The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1914-08-19
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ILLUSTRATED 81 LAUREN STOUT

the companionship Of the trees. She
had known them every one-the black.
gum ana pale dogwood and gnarled
hickory, the prickly-balled button.
wood" the lowly mulberry and the
majestic red oak and walnut. They
had seemed friendly and plying coun.
selors, standing about her with arms
intertwincd. Now, with the rain weep-
Ing In soughing gusts through them.
they offered her no comfort She sud.
denly threw herself face down on the
soaked moss.
oh, God!" she cried "I love him
SO! And had only that one evening
1t doesn't seem just. If could only
have him, and suffer some other way,
He's suffering, too, and 1t isn't our
fault! We neither Of us harmed any.
one! He isn't responsible for what
his father did-why, he hardly knew
him! On, God, why must it be SO
hard for us? Millions of other people
love each other and nothing separates
them like this!"
Shirley's warm breath made q l,tt,o
fog against the etar-eyed moss. Sho
was scarcely conscious Of her wet and
cllnging clothing, and the soaked
strands OF her hair. She was so
wrapped in her dcsolation that she M
longer heard the sound Of the perse.
vering rain and the wet swishinp NJ
the bushes-parting now to q hurried
step thSt fell almost without sound IN
the spongy forest soil. She starte6
up suddenly to see Valiant before her
lie was in a somewhat battered
walking suit Of brown khaki, with n
leather belt and a felt hat whose brim,
stiff with the wet, was curved down
visor-wise over his brow. In an in
stant he had drawn her upright, and
they stood, looking at each other,
,drenched and trembling.
How can you?" he said with
roughness that sounded akin to anger.
Here in this atrocious weather-like
this!" he laid a hand on her arm.
You're wet through"
II don't mind the rain," she an.
swered, drawing away, yet feeling
with guilty thrill the masterfulness
Of his tone, as we'll as it's real concern.
I'm often wet"
Ills gaze searched her face, feature
by feature, noting her pallor, the blue
black shadows beneath her eyes, the
caught breath. uneven like a child's
from crying. He still held her hands
in his.
Shirley" he said, II know what you
intended to tell me by those flowers
4 went to st. Andrews that night, in
the dark, after I read your letter.
Who told you? Your-mother?"
mo, mol" she cried "She would
never have told mel"
His face lighted. With an irresist-
ible movement he caught her to him.
I"Shirley!" he cried. 1T shan't be!
1t shant. tell you! You can't break
our lives In two like this! It's un.
;thinkable."
I. mo, mol" she said piteously, push
ing him from her. you don't under.
stand. You are a man, and men
can't"
Il 40 understand" he insisted. ooh,
my darling, my darling! IT isn't right
for that spectral thing to como be.
tween US! Why, it belonged to a past
generation! However fsad the out.
come Of that duel, it held no dishonor.
know only too we'll the ruin 1t
brought my father! It's enough that
1t wrecked three lives 1t shan't rise
again, like Banquo's ghost to haunt
ours! | know what you think
would love you the more, II I could
love you more, for that sweet loyalty
but It's wrong. dear. It's wrong!"
IT'S the only way"
~ iStnO your. ,notbo, ,o.xn.
If she knew you loved me, she would
bear anything rather than have you
suffer like this. You say she wouldn't
nave told you herself. Why, If my
father"
She tore her hands from his and
raced him with cry "Ah, that Is It!
You knew your father SO little He
was mover to you what she is to me.
Why. I've been all the life she has
had. remember when she mended
my dolls, and held me when | had
scarlet fever, and sang me the songs
the trees sang to themselves at night.
| said my prayers at her knee till
was twelve years Old We were never
apart day Till went away to school,"
She paused. breathless.
Doesn't that prove what say?"
ne said, bending toward her. "She
loves you far better than herself. She
wants your happiness"
Gould that mean hers?" she de.
manded, her bosom heavng. TO see
US together - always = always! To
be reminded In everything lines
or your face-the tones OF your voice,
maybe-of that! Oh, you don't know
how women feel-how they remember
how they grieve! Two gone over all