The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-15


the happiest in Sarnold's life. Gradu-
ally their intimacy grew and Mrs.
Sarnold was not slow to perceive it.
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 a serial novel.
and from the beginning something had
told her that it embodied a great deal
of his own life Delicately disguised
1 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
F, spirit which entered was-herselfl
How she knew she could not i'm
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 il and closed
upon it. 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 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-
ton to which she had come.
you asked me when you engaged
me whether was engaged-in an
other sense" she said, with laugh of
i affected embarrassment. "Or whether
l expected to be. l did not, but-but
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 look
meant. He had given her the un-
spoken homage of his love, and She
had accepted 1t while her heart was
another's.
Wrong though that love had been
there were many elements to justify it.
And Sarnold felt that she had deceived
him wretchedly.
I'm sorry, but-of course, it must
be So" he said. He asked no ques.
lions.
II was his wife who made the OBJ
jections. She hated Lydia with all
the vehemence of which her cold ma
ture was capable; but she knew that
IL Lydia went her own future was
compromised. If Lydia were not there,
with her clever brain and skillful fin.
gers, they might become paupers.
'If you want more money you can
get it. I'll see to that" she said.
Money would make no difference,
said Lydia resentfully.
Mrs. Sarnold laughed shortly. Don't
pose as an angel" she answered
You'll find marriage isn't what it's
cracked up as being"
Lydia had given Sarnold months
notice, and offered to stay another
month, II necessary, to train her sue
cessor, but Sarnold did not advertise
for a new assistant. Wondering, Ly
dia found all her efforts to urge him in
this direction repulsed with sort OF
brutality.
She knew that she had wounded
Sarnold to the core by the new tone
of his work. Clever 1t was, but Gym
ical. and all at once the realization
came to her that 1t was she who had
turned to gall the sweetness In
Sarnold's nature. What had survived
the establishment of marriage had
been destroyed utterly by her action
And before she went she felt that thai
lie must be made white.
She closed the dictaphone for ths
last time and covered the typewriter
, She turned to him.
II must say something to you" abs
. began. When / told you that wal
leaving because l was engaged to b
, married l was telling an untruth.
i am not engaged to be married"
' The blind man leaned toward her
) '"Then-then why are you leaving
a met" he asked in unsteady tones.
/ Her breast rose and fell swiftly; sh'
r could not answer him. But he knew
{ Intuition had not played him false, a
/ he had supposed. He knew-as sh,
r did.
Q With laugh he sought her and hel'
n her in his arms, and their lips met
once-the only time. but with the pent
Q up longing of years.
Then he released her and took OF
his glasses.
II win be frank. too" he said. LILY
d dia, have seen perfectly for tire
months past. deceived you-be
d cause wanted you to stay. Becaas
d life was unbearable without you.
II hoped we might be happy-just in tn
10 work. But 1t was not to be-"
d She rose and he took her hands Il
d, his.
a. 81 shall always remember you" b
d, said softly.
Of "And l you" she replied.
d. 1t was two years later that the SUD
70 den telegram summoned Lydia BAG
la to the house. Mrs. Sarnold was dyin
1t OF an incurable disease. 1t was sh
who had sent for the girl.
10 She smiled through her pain as Ly
Is dia stood at the bedside.
g, Il have come to see clearly at last,
ID she said. Il know that have bitterl