The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1914-07-09
The
BIZ 3 Of Her Hand
George Barr McCutCheOn
81 OODD, /zEAD e. CO/13NY/

He is your dearest friend. Send me
away, Sara, if you must. Don't let
anything stand in the way of your
friendship for Leslie. You depend on
him for so much, dear. l can't bear
the thought Of"
Hush, dearest! You are first in my
love. Better for me to lose all the
others and still have you"
The girl looked at her in wonder
for long time. ooh, know you mean
it, Sara, but-but how can it be true?"
Put yourself in my place." was all
| chat Sara said in reply, and her COM
| panion had no means of translating
the sentence.
She could only remain mute and
wondering, her eyes fixed on that
other mystery, the cameo face in the
moon that hung high above the SOM
Der forest.
Poor Leslie" murmured Sara, a
long time afterward, a dreamy note
in her voice. 81 can't put him out
of my thoughts. He will never get
over it. l have never seen one SO
stricken and yet so brave. He would
have been more than a husband to
you, Hetty. 1t is in him to be a slave
to the woman he loves. l know him
we'll, poor boy"
Hetty was silent, brooding. Sara
| resumed her thoughtful observations.
why should you let what happened
months ago stand in the way Of"
She got no farther than that. With
an exclamation Of horror, the girl
sprang away from her and glowered at
her with dilated eyes.
my God, Sara!" she whispered
hoarsely. Are you mad?"
The other sighed. Il suppose you
must think it of me-" she said dis
mally. I'VE are made differently, you
and I. If l cared for man, nothing
in all this world could stand between
me and him. }
Hetty was still staring. you DOM
Challis Wrandall's brother?" she said
in sort of stupefaction.
| Sara shook her head. 81 mean this
, YOU would be justified in permitting
Leslie to glorify that which his broth
er desecrated; your Womanhood, N.
DEAR
| MY God, Sara!" again fell in ;
t hoarse whisper from the girls lips
q simply voice my point of view
explained Sara calmly. CAS- l sal,
/ before, we look at things differently.
: Il can't believe you mean what yo1
said," cried Hetty. 'Why-why, if
! loved him with all my heart, soul an
: body could not even think Of or
. l shudder to think of it,"
i Il love you," continued Sara, fixin
S her mysterious eyes on those of tn
t girl, land yet you took from me some
thing more than a brother. l Low
you, knowing everything, and l al
t | paying in full the debt he owes t
a you. Leslie, knowing nothing, is n
S less your debtor. All this is paradox
k zeal, l know, my dear, but we mus
}, remember that while other peopl
n may be indebted to us, we also ow
d something to ourselves. We ought
d take pay from ourselves. Please d
n not conclude that l am urging {
e even advising you to look with fave
l. upon Leslie Wrandall'ss honorable, si1
cere proposal of marriage. l am mer
It ly trying to convince you that yo
l. are entitled to all that any man ca
give you in this world of ours-w
y women all are, for that matter"
c. 81 was sure that you couldn't ask n
a. to marry him. I couldn't believe"
e. Forget what l have said, deares
it if it grieves you," cried Sara warmi
at She arose and drew the girl close
her. Kiss me, Hetty." Their lii
;" met The girls eyes were closed, b
Sara's were wide open and gleamin
IS ut is because l love you," she sa
l softly. but she did not complete tt
s. sentence that burned in her brai
To herself she repeated: ct is
Or cause 1 love you that would scour
s. you with Wrandalls!'