St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1878-08-24

self, and drew away: His voice was
hard as he said:
81 might have listened to you and
believed an explanation possible, If l had
not found you with him to-day"
"Then why did you not let me die ?"
she moaned. "Why did you cave my
life to torture me-"
And she commenced sobbing.
Woman, this is acting. Have done
with itp' was the husbands only an
swer.
Her excited sobs CAME faster. A CLEAN
of pity came into his eyes; he hurried
with her to the shore, wrapped her in
shawls provided by the company, placed
her in carriage and told the driver to
hurry with her to the hotel, six miles
distant; he would follow on horseback.
AS he put her out of his arms, her great
pleading eyes were turned toward him,
searching for some look of affection:
some faint recognition of all that she had
been to him. But finding none, the
anguish of her disappointment broke
forth in single word" Lloyd!'
To his dying day he never forgot that
cry. A slight culver about the mouth,
8 swift quailing of the eye were all the
signs he gave that he heard her. She
knew that all was over between them.
One thought took possession of her; to
act SO that the company would suspect
nothing. So she declared herself re-
stored upon their arrival at the hotel,
and insisted upon going with the party
into the cave.
At one o'clock they started, with
lighted candles and guides. Weston
kept near Nellie; Whitlow was here.
there, everywhere. He had become in
terested at last in some magnificent stall
actites and his party got far ahead Of
him. He discovered this and hurried
after them. He could see their lights
in the distance. When nearly up to them
his candle went out. He went saunter
ing along until he came within hearing
of the two nearest him, and recognized
his wife and Weston.
You caunot deny" Weston was say
ing, "that you have encouraged me t.
think that you cared tor me, Nellie
and, by heaven you shall not say MI
nayp
at confess to having done wrong.
was SO afraid I did not possess my hus
bands whole heart, that determined K
test his love for me by trying to make
him jealous"
$50 you made a cats paw of me
Very kind of you. May l ask wha
prompted you to select me9'
Because you were respectable enough
in the eyes of the world to make it lool
right, and you were unprincipled enough
to make it practicable, and heartles
enough to have no feeling in the matter.
"Then you love your husband?"
''Love him? idolize him! woult
give my life to occupy the place in hi
heart did a month ago. I love him 81
we'll that I cannot imagine how HEAVIER
can be heaven to me without him!'
THAT is enough, Mrs. Whitlow.
believe that you will enjoy yoursel
more in his company than in mine; 81
I will step ahead and send him back t.
you"
| Weston went on, when out of tn
darkness a pair Of arms encircled he1
Nellie looked up, terror-stricken, ant
saw the face of her husband, wearing 81
different look, that she knew he hal
heard all.
"Nellie, darling, you are my own pur
wife after all, but you were very, yer,
indiscreet.'
81 was trying to make you Jealous"
"And you succeeded with vengeance
| never thought my love needed tina
trial"
"But you acted so differently fror
what you did before We were married.
81 was your lover then, Nellie"
eyes, Lloyd,'' she said, as she clun
closer to him; "and you are infnitel
more to me now-you are my husband.
81 believe I understand you," he said
with smile. "What you ask is easil
given; suppose 1 commerce now" an
Lloyd Whitlow ella ped his little wife
his breast and nearly covered ner wit
kisses.
"Thank God, Lloyd, that we ono
more understand each otherl l will re
pay you the pain 1 have cost you by
lifetime of devotion.
(Which I must encourage by a littl
petting now and then, eh p
ayes, Lloyd, please"
That excursion party thought in tn
morning that Mr.. and Mrs. Whitlo,
were the most matter-of-fact bride an
groom they ever saw; but concluded il
the evening that they were the most de
voted.
Nellie's advice to newly married wive
is "don't test your husbands love-"
Ritchell's Flying Machine.
General Edward W. Serrell, of New
- .nw-oo-o-ls-.. rf ~