The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-02-06
HIS HONOR'S DECISION.
The business of Which Is Left for
the Reader to Decide.

Judge Eric Thorndyke went to New
port to urge his wife to return with
him to New York. Mrs. Thorndyke
owned d cottage at the watering place,
where she and her crippled brother
had spent the summer. Now the sea-
son was over. The Judge had been
married for less than a year, and dur
ing the last four weeks had not seen
his wife at all, for his judicial duties
kept him almost continually in the
city.
In spite of his proverbial good luck,
the judge was unhappy in his mar
riage He had not reached the lament
able point of declaring marriage to be
a failure, but he was displeased with
his wife's conduct. He had repeatedly
urged her to come to New York; but,
in spite of his assertion that their sep
aration was exciting comment, she had
declined to join him for another month,
Her excuse was that her Invalid broth
er needed her presence.
There was an ugly rumor aAoat, that
Mrs. Thorndyke was less interested in
theinvalid than in his physician. Julian
Winters was under the care of Dr.
Deering. Four years before her mar
riage to Thorndyke, Audrey Winters
had been engaged to this doctor. Deer
ing was graceful, somewhat conceit-
ed young gentleman, whom women
considered agreeable, but whom men
despised. Thorndyke thought so little
OF him that he had never been jealous
of him. He had not thought it posi-
BILE that Audrey could have had more
than passing fancy for Deering.
The judge had greatly admired her
devotion to her crippled brother, but
now this very attentiveness had be-
come an annoyance to him. She was
unwilling to leave Julian alone in New
port, or to take him to her husbands
home in New York She said that her
brother was deriving benefit where
he was. Thorndyke was not satisfied
with this excuse. Julian's lameness
would never be any better, and his
general health was as good as usual.
Thorndyke remembered that his wife
had always appeared reluctant to leave
her brother. She had at first refused
to marry, on the ground that he need
ed her attention. But Thorndyke was
in the habit of having his own way,
and he overruled this objection. He
had taken her hands into his firm
grasp and said;
Il am not asking you to leave your
brother, but to come with me. | am
determined to make you my wife.
Audrey; for, heart and soul and body,
you are miner
When he arrived at his wife's cot
tage, he was bitterly chagrined to
learn that she was absent. A servant
gave him q note in which she ex-
planned that she was going to drive
with Julian, but would return in a
little while.
The judge was high-spirited, and
when Julian arrived one, was thor
oughly aroused; he could not patient
ly remain in the house. and he
went out of doors. walking rapidly
along the shore and keeping a sharp
lookout for his truant wife. His blood
was up. He set his teeth and stood as
if rooted to the spot when he saw his
wife and DR.. Deering approaching
him. Her careless disregard of her
husbands arrival, and of the gossip
which coupled her name with Deer
ing's, infuriated Thorndyke beyond
expression.
Judge Thorndyke and his wife
walked home in silence. Not a sylla-
BILE was spoken by either of them
until he reached her sitting-room.
The gas had not been lighted there,
but a rudy log-wood fire glowed on
the hearth. Thorndkye closed and
locked the door.
Now" he said, his voice deep
with suppressed feeling-"uow l must
have your explanation.
Even then she did not speak imme-
diately, and her deliberation greatly
tried his patience.
II can make no explanation" she
said, at last, until know what you
wish me to explain"
His face was in the shadow, but even
this imperturable woman must have