Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1916-06-28
HIS CONSCIENCE
By ARTHUR PEACH.
(Ccpyrlght, 1916. by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.)

The convention during the afternoon
had been a busy one, and lie men
were glad to gather for a comtortaDle
smoke and chat in one of the smok-
ing rooms of the hotel. They were
mining engineers and had come from
different parts of the West. Naturally
while the cigars were going, stories. pc
gan to appear of experiences tnat
ranged from the tragic to the
ludicrous. Finally, they swung, under
the guidance of the spokesman or the
group, Granger by name, to a CONSIDER
alton of what might be called the
meanest act they had ever Witnessed
After various experiences had peen
related, a mar who was known 10 De d
friend of Granger spoke:
Suppose you picture yourself drlV-
ing ND a winding road in New Eng
land. up among the hills, and coming
m a lane that leads to a house set
some distance back. 1t is almost tWl-
light, and as you approach you see a
figure at the entrance. Driving near
or YOU find the figure is that OF a
girl. And, then, suppose you recog-
nize her as the girl who had been wait
ing there at dusk for ten years for a
chap who had never returned.
-"That is what l experienced one
early evening last year. was going
there to see a man Of the name Oh
Upson, who owned a small right in q
stream that we were planning to dam.
There I heard the whole story.
81 found Epson to be a grim sort OF
fellow, in a way, and yet n
enough after he thawed out, and that
night, after the rest had retired, ne
and l smoked a pipe together. In the
midst of our conversation, l happened
to think of the young woman at the
entrance, and I asked him about her.
"Upson smoked in silence for some
time. Then he said slowly:
"'Ten years ago, l had quite a little
n and l was looking around to
invest it, and wrote in to a Boston
firm. Well, it was not long after L
had written that a young fellow came
from the city and explained a propo-
sition to me. He seemed to be a fine
sort of chap in every way. The boys
took him off for a fishing trip, hunted
with him a little and all the time he
was talking to me about the PROPOSE
ton.
"'Well, 1 fell for it. But I wasn't
the only one who fell. That girl
seemed to find in him just the man to
love. They we're together a good DEAL
and many times alone, and the upshot
of it was-she came to me n night
in this very room, with him following
close behind her, and told me they
were engaged.
"'She was so happy that her happi-
ness went all through the house.
""They made preparations for the
wedding and the wedding day. He
talked about it as much as, if not more
than, she did.
Zone day he departed, taking my
money and her love.
Everything moved on smoothly I'M
til | could see her beginning to be
troubled. Finally, I got the truth. He
had not written. My suspicious were
aroused, and l wrote to the company.
THE information l got was like a
bomb in our quiet home. 1t seems he
had left the employ of the company to
20 West. had vanished so far as they
were concerned, and mad never report
ed the money 1 had given him.
"'She recovered from the shock, for
she comes of stern stuff; but the girl
still believes that he will return.
She goes down to the road about
the time you saw her, for If he came
back he would arrive about that time.
It used to make my old heart ache
to see her standing there in the dusk,
waiting for a scamp and a s~coundrel;
but. some way, l have come to see a
meaning in it. 1t has helped my faith
in humanity after the jar he gave it.
She is serene and sensible through
it all. It's a case Of a splendid woman
an undying trust in man, With
out her soul being wasted.
THAT, gentlemen, is the story as Up
son told me-" said Changers friend,
land | have always thought of it as a
story of the meancst man and the
meanest act within my knowledge"
Suddenly a tall figure arose, and in
a voice that was strained with emo
ton said:
Gentlemen, that was the meanest
act-it is more than that-but tell
you that the chap who did it has suf-
fered for those years. He stands right
here-I'm the man. l thought had
forgotten, but I can't forget. I give
YOU my word that l shall take the
next train for New England and, God
giving me the chance, l shall reappear
there. l did not think she could be so
faithful. l did love her, and l have
oluoyc in INV .1yav hone NAV vet