Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-06-04
TheHOllOW
b ! Of Her Hand
George Barr McCutCheOn
01o,10IH/o1 CZ0alT dAR0 H7sCu711zICY (ue1NUHZ

He mellowed to the verge Of tears
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?y he almost gasped.
Il mean the first effects. Try being
martyr for while. Leslie. 1t isn't
a bad plan. can assure you. It may
interest you to know that Chailis pro
posed to me three times before !
accepted him, and yet IL loved him
from the beginning"
by Jovs!" he exclaimed. coming
TO his feet with new light in his
eye& The hollows in his cheeks
seemed to fill out percspdbly.
Good night"
Il say, Sara, dear, you'll you'll help
me BIT, won't you? mean you'll talk
It over with her and"
MY sympathy ie entirely with
Miss Castleton," she said from the
doorway. Hts Jaw dropped.
He was still Illuminating over the
callousnsss OF the world In respect to
Lovers when she mounted the stairs
and tapped firmly on Hstty'a door.
Hstty Castleton was standing in
the middle of her room when Sara
entered From her position 1t 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 q
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.
Yes. He is terribly upset It was
blow to him. Hetty."
Il am sorry for him, Sara. He was
30 dreadfully In earnest, But, thank
God. 1t is overi" She threw back
her head and breathed deeply. THAT
horrible, horrible nightmare Ia ended,
cry of it-think of It, Saral-the
damnable mockery OF It'll"
Poor Leslie!" sighed the other.
Poor old Leslie"
Hetty'e eyes filled with tears. 'Oh
am sorry for him. He didn't deserve
It, God In heaven. IL no really knew
everything! II he knew why could
not listen to him, why almost
screamed when he held my hands in
his and begged actually begged me
to- Oh. 1t was CHASTITY. Sara!"
She covered her face with her
hands. and swayed as II 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-dont
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 am. not only on
your account, but his"
They we're silent for 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 drop
it In her jewel box
Il suppose he will go up to the city
early" she said monotonously.
Leslie Is better loser than you
think. my dear" said Sara, looking out
over the tops Of the cedars He will
not run away"
Hetty looked up In alarm. You
mean he will persist in--in his atten-
tions,' she cried.
"Oh. no. don't believe you will
find him to be the bugbear you mag
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't
make weakling OF him."
Il don't quite understand
HE is sustained by the belief that
he has paid you the highest honor
man can pay to a woman. There is
no reason why he should turn his back
on you, as sulky boy might do. No,
my dear, I think you may count on
him as your best, most loyal friend
from this night on. He has just said
to me that his greatest pain lies in
the fear that you may not be willing
to accept him as d simple, honest, un-
presuming friend since"
"Oh. Sara, IL he will only be that
and nothing morel" cried the girl won
deringly.
Sara smiled confidently. Il fancy
you haven't much to fear In that dIrec-
ton, my dear 1t isn't In Leslie Wran-
dall's makeup to court second re-
pulse He is all pride. The blow it
suffered tonight can't be repeated at
least. not by the same person"
Il am so sorry it had to be Leslie, /"
murmured Hetty