Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1888-03-31


it TO her, and she hated him at this moment
and the proud name he had put upon her
She had rather one smile of that others than
all these empty golden fayors.
Il am sick Of their soft ways e,sd their
living tongues she moaned; swhy didn't /
waltz Jane Ellingsworth BEGAN 10 walk
rapidly about the room, wrenchiI.g the great
gold bands about her wrists, unconscious
that she chafed ard bruised the skin
II might have known God would not deny
him to me. wanted him 50 much. Oh, my
love, nay darling, | would have fought for
You, would have starved for You. twould
have been sweet with you, and / could not
wait one year. / might have known it would
come, but | could not watt She drove her
nails into her flesh as she clasped them in her
anguish. She painted for breath; her rich
silk dress seemed to sufTocate her, and the
perfumed air was too heavy and dead; il
seemed to strange her
'sEe is free; he would have of-aned his arms
to me. He may be coming now to ask me to
go with him. He could never have loved
that cold, bloodless creature. All, how /
could have loved him. | would have taught
him that woman can love-
She unclasped her hands and let them fall
gently to her side, and her convulsed face
took on a new, soft tenderness. II would go
with him. she mumured. "a hungry heart
cannot feed on such things as these. oh, but
he would not have me, a low creature who
has sold herself; he would not have me. He
would despise me; he would not even look at
me.
| She fell back in one of the satin covered
chairs she had bought with her husbands
money, and cried and sobbed till the salt
fountains dried up. 1t was then, while she
sat silent and fearless, looking at her bruised
wrists and at the wounds her nails had made,
that she heard familiar, delicate tread in
the hall. 1t was as well Mr.. Ellingsworth
did not catch the expression on her set, weary
face as his tall form appeared in the doorway.
He seemed to her fancy that moment the
most terrible monster in the world, this ele-
CANT figure Of man, whose disposition was
the very essence of refinement, and she
dropped her eyes to the carpet as he came
toward her with his eternal smile.
''All alone, Jenniel Why you have dropped
your chain, here it is on the floor
'Oh. thank YOU but she shuddered in spite
of herself as he seated himself near her and
warmed her hands fondly between his own
soft. white palms.
my little girl he began.
Yes she was his, his and no others, his
| every day and hour of her life, for hadn't
he bought her, and what better title was there
than that by purchased She raised her eyes
and made them rest ON his fine, smooth
shaven face She had never noticed before
a certain cold and cruel light in his eyes, as
! if he could enjoy l1eenly the torture of a
living soul, or that beside the sensual lines
of his finely chiseled mouth there was
suggestion of an exquisite brutality on the
thin lips She trembled before him.
~ have favor TO ask OF you" He looked
| admiringly at her as he spoke Mr.. Filings
worth never tired of the rich, oriental type
of his wife's beauty. If Bertha's mother had
been like her there need never have been any
| unpleasant stories in the community on her
score. And Jane was lovelier than ever to-
day, with this peculiar brilliancy in her eyes
and the bright red spot on either dark cheek
| She didn't know how to furnish her parlor
| very WELL but he had never yet been sorry
he married her. She seemed to understand
| so well how to manage him, never too fond,
always a little on her guard, like judicious
artist, who will not let even the most ardent
admirer come too near his canvas.
ut is about Bertha" he continued, not
seeming to notice her start. ''She has left
that fellow. haven't troubled you before,
good many months / think best she should
come home now. 1t will be in better tasten--
Mr.. Ellingsworth rose to his feet at a rum
bling noise and stepped to the window When
he came back the color had faded from James
cheeks and her small mouth closed very tight
Her hands were trembling violently, but she
had hid them in the folds of her dress so her
husband could not see her intense excitement.
Her heart was beating loudly; her old mad
ness seemed coming upon her again, but this
mans cold, smiling face subdued her.
"When is she comingp
II didn't know but that was the carriage;
well, l suppose she may be here" he glanced
at his gold faced watch, perhaps in an hour
or two"
The girls lips quivered; she almost broke
into passion of angry words; the hate that
seetheG in her heart for that woman was al
most bubblng forth its bitterness. But the
| cool assurance on her husbands face, as his
keen, pitiless eyes seemed to search out all
the secrets of her soul, cowed the woman.
She rose and moved as one in a dream, to-
ward the door.
II must get things ready then" And so
this was what her gentle voiced husband
called asking a favor Of her She did not
love him. but she feared him, now, as she re
| lIleintlSIel uti StCith. A1it Hbuiti ObN1 Ito
| nod as if she were his dog, she would study
the signs ON his placid face He had never
anything but smiles and kind speeches for
her but she would have sunk into the very
earth at his feet rather than that he should
open his mysterious armory of instruments
| of deadly torture for the soul.
Gwen, well, l thought she would make
| more FUSS
The afternoon sun was well down on his
last stretch when Philip Breton came back
from his factory, and up the street toward
Mr.. Ellingsworths house. There was some
ono with him, a man SO tall and slight that
the weight of his head, which was quite
large, seemed to bow him. 1t was an old
gentleman, to judge from the wrinkles on
his face, but he had hardly enough hair to
rhow whether it was gray or only haxen.
"You have done splendidly my boyw 1t
was an old acquaintance Of Philips, whom