The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1881-06-02

band was not hers, but had belonged Sc
wholly to another that he did not ever
hesitate-in stabbing her-to plunge the
dagger through his toife to reach her.
What was she to do? Should she
decline to go with him? Should she
make their names target for the
world? A knock sounded on the door
elsa ~ her mother called; "come,
darling-the carriage is waiting"
Marveling at her own calm, she
turned the key in the lock and came
out.
"a pretty child" So they had called
her, scarce an hour ago. Surely a
strange title for this pale, imperial
woman, whose calm wrapped her about
as mantle, and who quietly slipped
her gloved hand within her fathers
arm, that he might lead her to the car
riage.
There were a few farewels, laugh
ing shower of good wishes, followed by
the throwing of satin slipper, and then
she and her husband were alone to-
gett er.
With the old grace, he encircled her
waist with his arm, tenderness, born
perhaps of self-reproach, in the gesture
with which he drew her to him.
But, with a great scorn blazing in
her eyes, she drew herself away from
his touch.
ELSA !" he exclaimed, in tone of
genuine surprise.
Miss Maude Carlton cannot intrude
upon the hours of our privacy; there
fore, during these, we can at least drop
the role we have assumed for her ben
eft" she answered, in syllables which
fell like icicles of disdain. "Let us I'M
derstand each other, Mr.. Curtin" she
continued. "You have married me
in order to blazon to another woman
the indifference (?) with which you re-
garded her falseness. Were she false
as the fallen angels, think ye1i it could
equal yours toward ghe? But l wish to
utter no reproaeh. l am "the pretty
child" your wife. accept the word,
in al its significance, to the world, so
long as the world is our audience; but
once the curtain falls upon our private
life, l am the wonlan, between whom and
yourself is the insuperable barrier
of the great wrong you have done
her."
Like blows dealt on his naked soul,
Pierce Curtin shrank from her words.
He remembered now the sound he had
heard, and rightly interpreted it. For
the first time he realized the actual sin
he had committed in yoking this young
life to his.
"Forgiye me, Elsa " he pleaded, in a
broken, choked utterance. "For Gods
sake, forgive me, and I will try to atone
and make your happiness"
.'By buying me new playthings to
hide the debris of my fallen idol ?" she
questioned, co1dly. "No, Mr.. Curtin,
can never forgive YOU, nor can emu
ate your duplicity in assuming role
which l can throw off with my mask
Vt pleasure"
4 pretty child Had he ever thus
ermed the frozen woman who shared
lis life9 Pierce Curtin often asked
himself, as the weeks wore on into
Somehow they had lived through the
llloted time apportioned to the we'd
ling journey. He had found his wife
! cultered companion; he had discov-
red in her depth of thought that he
lad not dreamed she possessed. If she
she hid it from him its every
race. She treated him ever with the
Instant courtesy one extends to the
stranger thrown upon our good COM
but to any approach to the
one topic ever uppermost in his mind,
,he interposed an insurmountable bar
rier. She avoided even the touch of
his hand when he would have assisted
her with that assistance man so
spontaneously extends TO a woman.
She shivered and turned pale when
occasion made it necessary.
Why did it trouble him SO? Was it
only the cease ess sting ofself-reproach
and his Inundated manhood?
Again and again he found himself
looking at the beautiful woman who
presided so gracefully at the head of
his table. Everywhere her name was
spoken in tones of admiration and
respect. Men We'd to gain one of her
smiles, but always as the smile Off wo-
man to whom they gave highest honor.
What did she do with the hours when,
in her own suit of apartments, and
she and her past were alone together?
He could not tell. Behind those closed
doors he might not look.