The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-03-13
ATLANTA. GA. TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 1883

packet that had been left at the house during
our absence that evening l rose and stood by
the side table while l. cut the strP9s of the
parcel, WHICH was heavy and unshapely, re-
member This gave me an opportunity of
speaking in an unconcerned manner, which ]
thought might deceive her. As if she did not
know my heart better than l did hers.
Did he speak the truth tonight, that
man. / asked.
The truth" she repeated, slowly.
Tie said you were an old flame of his"
II supposed he liked me little at one
time"
"Iou thought he did ."
YES, | thought So was the naive con-
fcSsion.
And he told YOU 500
She looked at me steadily for while. | Was
sure that she was looking very intently atme,
as i went on with my task.
YES. But"
And you loved him" said, turning round
and facing her with darker face than She had
seen before; why didn't you tell me all the
truth? 1t is not too late TO own it, ] shall
only be sorry that you kept it back from me all
this while"
Uric, don't ask me any questions Can
not the past remain the past between you and
me me-, she urged, "Why do you torture me
My God! Is it torture to speak of This
man ?'
~ do not want to speak of him"
Did you love him? Why don't you own it
frank? ?"
YES, did," she confessed, ''he and mot
much more than boy and girl-would have
been man and wife, had not my father sepa-
rated us. Dyes! l loved him, as young girls
love the first man who speaks to them as wo-
men and talks of his devotion. But it is all
gone, 0, don't you hear me tell you 500
"Cicely, he loves you still"
"Oh!"
",And he has told You so tonight. Tie has
reproached you for deceiying him, and yon
To Nf,t,, ut,f ~,
hear?"
| had raised my voice now-what demon |
looked like then, God knows-but she was
huddled i'll the chair away from me- with her
leWeled fingers held before her eyes. / had
frightened her--as we'll might have done--in
my excitement. She could not answer me, and
went on.
and you love him still You would have
Kissed at him with scorn had the Frenchnan
been as far away from your heart as | am. |
understand it all"
MONO. You understand nothing you are
not fair to me. Uric. Why do you make a
grievance of all this at last" she cried, "when
you are going away from me when YOU are
leaving me alonel'
That will be no grievance only relief"
was my bitter answer, and she sprang up before
me then, with her hands drawn from her face
and ciinched together, with her eyes blazing
with contempt for me, almost with hate.
''You coward!'' she cried then there was a
pause, sudden change OF feature, and she fell
back in her chair and gave way to torrent of
tears, OF passionate sobs, of strange. wild wall
ingS that brought me to my KEGS and as her
side in pity for her and the grief Ihad CEASED
hef.
"Forgiye me, CiceIy; think no more OF it,
| impored. 81 was mad or jealous; ] will ask
no further questions 1t is all past-vanished
-dead" And you are my wife"
She was moved at last, pacifed by degrees
but she remained very white and sad. The look
in her eyes haunted me for months, as she
rested her thin, hot hands upon my head.
My poor, foolish old Ulric,'' she murmured
III a low tone, who would have thought my
strong stern husband would have given way
like this
Who would have thought"
Then paused-l was silent. / stopped and
kissed her. l had no more to say. The grave,
gray husband was almost himself again
''Ihere, there, compose yourself, Cicely; /
will not say another word. This is our last
night together for ever and ever so long; we
must not look back upon it through our tears
Don't go" she whispered.
"O!--I must go. 1t is for the best, | an
swered ''it is too late to break my promise"
She did not speak again. Mechanically
turned TO the parcel to give her time to recover
from her sorrow, opened it and drew forth
dark, reddish, heavy mass of stone, at which L
locked i'll amazement for an instant.
1T is the bouquet, II said at last "See. il
has come back-a peace offering, Ccely. We
will take it as an omen"
Cicely glanced at it wonderingly, then shud-
dered.
A stone bouquet! It's flowers roughly defined
still but with all the poetry gone from it, a
hard unmalleable, angular Yes, it was an
omen.