St. Landry democrat., 1886-09-18

4
Y, ny might he hope to withstand such
sho> ks. 1t needed but one more blow,
and q n Ole August day the blow fell.
TInlesx by the next morning, before
noon bo p, ould command a certain sum,
he too wouh.' be swept away with the
tide-a bankrn.'t. Just the amount
needed represent 90 his wife's private
fortune. but to touch that never entered
his mind.
At least MAY was Sc, eured from future
want and he must leave .9er 10 puliu up
his shattered fortunes in a new land
She had never loved him! h was sure
of that; and latterly-latterly he had
begun to realize that he had hal no
right to tie her young life to his. Wo, n
and weary with these many thoughts,
he returned to his home. May greeted
him almost indittcrently, only the next
moment to turn to young Crosby with
her most radiant smile.
Arnold 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 her than that. When dinner was
ended, he went to his library and closed
the door. For time he sat wrapped in
thought. Perhaps an hour had passed,
when solitude grew unbearabe.
He would rejoin his wife and then
guest, he determined. Tomorrow
night-only tomorrow highland May
must know all. For the first time in
his life he felt himself a coward! But
tonight was yet his. Tonight May
He rose and passed out into the draw
ing-room, whose windows opened on
the porch. His footsteps made NO
sound on the carpeted floor, and he had
reached the window, when something
like sob arrested his steps.
May, must speak'' said voice he
| recognized as belonging to his guest
| "Do you think have been three weeks
| under this roof without discovering your
secret? You are not happy. Your
laughter, your gaiety, is forced. What
is wrong? Do you fear to confde in
me?'
"Wrong?" she answers, with tears in
her voice. "All is wrong, VIII. What
am to my husband but spoiled, pet
ted child9 Look at him! DO you fail
to see the change these last few weeks
have wrought him? Yet, each time l
have striven to gain his confidence, he
has shut me out from it and his heart.
He has sent me from him as he would
send child to her dolls. He showers
gifts upon me, and fancies thus he buys
my happiness. Am |, indeed, so little
a woman that thus he satisfies my
woman's humor, my woman's heart?
And love him so madly, Will, that to
know | have no part Or portion in his
real life is killing me! Always he
has been my ideal, my hero! Do you
think could have sympathized in your
trouble. Will, if had none of my own?
Often-often have wished that all this
splendor in which l live might be wiped
away, and that Dick and shared
Gotta age, that might prove to him 1
was not child, with new toys ever
needed to comfort me-"
Arnold waited to hear no more. The
scales had fallen from his eyes. Con-
science-stricken, he crept back to his
library, while only two words burst
from his lips. They were at once
thanksgiving and prayer.
''Thank Godn' he murmured; and
now the morrow mattered naught to
him.
A few moments later he stepped out
on the porch.
MAY" he said, .swill Lieutenant
Crosby pardon us if ask you to stroll
down to the lake with me? have some
thing of Importance to say to you.
Instantly she rose, and slipped hel
hand within his arm.
"My darling" he began-and then
the history of all these three weeks was
poured out before her. Tomorrow
may see me ruined man. little wife,
he concluded; 'but I have no fear OF
the future now, May, for realize the
word wife holds hitherto unknown
definition. 1t means helpmate and
comforter"
The tears fell freely now from the
azure eyes, but they were tears of hap
piness, and her heart sang for very JOY.
''And has my money gone, Dick?'
her.
mo, dear; of course not. That is
sacred fund, and must have no risk i'll
its investment
.Yet tomorrow it will pay this debt"
she said, and the man started at the
clear decision and determination in her
tone.
"We will sink or swim together, Dick
you andI. Dick, darling" she added,
persuasively, ''you owe me some repa-
ration; let this be your penance. And
she gained her Way.
"Then, after all, May, Crosby could
not have won you from me in equal