The Red Cloud chief., 1888-11-30

home thsa night. but she gave Up he ~
now. She had beer married dve years, and
TO her the low and romance OF the union
were undated. undimmed. Indeed she
loved Der husband ~ better, more W1D'on'
ateiv. than when shs lad married him.
She had been . beiD in her first 100000. he
some eight yesrs her senior. He had WOoed
her with ardent devotion, AID Woo hei
away from . thronR OF suitors- She
loved him then with . young giri's timid
love; she worshipcd him now, with a
awakened womxn's deep passion. But
while her home and her domestic 10yo b
came each % more satisfying 20 Cias4ce,
she saw with alarm Hugh's growing das.
taste for quiet evenings and simple pleas
ureS. He wanted . crowd about him. be
GEUW mose devoted % the club. He crared
excitomGnt. He never took her oot nov for
- eveniaG st the theatsS siooe, and = cosy
suppeT afterWard. - IN tAe old days. IL
must be n theatcr party now, where be wAs
the escort OF some other lady. she the re
. cipient OF some other g~a!lant's attention
II she complained ne called her attention "a
the fact that he was quite n literal with
her ~ he Was with himself. He tavitod
gentlemen to the house. and was glad 70
have her entertain them. Oh course he
could not always remain 1t home; q man In
business and ia society had . thousand
things 70 take his time and attention. II he
provided for his family. paid all bills with
out objection, and never lef; his wife 10
nope Il home alone, what complaint could
she nakci
Surely none, snve that Of . starving heart.
But there il no law Of the statutes or Of
society which enables u woman % gain
redress for wrongs Of This kind.
Perhaps there was 10 real wrong In the
matter nj this juscture. We BIust make
allowances kr inherited natures. Hugh
Bickester was the son OF m ambitious and
unhappy politician. who fought his way from
obscuri'y 10 n%otoriety, and died, leaving
his only child the Inheritance Of his am
bilious propensities. his restlessDess and
craving for excitement, and his selfish blind-
ness 70 the smaller duties Of life which lie
50 close We often overlook them.
He mad. like many men. been wild la GS
pursuit OF a lovely woman, until ne made
her wholly his OWE. Then ne had become
accustomed TO the thought OF possession,
and, while he was content and satisfied with
his choice, other aims, objects and pleas
urcs, aside from his home. bsrame necessary
TO his happiness.
CIarice often exhibited u lack OF tact in
her management Of him, which . more
worldly woman would have avoided. She
complained Of the change from lover 20
~husband-of the absence OF his former inter
est in her: and q man never Is won over ~
complaints. especially il it is his wife who
makes them.
And she questioned him when he wont
out. and when he returned, concerning his
whereabouts and actions; and "a man never
enjoys or is made better by this espionage
Of his conduct, especially one who for many
years has lived u life OF bachelor freedom.
Hugh Bickesicr took especial pains 10 sec
that Clar,ce was never left alone, but he
no return OF his old passing dcvo-
tion 10 his home. which had blessed her
early married life. And though now he III
most invariably announced where he was TO
pass his time. and how. when absent from
Claricc. which rendered her questioning
unnecessary. his absences were more fire.
quent aud prolonged. and the term do
nestle happiness" seemed one Of mocking
to Ciarice. She WAS unhappy, but
she was not . woman u Sit and pine and
gricvc.
She preferred the society of her husband
70 that Of all the world beside; but. il she
could not have il. she accepted the society
If the agreeable men who We're ever ready
10 do her homage. Among them Count Du
bois was foremost. Handsome. cultured.
magnetic. the p,sscssor OF a thrilling tenor
voice and an infection whose every ex-
precision was a carcss. he was q dangerous
for most women. hut, sheltered
behind her great love for her husband.
Claricc seemed to be proof against all his
Vaccinations. She admired him. she en-
joyed his society. she ~ thrilled by his
singing. but her heart was untouched.
While Count ubois, He was growing
madiy. ficrcely. hopelessly in love with the
fair unhappy woman with whom he was
thrown so constantly by the oft-cxprcssed
desire Of her husband.
When he iirs, became aware OF the danger
81 the sentiment which was dawning in his
breast. let US do him the justice 70 say that
made q resolve to avoid and fly tempta-
He remained a whole week away from
the Bickcs'ers'. and then Hugh hunted him
upand insisted upon his going home To dinner
with him.
I'VE are perfectly forlorn without you"
said. I'VE made up u theater party last
evening, and half a dozen fair ladies were
disconsclate because YOU were not Of the
uumber. Mrs. bickesicr WAS cross-Ques-
toned by each lady separately. and obliged 10
her utter ignorance OF your where
ahouts. Now. I don't want this 10 occur
again. my dear Count, while you are in the
city. See that you report here At least twice
a week"
What could a man. q Frenchman. do, un-
those circumstances Madly in love
with the wife, and urged-nay commanded =
the husband to seek her presence. he. OF
cast his scruplea 70 the wind and
plunged into the exciting game OF love.
VERY carefully, very slowly. very systcmat-
ically. he laid his plans 70 win the heart Of
the wife from her husband. He made slow
but he was % msdly In love, he
felt he could afford to wait.
Hugh Bickestcr ~freQuented the club more
and more. and was less and less NJ his own
freside. and. when he was 1t home. he in |
vxriably wanted . crowd about him, 1t waa
more than ak months from the time when |
Dubois first entered the Bickester
home. that husband and wife sat alone in
their handsome parlors again. Hugh glanced |
Ut his watch.
Il mus, be on" he said: Il am half IN
hour late IT the club now"
Clarice looked at him with IN expression
Of infinite longing and tenderness in her |
which had grown strangely thin and
psllid Of late |
why do you never spend any more quiet
with me 1t homet" she said.
do You always y 70 80 away FOR |
ENTERTAINMENT or have = crowda about you, !
Have you lost all interest in your home and |
your wife. Huchr" |
why. OF course not! What . foolish
he answered carciessly. |
She aat gazing n him . moment in silence. |
she rose suddenly. her chceks flushing. |