Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1885-08-13


you," Then he sat down again, not
giving the girl another thought; while
l was in II fever of excitement, wishing
he could have seen what had wit
messed, and half tempted to call him
back from his own thoughts to take a
glimpse of her; but she was gone as
quietly as she had come. without his
regarding her at all.
'You ask me, my friends" he said,
at length, "tO contribute my quota to
the evenings entertainment, but am
afraid will only be giving some of
my own sadness instead, which almost
unmans me to night. am married
man, although 1 have no wife. Four
years ago, when only twenty-one,
took for my wife one of the daintiest,
loveliest girls.-but l will spare you
my rhapsodies; every man marries the
fairest and the best. We came on our
bridal tour TO Europe, and from Paris
we started to the Pyrenees; coming
through the valley, we were so charm
ed that we stopped here. in this very
house which is sheltering us now, and
spent part of our honeymoon. That
month is like looking back on heaven.
only to think of it. Two more months
were spent in travelling, and then we
returned to America. We furnished
a lovely cottage just out of the city,
planning and arranging the whole un-
till it was like an exquisite picture.
My days, of course. were spent in
town, and was fearful at first that
my darling would be lonely; but she
said it took all the long quiet hours to
realize her bliss. AS for myself, l
could not tell my love in words. 1
loved the breezes that famed her
cheek, the sunbeams that kissed her
hair. She, with her midnight hair and
eyes, was gentle and sweet as the
while /, with my fair COM
plexion, have all the fierce intensity
of Spaniard, and my beautiful wife
was my very hearts life
heard little gasping sigh, which
no one seemed to catch but myself, and
right by my side the pretty peasant
girl was half kneeling, half crouchlng
in the shadow. / did not know whence
she came or how she got there; her
face was pale, and her large dark eyes
burned like Goals of fire. as she watch
ed the speaker.
'I went to the city," he continued.
"every morning at nine, returning at
five to dinner. We had lived four
months only in our dear home, when
one day as | sat at the desk in my
office, suddenly presentiment came
over me that some great trouble was
hanging over me, and ] could not
shake it off. l know now that made
my own trouble; did not think so
then. | was so dispirited that / did
not take luncheon at all, and the first
train out that afternoon / went home.
AS walked up the graveled path and
stepped on the low veranda, l heard
voices inside. Through the half-closed
blinds / saw my wife in earnest con-
with gentleman. She had
often told me that she liked fair men
this man was fairer than myself.
His hair was palest flaxen, and his
skin as white as a girls. But you
must not doubt my love. / heard my
wife say, for do love you as well as
| did in the old days, and some day
hope we may be able to let the world
know it again. Then l saw her Irvine
her arms around his neck and kiss
him again and again"
at was my own brother" came in
a faint whisper from the quivering
lips of the girl by my side, who seemed
to be speaking her thoughts uncon-
sciously.
Il might as well have been turned
ed into stone," he went on; II could
not move or speak, and | stood there
them. All my fierce pas
sions were reused. yet Ibid not strike
him down. / wondered at myself.
My whole soul was filled with scorn
and loathing, yet / left them together
and passed out the gate once more.
Mechanically / turned toward the city,
but did not know what ! was doing,
for / was crazed. | walked mile after
mile until, night coming on, stopped
before hotel. The next
day wrote my wife note, simply
telling her that wished her to vacate
the house, as it was for rent. Inclos-
ing money for her immediate neces-
stiles, | told her never to dare cross
my path again, or her blood would be
upon her own head did not say
of what | had seen, SO my
darling did not know WHY she was
| did not go to my office
again for week, feeling sure that
she would seek me there. Then |
went back to my business once more,
cold and immovahle to all appearances.
but the blood in my veins on fire.
There was, as l expected, piteous
letter from my wife. She had visited
the office for several days, and fail
ing to see me, had left this letter, beg
cling to know what had wrought the
and saying that she would
not leave the house until she had seen
me, for death was preferable to life
my love-"
He told this with white set face
that told how deeply he had suffered,
and how utterly he condemned him
self.
Il answered this more to the point,
telling her that if she did leave will
ingly would have her elected; that
no woman after her order should pol
lutte nv property wrote those cru
ell words, and my heart was breaking.
That was the end; never heard an
other word from her.
"For six months wrestled with my
agony. just at that time a fearful
fever broke out in the city, and went
among the nurses and ministers, do
ing what could for the stricken ones.
l deserved no commentator; life was
nothing but burden to me. One day
went into the hospital just as they
were bringing in "a new patient.
stopped by the poor fellows bed. and
my soul sickened within me as ! rec
ognized the man who had been with
my wife on that fateful day. He