The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1882-1884, 1883-01-18

his business manager, with detailed
account of the failure of large firm,
aud their own heavy loss thereby
1t would be necessary for him to give
the matter at once his own personal
attention. 1t looked, too, the letter
said, as though panic was immi
nent
Unnconsciouslv he sighed deeply.
In nom mt, NAY had sprang from
her chair, and was bv his sile.
sWhat is it. Disk - she astel.
"Nnthin5 lailIls!" he answered,
cheorily.
The lovely lips noutel.
"Slow me- th, letter." she said,
anil ousstrev;lsl her hanl.
He shook his head.
1T is business, dear," he exclailn-
ed.
Bat it troubles vou. Dick %
'Your ima ,ina5ion. May
She said no more. anil the man
was too absorbed bv thought to note
the look Of almost anger in her eyes.
Imme. lately after breakfast was
ended. he ordered the dog cart to
drive hin to the station, They were
spending the summer at his beauti-
full country residence.
All day the young wife was left
alone. and A. evening, when Dick re-
look. quite new to it. was on his
face but May asked him no more
concerning it.
The next morning, the single let
ter which the mail bag held was adj
dressed to her. She glanced up
from it's perusal with flushed cheeks.
"Will Crosby has six weeks fur
lough - she sail, eagerly. "He
writes tnat he is coming to spend
part of it with us. YoI remember
we invited hum when We were mar
-ried'
"Ah, | remumber!" assente1 her
husband he ha almost forgotten
MS old suspicion during these happy
months-':I am glad. dear, that his
visit is time.} just nov, for though l
had intended % take long summer
holiday, business, fad. will demand
nv attention in the city,
is anything wrong, Dick p
Wrong? Nonsense. child! Don't
get such IDEAS in your pretty it'll
head. WHAT coull he wr,nI ?"
Aud rising. an kissing her as he
passed. he went out OF the room.
\ few days later the expected
guest arrived. When Arnold re-
turned one evening from the city.
the two were standing together upon
Gna Lawn. and, as in fash Of light
ming. his memory recalled to him
the first time he nal looked upoa a
similar picture.
4 new bri igntness, new glatness.
was in MAYS face, too. as she came
eagerly forward TO greet him. A sud-
den sense of pain and loneliness
crept about his heart. The day in
town hal bean an ulusullly perplex
ing one. A crisis vas pen ling in
the near business futura-a crisis
which bale fair to be u com nercial
whirlwinl-out he coul | disclose his
anxieties to none, anl least Of all
must his chiid-wife suspect them.
Yet. the effort to conceal them
caused strange c)lStrainS i'll all he
said Or did. He no longer sought
70 ne alone with May, until one day
it came upon him like an inspiration
that she. 100. no longer sought him.
Lieutenant Crosby had been three
weeks their guest. when the threaten
inc storm burst. Arounl about him
on every side, Mr.. Arnold saw the
houses. which he ha6 deemed his own.
totter and fall. Each fall bore with
it. a norton Of his own fair edifice.
How long might he hope to with
stand this shock ? 1t needed but one
more blow. and on one August day
the blow fell Unless by the next
morning, before noon, he could com.
mand a certain sum, he. too, would
be swept away with the tide--a
bankrupt.
Just the amount neeoed represent
ed his wife's private fortune. but to
touch that never entered his mind.
At least May was secured from
future want, and he must leave her
to build up his shattered fortunes in
new land. She had never loved
him. He was SIRE of that: and lat
erly-laterly. he had begun to real
ize that he had had no right to tie
her young life to bis.
Worn and weary with those many
thoughts. lie returned to his home.
Nav greeted him almost indifferently
ONLY the next moment to turn to
young Crosby with her most radiant
smile.
Arnold's face paled.
Yet what right had he to murmur
he told himself. Had he not sworn
to possess her at any cost And was
he not ruined man? Crosby. the
penniless subaltern, as he had called
him. would have done better for bel
than that!
When dinner was ended, he went
into his library and closed the door
For time ne sat wrapped in thought
Perhaps all hour had passed, wher
solitude grew unbearable.