The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-04-12

Duv hO oohCu liz HuCbllOho ohu tooh
refuge in thoughts of the old days when
Becky sat in that same chair, sewing, too,
but with such bright, loving looks, such
an interesting way of saying things! And
now what differencel What, in truth,
was this woman to him? Not wife, not
even companion, only housekeeper.
And he gazed at her refectively. 1t so
happened that Della, who had been max
ing desperate efforts to overcome her
sulky mood, looked up at that moment
and caught the full meaning of the
doctors eyes. Had he slapped her face
she could not have felt it more, but she
gave no sign. With white fingers that
trembled q little she folded her work and
said: 81 am tired, will go to my room y
Della did not sleep much that night.
II must leave him. she decided 1T
last. "I will not live with him unless L
am really his wife. 1 cannot" Leave
him; but how? She could not go back to
her mothers house where questions
would be asked which she was deter
mined not to answer; and besides it was
too near. Where could she go? A few
hours afterward that question was
answered. She received a letter post.
marked Denver, Colorado" it came
from "dear cousin Mamle," and as she
read her letter Delia's face frightened;
cit is just what 1 wanted" she said to
herself.
One evening, when the doctor came
home, Bridget met him at the door and
said: "Missus has gone, sir; she had to
60 kind of sudden, but she said she
would and tell you" "All right" ans
wered the doctor. ''Gone to her mo-
Tiers, he explained to himself. 81 sup
pose there Is some sort of fandango going
on there" He make himself very CON-
Portable. 1t was a cool evening, and he
smoked his cigar, put his feet on the
stove, with mo one nigh to hinder"
But what the doctor really liked was to
be hindered; he enjoyed watching the
mild shadow of disapproval stealing
over Delia's face; if she had frankly and
briskly expressed her opinion, then
taken it back prettily, he might have
fallen in love with her. but Della always
relapsed into meekness, and all was lost.
As the days passed the doctor began to
miss his housekeeper. "Why does she
not write? Cold blooded creature!"
The cold blooded creature wrote. Her
letter was dated from Denver. 1t said:
DEAR SIR thought you would be
happier without me, 80 l came here. l
am visiting Cousin Mamie. With best
wishes for your happiness, l remain sim
cerely, DELLA BRINsLEY.
"a pretty letter-and dear sir to me!
Gone to Denverl Who could have SUD
posed she had spirit enough for that?
Little goose! Gone to Denver, by Jove!'
l,,.ohnl ho 1laooa1 htp
self, he was delighted. The next even
ing he was on his way to Colorado. That
same evening. in far-off, lovely Denver,
Della and Cousin Mamie were comparing
notes about their husbands. Della had
been very cautions and Mamie was en-
thusiastic about the doctor. IF he was
my husband 1 would fiirt with him and
make him fall desperately in love with
me" she declared.
"Fiirt with him." exclaimed Della.
Certainly, it would be all right, and
40 intererting Now. John is so good nat
ured and always the same, l sometimes
wish he would be little bit cross, just
for change"
"What sadly funny world this is, u
thought Della when she was alone, mo
one is really contented and happy.
Then she became very homesick; not
only did she miss the doctor, but she
also missed herself, she had always been
so prudent, so submissive, and now she
had done such wild, wicked thing! Had
she not promised "for better and for
wOrse?"
One morning there came tremendous
ring at the door. Della knew that ring,
she heard it all over her. and turned
pale. Bound to get in, said Mamie. as
she hurried to the door. us Mrs. Brins-
ley imp asked big voice. Mrs. Brinsley
was in. She came forward smiling, rosy
checked, collected, Transformed. She
held out her hand, she was glad to gee
the doctor; she presented him to Cousin
Mamie. They sat down. "Where are
You stopping?" "At the Windsor. "
And she became as deeply interested in
the Windsor as if the doctor had come
expressly for the purpose of ending his
life there. But Doctor Brinsley was not
altogether defenceless. II came to ask
YOU il You would take q ride with me.
The carriage is at the door. Come just as
you are"
"Ohr said Della. And she went.
The mountains were perfectly
magnificent, as Della remarked, but
the Doctor made quick work Of them.
"How soon will you be ready to come
homer" he asked quietly.
II don't know. l intended to stay all
summer. / think think" But she
could not tell him what she thought
She was glad he had come; she wanted
to 90 back with him; she loved him now