The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1919-08-14
THE DARKEST HOUR
BY JACK LAYTON.

AS Leila sat, wide-eyed and SleeplesS
before her bedroom window, the moon
turned the sandy stretch of beach be
low into cleaning silver. For hours
the girl had tossed restleSsly upon her
pillow, until at last she had arisen and
dressed, hoping, when the last guest
of the hotel retired within doors, to
slip out unseen and settle her prob
lem in the open silence of the night.
Money, not just enough to be COM
Portable in her own home, but money
sufficient to satisfy all the pent-up de-
sires of her heart. She might travel,
she might see luxuriously the Won
drous sights Of the world; she might
have at hand the white-trellised gar
den which had long been her dream
the mOnotonous office with its weary
routine would be forever banished if
she would but accept the conditions of
her Querulous old uncle's will; and its
condition was husband of his choos-
ing.
Leila knew slightly this man whom
her uncle favored with his choice, and
the knowing" had caused her Sleep
less night. Tomorrow she must give
her answer, 1t was the last day of de-
cree. She hated the chosen mans
sneering smile, she hated the shrewd-
ness Of his cold eyes, but she knew
that he would willingly enact his part,
because Of the prize in store.
1t was like Uncle Jared to select
such man as custodian of his accu-
INFLATED wealth; this new secretary
had won the old mans admiration by
his cautious cleverness, as Leila had
won It, by her devotion through one of
his illnesses.
Now the girl came slowly like
white wrath down the moonlit sands
and seated herself there to watch the
dawning. When the sun rose, shining
across the waters, she must have made
her decision. The breeze lifted gently,
the curling ends of the long braid
which hung over her shoulder, she had
not waited to fasten up her beautiful
hair for she was sure of being alone.
Yet back among the purple shadows
another figure moved at her approach.
Il beg your pardon" he said frankly,
"1-thOught 1 should be quite alone
here at this hour; or" he bent smiling
to look into Leila's face-"have 1 sur.
prised the spirit of morningT"
Il came-to settle a troubled ques.
tion," she answered him seriously.
"The moonlight seemed to point down
this path and also wished to be
alone"
The man fingered. "Why, that was
my case exactly" he said. II was
threshing things out by myself up
there in the hotel and my disappoint-
ment seemed too big for the indoors,
30 1 brought 1t out"
disappointment" queried the girl.
All at once the stretching beach with
its deep shadows was an alarming ex-
panse in which to be alone. Childish
ly she longed for companionship and
companionship was near. This very
nice young man with the kind eyes
might in some indirect way even help
her in her decision.
Disappointment she questioned
again encouragingly and he dropped
down beside her on the sands.
Something" he began. "the hour
perhaps, or the sympathetic interest
Of your tone, urges me to be conf |
Dental.
II have been studying most Of my |
life, you see, with an object to accom- |
plish-the central object Of my future
career. To the furtherance of this &C
has been held out to me
an encouraging promise of financial
support. depended upon it. for knew
that I could double the money be-
slowed. Without 1t, at present, I am
helpless, and after years of laboriously
getting the necessary money together
t would probably be too late for the
'ulfillment of my dreams.
LAST night only I learned that the
I'D friend who had been so enthusi-
interested in my enterprise
Ind who had given the promise Of its
had died during my recent alb
'ence and had made hasty will leav-
ng all his property to a niece upon
condition that she marry his latest sec
'etary, one who had In some way
,ained the old mans favor. The will,
# course, is just. Heretofore had no
of this niece's existence.
ny friend, Jared Long, died at this
lotel a week ago. came on here to
earn details.
''The unexpected outcome Of the will
5 merely one of life's disappointments.
The bitter hardness Of 1t to me lies in
he fact of the failure forever Of my
Pardon me-" ended the
nan abruptly. II have been musing
loud and had almost forgotten my
Istener."
Tensely the girl leaned forward. a
thinner Of light across the water
hone In her eager eyes, her red lips
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