hand against her
cheek and lifted her dropping head.
Lean on me, sweetheart" he said
with great tenderness. 1T will be all
right"
A coral color stole along her cheek;
IL rose like sweet tide under his
hand. She looked at him. fascinated.
Its not a real tragedy" he went
on. I've got my letter of credit, and
old Ruggles will let me hang on to
that, and you'll find the motor cars
and jewels will look like thirty cents
when we stand in the door of our lit
tie shack and look out at the Value
Nine" He lifted her hand to his
lips, held it there. and the spark liz.
nited in her; his youth and confidence,
his force and passion, woke a woman
In Lefty Lane that had never lived be.
fore that hour.
He murmured: "Pll be there with
you, darling-night and day-night
and day
She found breath to say. What has
happened to you. Dan-what?"
Il don't know" he gravely replied.
II guess l came up pretty close
against 1t last night; things got into
their right places, and then and there
l knew you were the girl for me, and
l the man for you. rich or poor"
He kissed her and she passively re-
ceived his caresses. so passively, SO
without making him any sign, that his
magnificent assurance began to be-
shaken-his arms fell from her.
It's quite true" he murmured. Il
am poor"
She led him to the lounge and made
him sit down by her. He waited for
her to speak. but she remained silent,
her eyes fixed on her frail hands, ring.
less-tears forced themselves under
her eyelids. but she kept them back.
Il guess" she said in a yelled tone,
you've no idea all I've been through,
Dan, since stood there in the church
choir"
American though he was, and down
on foreign customs-he wouldn't fight
a duel-he got down on his knees and1
put his arms around her from there.
Il know what you are, all right Let
ty. You are an angel"
She gaze way and burst into tears
h ;c
sobbed.
Il believe you dol believe you do.
You've saved my soul and my life.
Ill go with you'll go-Tll go!"
Later she told him how she would
learn to cook and sew, and that to-
gether they would stand in the door
of their shack at sunset, Or that she
would stand and watch for him to
Come home; and, the actress in her
strong. she sprang up for a minute
and stood shielding her eyes with her
slender hand to show him how. And
he gazed, charmed at her, and drew
her back to him again.
You've made dads words come
true" Dan wouldn't tell her what
they were-he said she wouldn't un-
derstand. IL nearly had to die to
learn them myself" he said.
She leaned toward him, a slight
shadow crossed her face as If memo
ries laid a darkling wing for a mo-
ment there. Such shadows must have
passed, for she kissed him Of her own
accord on the lips and without a sigh.
Side by side they sat for a long
time. Higgins softly opened a door
and saw them, and stepped back, un-
heard
Ruggles came in, and his steps in
the soft carpet made no sound; and
he looked at the pair long and tender.
lv hnfnro hn cnnLn rhou CO. H.