Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1914-06-12

Il can't keep on coming out here
after this. as I've been doing, Sara"
Don't be silly! OF course you can.
This will blow over"
BLOW over?" he almost gasped.
81 mean the first effects. Try being
a martyr for a while, Leslie. It isn't
bad plan, can assure you. 1t may
interest you to know that Challis pro-
posed to me three times before
accepted him, and yet II loved him
from the beginning"
"By Jove!" he exclaimed, coming
to his feet with a new light in his
eyes. The hollows in his cheeks
seemed to fill out perceptibly.
Good night"
Il say, Sara, dear, you'll-youl help
me a bit, won't you? mean you'll talk
1t over with her and"
my sympathy is entirely with
Miss Castleton," she said from the
doorway. His jaw dropped.
He was still Illuminating over the
callousness Of the world in respect to
lovers when she mounted the stairs
and tapped firmly on Hetty's door.
Hetty Castleton was standing in
the middle of her room when Sara
entered. From her position It was
evident that she had stopped short in
her nervous, excited pacing Of the
floor. She was very pale, but there
was logged, set expression about
her mouth.
Come in, dear" she said, IN a
manner that showed she had been
expecting the visit. Have you seen
him."
Sara closed the door, and then stood
with her back against it, regarding
) her agitated friend with serious, COM
passionate eyes.
Eyes. He is terribly upset. 1t was
blow to him, Hetty."
II am sorry for him, Sara. He was
so dreadfully in earnest. But, thank
God, 1t Is overt" She threw back
her head and breathed deeply. THAT
horrible, horrible nightmare is ended.
I suppose 1t had to be. But the mock
cry of it-think of 1t, Sara!-the
damnable mockery Of it,"
Poor Leslie!" sighed the other.
Poor old Leslie"
Hetty's eyes filled with tears. ooh,
am sorry for him. He didn't deserve
It. God IN heaven, If he really knew
everything! If he knew, why l could
not listen to him, why l almost
screamed when he held my hands in
his and begged-actually begged me
to Oh, it was CHASTITY, Sara!"
She covered her face with her
hands, and swayed as If about to fall
Sara came quickly to her side. Put
ting an arm about the quivering
shoulders, she led the girl to the
| broad window seat and threw open
the blinds.
Don't speak of 1t, dearest-don't
think of that. Sit here quietly In the
air and pull yourself together. Let
me talk to you. Let me tell you how
deeply distressed I am, not only or
your account, but his"
They were silent for a long time
the girl lying still and almost breath
| less against the others shoulders. She
was still wearing the delicate blue
dinner gown, but in her fingers was
the exquisite pearl necklace Sara hat
given her for Christmas. She hat
taken 1t off and had forgotten to droI
1t in her jewel box.
II suppose he will go up to the city
early" she said monotonously.
Leslie Is a better loser than 20,
think, my DEAR said Sara, looking GU
over the tops of the cedars. "He viii
not run away"
Hetty looked up in alarm. "Yo,
mean he will persist INN his atten
tions," she cried.
"Oh, no. l don't believe you will
find him to be the bugbear you imag
inc. He can take defeat like man
He is devoted to you, he is devoted
to me. Your decision no doubt wrecks
his fondest hopes in life, but 1t doesn'
make a weakling Of him."
| uOll QultC ulluCi
HE is sustained by the belief tina
he has paid you the highest honor
man can pay to woman. There Il
no reason why he should turn his bacl
on you, as sulky boy might do. No
my dear, l think you may count Of
him as your best, most loyal frien,
from this night on. He has just sal
to me that his greatest pain lies Il
the fear that you may not be willin
to accept him as simple, honest, uI
presuming friend since"
ooh, Sara, If he will only be tina
and nothing more!" cried the girl wor
deringly.
Sara smiled confidently. II fame
: you haven't much to fear in that dire,
| ton, my dear 1t isn't in Leslie Wrar
, dall's makeup to court a second r,
| pulse. He Is all pride. The blow
, suffered tonight can't be repeated
least, not by the same person"
J 81 am SO sorry it had to be Leslie
! murmured Hetty.
BE nice to him, Hetty. He deserve
. that much of you, to say the least.
| should miss him If he found 1t impo
sible to come here on account Of"
| Il wouldn't have that happen fc