The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-08-03
4 Righteous DeCslVsT.
BY LOIS GREY.

The door swung to, snapped loosely in the lock. Everything was loose here-doors and window sAshes alike. The wind came in at every crevice. Well-Mary's lips curved into harsh smile disa- greeAble to see-it would soon come In far more She sank into of the cane- bottomed chairs and began to think-to go over, word for word, what the doctor had said. 1t had meant-that visit to the man of science which she had just mAde-the last bill she had folded away out of sight and ken of Jack, for little medicines and stimulants he otherwise would never have permitted or afforded himself. Mary had paid the doctors fee. She was proud. She would pay as long she could :; and the truth she must have. She had asked for 1t with compelling look in her singular eyes, before which the medical man had found 1t impossible to be evAsive.
 Jack then, would stand a chance of recovery could he have comparative rest of body and total rest of mind-rest, bodily and mental Here a prescription easy enough to i'll for them now. Mary's fingers grasped the chair till the nails turned bloodless. Two years of love such theirs has been, of glad hopes, of faith and joy, to end like this She had almost hallucinated vision of their first meeting, of their passion that would not brook denial, of their mad marriage in the face of all opposition. An, but they had been happy for a time! And Jack, gifted, quick, clever Jack, could and must have made his way but for that fatal cold and slow fever which had eaten up all their resources and left him a wrath of himself.
 In the name of pity, she who felt the strong, warm blood of youth in her veins-wAs there noth-
 
 hers worth that Jack worshiped2 Better the brawn of a chArwoman who can work on her knees for her "man" all day.
 Her eyes, sullen and bitter and fierce gazed con- temptuously at the reflection thrown back by the dingy mirror opposite. The world said that such beauty as hers was power. power And Jack was dying of care, of want, of desperate endeavor forever thwarted, of hope deferred! She had never in the day of prosperity been taught to help her self in the hour of need she sat with impatiently cia han nda eat ouf her med hy futile agonies
 Stop! Mary rose from her chair and stood for a moment breathless under the clutch of a sudden thought. Over the housetops, in the golden clear of the autumn afternoon, there came the sound of bells from 6 neighboring church. spire. Mary suddenly moved, fastened the worn wrap again about her shoulders with fingers grown unsteady with impatience. Two hours yet, perhaps, before Jack would return. She had time-time enough.
 The door opened and closed again, and the room left once more to its barren emptiness and silence.
 The neighboring church spire and the house. tops caught all the glory of the departing sum- rays. slanting beam found its way through the window and revealed with the pitiless serenity of abstract beauty all the undrooped shabbiness within. It was the first time that Jack returning from his weary quest his fruitless search for work work of any sort that he could do had missed the warm clasp of two arms about his neck, the sound of a voice rich with tenderness in his ear. The emptiness of the room seemed an omen of fsome further and more miserable change. "Maryi" he called.
 And the half unconscious cry seemed to have brought her. For she had suddenly thrown open the door, and hung about him, murmuring words of endearment, scanning with eyes rendered merci- essly keen by love- the signs of weariness and dis appointment in his face But those eyes had a new brightness in their depths; on the perfect ovals of her cheeks there was . new flush.
 "Darlingl Did you ind nothing to-day ?s asked the soft voice. "But never mind I did.S
 ua hol1 howf fxsrxx, aIxnnx oxn1 against her for this new ignominy. Was 1t for