The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-07-16

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day to be his wife.
Life seemed new to him. Earth. sky.
and sea were radiant with new light,
and he felt as if intoxicated with strong
wine.
One day they sat idly under the avn
ing of sailboat, fastened to the beach.
A red parasol threw its beautiful re-
J Elected flame over her fair face, while a
book was carelessly clasped in one
hand. She was reclining indolently on
the cushions, while he sat slightly apart,
but noting her every turn and gesture.
Macy, her nephew, was scrambling in
the sand near them, needless of all else
except himself and his tiny pleasures.
Suddenly Stanhope moved nearer
and took one of her languid hands
resolutely.
She looked up with an air of startled
surprise.
doris, love you. l want you for
my wife"
With shuddering cry she drew her
hand and rose, trembling so that the
boat gave answering tremor.
''Mr. Baxter, 0 do you not know?"
she. walled.
"What?" and he, too, stood up, once
more grasping her tightly clasped
hands.
THAT am already wife!"
"My God! Doris, you have killed
mer'
Without another word he leaped from
Che boat and strobe away.
With dry, hot eyes she watched him.
Who was to blame? He had thought
/ L 4 Il, Ia
Not Intentionally. Her husband was
SO VIGOROUSLY untrue to her that she
had separated herself from him, but
could not bear the thought of divorce.
Occasionally he visited her, but always
she denied his authority as husband.
She had her own fortune and her little
nephew. She loved the latter, and
spent the former in doing good.
Now there came an awful void in her
life. Too late she realized what this
man, Stanhope Baxter, had become to
her.
How could she live without his COM
panionship and friendship
But mans laws are not made to fit
human hearts. and social laws are more
rigid than legal ones.
She knew he would never seek her
again; but, all the same, sense OF
cruel unrest drove her away from the
seaside where she had unthinkingly
drifted into something like peace and
happiness.
Stanhope was furiously strapping his
portmanteau when his friend, Lee Man
ly, came into the room. He it was who
had SO fatally brought them together.
"Where away, Baxterp" he cried,
amazed at Stanhope's evident and few
erish haste.
"God knows-I don'tr'
"Why, is it so bad as thatp"
Stanhope wheeled on him imperious-
ly.
"You are to blame for it all! Why
did you not tell me she was married."
"Whop" cried his friend, aghast.
'.Mrs. Greer"
'But l thought you knew her story.
I'll never forgive myself if you are un-
happy after this"
Unhappy! That does not express it.
Life will be q living hell! 1t has MUIR
dered my faith in all things! 1t has
destroyed youth. hope, and JOY forever!
Good-byer' and he was gone as if
thousand demons spurred him on.
And they did. He travelled, he gam
bled; he lived fast and furiously; but
he could not forget! At the end of a
year he drew rein to his hitherto I'M
curbed passions.
"What good does it all do? Night
and day she is with me; in my dreams
she is close to my heart; waking, feel
-
her!"
He did. The next steamer saw him
en- route for America. He sought Lee
Manly.
"Tell me where she lives"
Lee gazed curiously into his friends
high-bred face.
Il must not"
"You shall!'
"What good will it dop'
''Much-to me; perhaps also to her."
'She lives in Charleston; but for
heavens sake man, make no scandal.
Her name has always been unsullied."
'And it shall remain so if it depends
on me-"
He was gone. He went straight to
her home. He would not send in his
card, lest she should refuse to see him,
but told the servant to say "an old
friend from Europe wished to see her
for few moments"
She came down to him at once.
He strobe to her side, and almost
fiercely threw his arms about her, strain
ing her hard to his heart which seemed
strangling with its quick, suffocating
beats.
my darling, am mad; but l must
see you"
She looked at him piteously, strug-
Cling in his embrace.
'Mr. Baxter" she faltered.
'Do not struggle shall not let you
go, and l shall not stay long. BE kind
to me for little while"
She fell to weeping bitterly.
care you unhappy, toop" he asked,
tenderly stroking her soft hair away
from her hot, throbbing temples. But
she answered never word. "Dar-
ling, shall end all this. You must get
a divorce"