El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-01-19
A GIRL AND A MAN
By VIRGINIA TERHUNE VAN DE WAITE
Agnes Tells the Story of Her Visit to Bainbridg
CHAPTER LvIII.

ones. A woman could give even more
! Her aunt was dying
Like n Girl in n Dream.
These thoughts raced so rapidly and
madly through her mind that she Won
dered II she were not a little delirious-
She felt as though she had fever Still
racked by the torture of doubt, she
/ walked past her corner and had gone
two blocks before she remembered and
retraced her steps.
It was noontime. From houses that
she passed came the smell Of cooking
It sickened her. How could anyone
eat2 How could those Italian laborers.
sitting with their lunch buckets on
their laps at the side OF an eXcava-
ton. smile and chatter That excava-
ton looked like q grave-such a grave
as they would dig for Aunt Lucy If she
were to die But she must not die
She should not die.
Afterward Agnes did not remember
opening the door of the house in which
she lived She did not recollect climb
ing the weary flights Of stairs But all
at once she found herself standing
with her hand clutching the knob of
the opened apartment door. looking up
into the face OF Philip Hale
oh" she said. and then again, "Oh,'
all the while standing dazed before
him
Jennie O'NeiI. who had admitted the
caller. glanced out into the hall, then,
seeing Agnes's face. retired to the
kitchen. Something in the pale. drawn
countenance warned her 10 keep out
Of the way
Philip laid his hand on Agnes's arm.
What IS II. DEAR he asked gently.
Your aunt isn't-dead-"
She shook her head
Then come IN" he urged. You
look like 4 Shost-poor child"
silently she followed him into the
parlor. her aShen face set. her fingers
Dearest the man said softly. tell
me all about it. You must"
As she shook her head dumbly, he
looked down into her eyes.
Nothing in the world could make
any difference II I know You love me.
he said solemnly. $50 YOU are going
TO tell me all about II. dear, because
you do love NEEDN'T yOuc"
Agnes Gives Way.
She tried 10 speak. then, as he drew
her 10 him. she threw her arms about
his neck and burst into tears
Some subtle intuition warned Philip
Hale not to attempt to check her
weeping Once he tried to lead her
to a chair. but she chung to him
When at last the storm Of her grief
had subsidized into sObs. Philip took from
her her little wet ball of a handker-
chief and pressed his own fresh one to
her eyes. She held up her face like a
{ child while he wiped away her tears.
And then before she knew 1t she
was telling him everything. II was
easy. now that she had begun. She
told the whole sordid tale in an even
voice. The man held her close while
she talked once she felt him shud-
der.
When the story was ended. she
raised her eyes again TO his face. and
gasped at what she saw there. The
boy seemed to have became n middle
aged man His eyes We're mere dark
Sits in his white face. She could see
a pulse in his neck beating rapidly.
Yet when he spoke il was in calm.
low voice.
is that ALP he asked
Yes" she answered
Cod he muttered softly Then.
Still in the same uuaEitatcd voice
'Listen-you are mine-do YOU under
stand2 Mine. And nothing is going
TO happen tn YOU. ! want YOU 10 be-
iIeve that Because Won are TO Ice Wy
wife you can believe me"
He drew iu his breath sharply.
And now" he added. kissing ter
and turning away, m going TO see