The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1914-09-16


reGection--the poor faded rose-tint
against the pale ivory of her slender
neck, and tho white hair. A littlo
quiver ran over her lips.
| Whatever the fact she whispered,
you and no other as long
as ! live"
She unlocked the bureaudrawer
then, took out the letter, and seating
herself by the table, read the remain
/ der:
81 write this in the old library and
Brisow holds my horse by the porch.
! Tie will give you this letter when l
am gone.
Last night we were dancing all
| OF us--;,t the ball. can scarcely be-
! licyo it was less than twelve hours
ago! The calendar on my desk has a
motto for each leaf Todays is this:
Every man carries his fate on rib
and about his neck Last night l
would have smiled at that, perhaps;
today l say to myself It's truc--its
truen Two little hours ago l could
have sworn that whatever happened
to me SassoOn would suffer no harm.
Judith, l could not avoid the meet
ing You will know the crcum-
stances, and will sec that it was forced
upon me. But though we met on tho
field, kept my promise. Sassoon did
not fall by my hand"
She had begun to trcmblc so that
the paper shook in her hands, and
from her breast, shattered by her
quick breathing, the brown jcssamine
petals busted down in her lap. 1t was
some moments before she could calu.
herself sufficiently to read on.
''llc fired at the signal and tho shot
went wide. | threw my pistol on the
ground. Thcn--whether maddened by
my refusal to fire, | cannot tell--he
turned his weapon all at olce and shot
himself through the breast 1t va"
over in an instant The seconds did
not gucSs-do not even now, for it
happened but an hour ago. AS the
code DEGREES, their backs were turned
when the shots were fired. But there
were circumstances cannot touch
upon to you which made them disap-
provc--which made my facing him
just then seem unchivalroua. saw
ii in BriStOW3 face, and liked him the
better for it, even while it. touched
my pride. They could not know, of
course. that did not intend 10 fire
Well, YOU and they Will know it now,
And Nristow has NY pistol; he will
find it undischurgcd thank God,
thank God!
"Hut VIII that matter to you? II
you loved SaSsoon, | shall always in
your mind stand Us tho Indirect cause
OF his death! 1t is for this reason |
I'm going away could not bear 20
look IN your accusing eyes ana hear
YOU say It. Nor could | bear to stay
mere, reminder to you OF such a
horror. II YOU love me, YOU will write
ana call me back TO YOU. Oh. Ju-
dith, Judith, my own dear love! |
pray God yon VIII"
she put tue lcttcl own ana laid
her race upon IT, Beauty! Beauty"
she whispered, dry-cycd Il never
knew! ! mover knew! bat it would
nave made no difference, darling.
would nave forgiven YOU anything
everything! lou know that, now
dear! You have been certain Of it all
'heSe years mat have been so empty,
put u.hnn ~ ra,o,
Gown ana ,ho rnor .i.,,o ',,a',>, ~. W
moro hod hoo, IA haa,. ~, r ip
c,otb trnnk. ,",or ha. da Wy '''..
', 80" "' 80 n.y. oo" III 'he diin
BloN Oi Ine rcaulnB-lamp, with her
curling silvery hair drifting across the
inflow and tbo lo+tor honoo,r ..
i. ~ 80 a.
49, 49, ~"i' S"''o Soui eihS uo"u nef
And with the loosenine of her teara
gra duafiy and SOFTLY come ,cy ,,e