The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-21

happy partnership. Those hours we're
the happiest in Sarnold's life. Gradu-t
ally their intimacy grew and Mrs.
Sarnold was not slow to perceive 1t.
Sarnold's blindness seemed to have
become quite progressive. He CROPPED
his way about the room now like one
| sightless, and Lydia, not daring to
question him, felt her eyes fill with
tears as she saw his helplessness.
She came each morning at nine and
spent the day there. And she had
come to live for those days. She did
not realize the fact that Sarnold him
self was the cause until one day.
He was at work on serial novel,
and from the beginning something had
told her that 1t embodied a great deal
OF his own life. Delicately disguised
though she was. Lydia knew, too, that
Mrs. Sarnold was the woman who had
wrecked that life. And then, sud
!, denly, Lydia realized that the healing
spirit which entered was-herself!
How she knew she could not Inn
, agine, for the girl was depicted as to-
tally different from her. But she
: knew, and her hand fell suddenly
, from the typewriter keys, and some
how Sarnold's found it and closed
upon 1t. And without a word being
spoken Lydia knew that their love was
mutual, was the dearest and the most
sacred thing in all the world.
Then, looking up with a guilty start,
; Lydia saw Mrs. Sarnold standing In
the doorway. A cold smile played
about her lips: she had seen and un-
; derstood.
She said nothing, and the next day
: Lydia spoke to Sarnold of the resolu'
tion to which she had come.
"You asked me when you engaged
me whether / was engaged-in an
other sense" she said, with a laugh oil
affected embarrassment. "or whether
expected to be. did not, but-bui
= = someone has come into my life, and
am going to leave YOU"
She saw Sarnold start in amazement
and then a look of bitterness crossed
- his face She knew what that lool
: meant. He had given her the un
spoken homage of his love, and she
- had accepted it while her heart wa
another's.
i. Wrong though that love had beer
there were many elements to justify II
And Sarnold felt that she had deceive
: him wretchedly.
!. "Tm sorry, but-of course, 1t mus
be So" he said. He asked no ques
: tons.
It was his wife who made the Of
jections. She hated Lydia with a
the yehemence of which her cold nj
ture was capable; but she knew ths
IL Lydia went her own future wa
compromised. II Lydia were not Their
with her clever brain and skillful nj
gers, they might become paupers.
= IF you want more money you ca
4 get it. I'll see to that" she said.
: Money would make no difference
= said Lydia resentfully.
p Mrs. Sarnold laughed shortly. Don
:, pose as an angel" she answere
n you'll find marriage isn't what 1t
] cracked up as being"
Lydia had given Sarnold a month
notice, and offered to stay anoth
month, IL necessary, to train her 81
cessor, but Sarnold did not adverti
for a new assistant. Wondering, l
dia found all her efforts to urge him
this direction repulsed with q sort
Vn. brutality.
She knew that she had wound
, Sarnold to the core by the new to-
of his work. Clever 1t was, but cy
zeal, and all at once the realizati
came to her that it was she who h
- turned to gall the sweetness
Sarnold's nature. What had surviv
al. the establishment of marriage b
, a been destroyed utterly by her actit
NJ And before she went she felt that II
IN. lie must be made white.
AN, She closed the dictaphone for
: . last time and covered the typewrit
nv She turned to him.
lam 81 must say something to you,"
,ar. began. when told you that l "
leaving because / was engaged to
IN married / was telling an untruth.
icaI am not engaged to be married"
INV The blind man leaned toward b
as "Then-then why are you leayi
rom me?" he asked In unsteady tones.
nut Her breast rose and fell swiftly;
or could not answer him. But he kn'
light Intuition had not played him false,
eel he had supposed. He knew-as
,ffer did.
lare With a laugh he sought her and b
don her in his arms, and their lips me
once-the only time, but with the pc
t he up longing Of years.
Then he released her and took
his glasses.
" 81 will be frank. too" he said. J."
said dia, I have seen perfectly for tn
T." months past. / deceived you
and cause I wanted you to stay. Beca
had life was unbearable without YOU
II hoped we might be happy-tust IN
uple work. But 1t was not to be"
mold She rose and he took her hands
and, his.
occa- Il shall always remember you, /"
cold, said softly.
e OF "And you" she replied.
,and. 1t was two years later that the
d be den telegram summoned Lydia :
vida to the house. Mrs. Sarnold was d.
what of an incurable disease. 1t was
who had sent for the girl.
I'd to She smiled through her pain as
odds dia stood at the bedside.
wife, 81 have come to see clearly at Ia