Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-19

You thought you had lost me
amended Miss Weston softly.
II knocked about a bit over
there" he went on. a rolling stone,
you know. Then I had whim to
come back TO England. Its no
good Disgusting it-I was on the
downward path. I'd lost interest in
things worse, I'd lost interest in my
self And then one day I met you
In the street. You remember? The
man you remembered as Harry Dut-
ton was dead then" he said, and in
his place there was a mere shiftless
ne'er-do-w l felt utterly ashamed
10 find your eyes on me. saw you
still believed in me. long after l had
lost faith or belief in myself. And
and ] resolved to try again to live my
life straight"
And now"
For close on a year-ever since
that day-Ive struggled. / think I've
left the wastrel behind. I'm trying
hard to be the man you thought me to
be. and / think I'm succeeding"
And you've come back at last?'
Yes, | wanted to see you again, not
as ! was that day you met me, but
as l am now. / wanted to win back
a little OF your respect"
"And-and you're going abroad
again."
quite soon. I've no ties, no wife
or family"
There's mel" pointed out Miss
Weston, with unprecedented holiness.
Have you forgotten me?"
D. tn ON
don't mean"
I've waited all these years for you
to come back to me" she replied
steadily. we were parted by Ill
chance. but / was loyal to the memory
of you, for / knew you'd return one
1ay!"
and l." he said. have been true
to you in word and deed, because all
my love was with you. Other wom-
en"-he dismissed them with gesture.
You were always the only woman
In my thoughts"
81 knew it." she said simply, and
told him how mischance had led their
paths apart those many years ago.
"Ah. II the past could but come
back again" he said. IF / only were
younger! But now l can not ask you
| to marry me. I'm getting old, I'm
poor And you-you're rich, ! sup
pose, and you haven't altered in the
| least.
Her Story.
Gently she smiled dissent.
But ! have something to tell you
she said. Uncle George left me all
his money but he left this house to
YOU Nine years ago he died, and
we inquired about you everywhere,
We advertised In the papers, too. but
could get no tidings Of you"
Nine years ago" he answered. 81
was up country, then. ] stayed up
country three years. That was why
was undiscovered"
We'll nine years rent is yours"
she told him. i've been keeping It
for you, waiting for you to come back.
So you see, you're not quite so poor
as you thought"
"And rot quite so rich as I'd like
to be-" he sighed I'D like TO be rich
enough to"
He paused
ITO WHAT" queried Miss Weston,
IanxiOusly Surely you're not going
TO balance riches against happiness
"Ive got my pride" he said, stub
bornly
And you've got your house" she
said And I'm going to move out OF
/ IL at hlEt. ltA must NoAAAN NAAb ~ y
| in your own house"
mo no." he replied, uncomfortabiy.
81 shall go" she said. with hrmness,
and added, artfully. thought after all
these years it'll break my heart to
| leave IT,"
"Then-then let me continue as
| your-your landlord. The house is
| far too big for me"
Il won't stay on as your tenant a
| day longer" she said. And it's going
/ 10 break my heart to go. Can't you
see what What I'm trying to make
/ clear"
NO" he said, In perplexity. 81
can't. And yet-but no. I'm too poor
and ashamed to ask you to marry
me"
Rubbish" retorted Miss Weston
with the most asperity she had ever
| been known to show Either you're
going to break my heart by making
me leave the old house, or else you're
going to let me stop on as your wife
| Which is it to be?"
Her unwonted brtskness gave way
! and she took a faltering step toward
| him,
Harry. after all these years
she quavered.
| MY little sweetheart" he whis'
| pered. and both he and she forgot
] that youth had left them.