The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-07-20

| Ollfcl VIGIL, 1911 u tltlS u buI PIloC W o6c
us home so soon? I'm positively asham-
ed of myself, giving Mr.. Earle so much
trouble; but l was seized with
one Of my old attacks of faintness while
in the theatre, and thought perhaps I
had better leave quietly at once; GU
know how hate scene, Maidie I'm
so sorry for Mr.. Earle's sake" she says,
turning toward him as he enters the
room.
| She does not looS at all faint; her
cheeks are flushed aud her eyes glitter
with an i'll concealed something's it
triumph? almost think so as I see her
! catch his eye. He bids "Goodevening"
to Mr.. Give in the same courtly distant
fashion that he extends to all his wife's
friends; only see his face turns paler.
81 insisted that Mr.. Earle should send
me home in the carriage" Nina says
sweetly, 'and stay to see the end of the
piece-Booth was magnificent tonight
but he wouldn't listen to it, and | really
F, feel quite miserable to think of having
deprived him of so much"
''Not at ALL" replies Snowdon, alb
ruptly, as though she had spoken to him.
He walks up to my chair, rests his hand
on the back of it for q moment, then
turns away again. 81 shall go back to
the theatre, think-I shall be in time
for the last act" glancing at the clock.
Herbert volunteers some remark about
the length of the piece, and Nina regets
again that her foolish fainting should
have caused so much trouble-only l
have nothing to say as my husband,
with brief goodnight" walks out of
the house again.
Nothing to say-not q word. Let
them think as they please; let Nina have
her triumph, and Snowdon his sting of
wrath. He can be angry, suppose at
the thought of his wife's deliberate de-
ception. Let them make stratagem out
of this miserable charge, if they will. l
have nothing to say. would die
sooner than lift finger in excavation
of what seems to me so mean, so
base; my pride swears me to silence as J.
lay tossing all night in the dark, in my
silent room, listening for a single foot
step. The dawn is yellow in the sky be-
fore that step comes home, and turn
my face to the wall to sleep-to sleep,
and wish it were to die.
"You are looking so miserably i'll,
Showdown"
hear Nina say it ss stand on the
library steps, reaching down book, and
the curtains of the alcove hide me, I
suppose from their notice.
"I am overworked, that is all, have
had very little rest for fortnight past"
1t was twice fortnight since Miss
Vandyke came to visit us ION her way
South" She cannot bear to leave us,
she says, and our dear little gem of a
house is so attractive!
"Those troublesome cases of yours!'
hear in the next breath. "Do you know
they worry me more than they do your
self, verify believe. hate to see you
overtaxing yourself as you do. used
to say long ago, you remember, that I
wished you were anything but lawyer,
SnowdOn-"
Ispring down the steps; 1 cannot hear
any more. But just that little stirs
new chord in my heart-a great fear, as
look at Snowdon Earle and see how
colorless and haggard his young face
has grown, and how sick with utter
WEAKNESS.
I see more of this as the days steal by.
The gulf between us cannot he wider
than it is since the night he met Her
Der Give with me. But on the other
side of it, where he stands, can see his
old love drawing nearer and nearer to
him. She loves him, know, better.
perhaps, than in the past, before their
foolish mistake had parted them, or
grief had taught her the secret OF her
own heart. I see how faithfully she
molds herself to please him; how utterly
she Identifies herself with his wishes and
interests; how subtly she steals into his
confidence; and look on helplessly all
the while, and eat my own heart out in
my wretched isolation.
Do wish she had never come? think
it scarcely matters very much. l had
lost him all the same. and it is better,
perhaps, that should stand face to face
with my misery and not see it darby in
Q dream.
He was working very hard, harder,
perhaps, than there was need. for he
plunged into his work AZ sort of des-
perate relief from the homo life that was
no solace to him, as to other men. And
the time came, as it inevitably must,
when his strength broke down. One at
ternoou, very early, he came home and
went straight to his room, and the next
day there was . doctors coupe at the
door, coming and going twice. And l
stood by the bedside, staring ct flushed
unconscious face, and two wild, bright
eyes that did not know me. and listen
ing while grave voice in my ear told
me how my husband was suffering from