The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1914-07-09
G01NRNG11Z 1872 ~ GG0R@

ner nervous, excited pacing OF the
floor. She was very pale, but there
was a logged, set expression about
her mouth
Come in, dear" she said, IN
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. It was
blow to him, Hetty"
I am sorry for him, Sara. He was
| so dreadfully in earnest. But, thank
God, it is overt" She threw back
her head and breathed deeply. THAT
| horrible, horrible nightmare is ended.
l suppose it had to be. But the mock
cry of it-think of it, 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
1t. 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 it, 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 1 am, not only on
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 had
given her for Christmas She had
taken it off and had forgotten to dro1
it in her jewel box.
81 suppose he will go up to the city
early" she said monotonously.
Leslie is better loser than yor
think, my DEAR" said Sara, looking ou1
over the tops of the cedars. He viii
not run away"
Hetty looked up in alarm. "Yol
mean he will persist in-in his atten
tions,' she cried.
"Oh, no. l don't believe you will
find him to be the bugbear you mag
inc. He can take defeat like a man
He is devoted to you, he is devoted
to me. Your decision no doubt wreck
his fondest hopes in life, but it doesn'
make a weakling of him"
Il don't quite understand"
HE is sustained by the belief tina
he has paid you the highest honor
man can pay to woman. There i
no reason why he should turn his bac7
on you, as a sulky boy might do. Nc
, my dear, 1 think you may count o.
him as your best, most loyal frien
from this night on. He has just sal
:, to me that his greatest pain lies i
the fear that you may not be willin
to accept him as simple, honest, III
y presuming friend since"
- ooh, Sara, if he will only be tina
= and nothing more!" cried the girl wo1
deringly.
Sara smiled confidently. IT fame
you haven't much to fear in that dire
. ton, my dear. 1t isn't in Leslie Wra1
= dalls makeup to court 4 second r.
pulse. He is all pride. The blow
suffered tonight can't be repeated-s
least, not by the same person"
y 81 am so sorry it had to be Leslie
e murmured Hetty.
u BE nice to him, Hetty. He deserve
= that much of you, to say the least
L. should miss him if he found it impo
sible to come here Oh account Of
~ Il wouldn't have that happen fl
u the world cried the girl in distres