Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-02-06

until he reached her sitting-room.
The gas mad not been lighted there,
but a ruddy log-wood fire glowed on
the hearth. Thorndkye closed and
locked tho door. =.
''Now," he said, his voice deep
with suppressed feeling-''now I must
have your explanation"
Even then she did not speak imme-
diatelY, and her deliberation greatly
tried his patience.
Il can make no explanation" she
said, at last, until I know what you
wish me to explain"
Ills face was in the shadow, but even
this lmperturable woman must have
known that it was dark with disap-
provaa.
There Is no need of verbal fem
cing," he retorted. ''You know that I
wish you to explain why you are I'M
willing to live in your husbands
house. wish to know why you wore
not here tonight, when you expected
me to arrive. Finally, you must tell
me why you were visiting DR.. Deer
ing"
Il am willing TO go to your house in
another month, Eric; and I visited the
doctors office to consult him about
Julian"
"You are willing to postpone COM
Ing homo for another month, although
you are the subject of gossip while you
remain here. Is that the way you
guard the name I have given youp"
She had drawn herself up to her full
height, and was regarding him with
naughty displeasuro. But he contin-
ued:
''If Julian was aeutely i'll, you might
have an excuse for running to his ply
sician for advice; but even then you
would have servants to summon him.
Julian is apparently no worse than he
will be ten or twenty years from now.
lie drove past the doctors door and
could have stopped and asked for ad-
vice if he had needed it. Your visit
was plainly superluous, and l would
like to hear what excuse you offer for
it."
Il will offer none whatever, and I
will submit to no further catechism."
"Ihat appears to be your only sub
terfuge," he said, cuttingly. "Your
behavior has been inexcusable. But l
have come to put an end to your disre-
gard for conventlonalities. will take
you home with me tomorrow"
She left his side suddenly, and went
cropping about the room in quest of
matches. When she found one, she
lighted the gas and came back to him.
She appeared feverishly restless now.
''Eric,'' she said. II can't explain,
but it will be impossible for me to go
home so soon. Give me another month
here, and afterward / will never leave
you"
He had spoken harshly to her, but
something in her manner softened his
mood for the moment.
Try to EXPLAIN he said.
Il do not wish Julian to be away
from his physician. In month DR..
Deering will return to the city, and
then"
''You will be ready TO accompany
him.? His face was so terrible that
she shrank from him. ''You want to
give oredence to the story that you are
still infatuated with this coxcomb
You have not the slightest desire to
accede to your husbands wishes. You
would make the shallow pretense that
Julian must be near his physician and
you in attendance upon the patient!
Yet you know that Julian is not de-
pendent upon DR.. behring's services,
There are thousands of better physi-
clans than he. And you consider me
such an imbecile that l will submit to
your outrageous proposal! require
you to go home with me tomorrow or
not at ALL"
':Do you mean that, Eric? Would
you not receive me if came to you in
another month";"
lie caught her wrists in his hands
and pushed her back under the gas
light, where he could scan her face.
His cOuntenance was so stern, so re-
lentless. so nearly contemptuous. that
she could not bear to look into his
face.
"You ought TO know by this time
that mean every word utter. If
you refuse to go with me, I shall never
respect you nor think of you as my
wife again. I will crush out every bit
of love for you, and shall despise you
as you will deserve"
She struggled to free her hands. Her
eyes were humid, and she wished to
cover them, but he would not release
her.
'Look in my face" he said, land
make your choice. Will you 20 with
me tomorrow or not?''
NO." she replied, almost inaudibly;
Il can not go so soon.''
He would have been glad to have
left Newport that night, but there were
no western-bound trains before the
morrow. He had left his wife without
a WOrd-had almost cast her from him