Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-01-20
him again near her, thought, and nv

eyes an expression that dehed my un-
Outstanding. | could not tell if il was
defiance of me or IL curious sort of
resignation to the will of a woman
whom he worshiped with all his soul.
eyes," he said languidly, "send for
Percival, if it will relieve your mind"
The next day Mark Percival came,
and for long while he and Gerald We're
clOseted tCg ther, while Ste and my sis
ter and myse-t were told not to 90 near
| theroom but when Mark Percival came
out into the hall Ste spied him from
the lawn, and in a moment she was by
his side, speaking intently-so intent
ly that she never saw my eyes watch
ing from a bay-windOw In the morn
ing room that jutted out, giving g.
view of the rest of the building.
By and by they went down hesteps,
side by side, into the garden, and
heard him say, in rather low voice.
"He must stop work and rest lit
tie, Mrs. Fame. He complains of q
pricking sensation in his right side and
shoulder [ do not like that It is
rather unfavorable. Still, with our
united care and rest, [ think we shall
bring him round"
Aud Ste answered him with q smile.
I could not see that and believed that
she was young and sanguine and that
she never realized her husbands dam
ger.
How could I give her credit for this
when | suspected her-suspected as
foullv as [ cOuld-that it was not Ger
aid whom she loved, but Mark Perez
val2
Gerald was resolved to work on in
spite of everything. We were not rich,
he said, and work was necessary for
several weeks.
Ste, instead of passing the hours in
his studio, as she used to do, would
remain in her own room with her door
locked-sulking, I told my sister.
At last one day blow fell on us all
"a dreadful blow, and harder to me
since [ believed had helped to bring
it-that, perhaps, was really the in
strument that dealt it. Had | not
made my brother unhappy perhaps he
would not have worked so necessarily
in the vain hope of banishing thought.
She found him one bright summers
day, apparently lifeless, beside his
easel-and for weeks he fingered, how
ering, as it were, between Us and eter-
nifty.
And his wife, remorseful of her
treachery and want of faith, seemed to
have no thought but him.
She never left him for moment, and
if she slept it was by snatches only,
with her head against his pillow, when
the slightest movement would awaken
| her.
After what seemed an age of anxiety
to us, the doctor said ne would live,
but never more to work, for Gerald
right arm was paralyzed.
[ had been growing less bitter In my
feelings toward Ste during my broth
er's illness-she seemed to be really
devoted to him. But when they said
he was not to work any more with his
brush, q look of triumph came into
her eyes which puzzled me and again |
began to doubt her, and the doubt
grew stronger when [ saw her meet
| for many minute in earnest whis.
pered conversation.
Once-from behind a laurestinus bush
Il saw her place her hand on his arm
and look up into his face, her great
wild dark eyes full of glittering tears,
| while she said, with quivering lips:
GLOW much longer? Oh, these last
weeks have been centuries to me. And
| if-oh, if you have not been deceiving
mel may hope"
Everything! he answered, inter
rupting her and taking the mite of
hand in his. 'I tell you that you
have not many more days to wait,
and then we shall both be very hap
py."
Upon this Ste smiled into his hand
some eyes with a strange, wistful
yearning look that drove me almost
wild with the bitterest anger and sus-
picion.
Now I dare not even look back to
| the horrible feelings that filled my
/ heart with regard to the woman whom
my bro Their had made his wife, and in
whom he had placed his happiness,
his infinite faith, and, more than all,
| his honor.
But Gerald was in 6, weak and criti-
cal state, and I did not dare to warn
him of what [ feared. He was very
loving and tender to her, and [ could
see his eyes follow her slight figure
wherever she moved, with an express
sion of mingled affection and doubt
that was sad to look upon.
When one day she heard Mark
! Percival's voice at the door she darted
out of the room to meet him, forgetful
of mass of roses on her lap, with
which she was making a bouquet, and
needless of the lovely fragile flowers,
| in her haste and evident agitation,
she trod out their beauty with her
| feet.
Then I heard Gerald murmur to him
self:
"Poor little one! She is so young
hoped to make her happy; but am
so grave and quiet that she cannot
love me. God give me strength to bear
It'll"
I told my sister of this but she
would hardly listen. Ste had be
witched her and she declared that my
brothers wife was a thoughtless child,
nothing worse.
The death of summer had come and
autumn brought its wailing wind,
| Il Al