The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-10-19

J word of reproach or complaint
81 understand" !" she said in a low tone. "I-I
| am rather stupid, but understand. am going
| to bed now. Please forgive me for troubling.
| Goodnight"
| Godfrey watched her move slowly away into
! her room, and then he shut and locked the door.
The next day Archie st. John left the house, but
he did not go far away he only returned to his
own home, which was about three miles distant.
Geoffrey did not see him again, but knew that
he and Doris managed to meet every day.
One evening about week after the conversa-
tion recorded above Godfrey was sitting in the
| library, reading and smoking his after-dinner
| cigar, when the door was suddenly flung open
and Doris rushed in and threw herself at his feet.
"Geoffrey ~ she cried, looking up in his face
with the wild, imploring gaze of hunted ami
NAL, "Geoffrey ~
He laid down his book with an ninstinctive feel
ing that he was approaching crisis in his life.
"Yes," he said; 'what is it ?''
"You must listen to me now,n she went on:
'you must"
81 am listening" he said, speaking quite
calmly, although he was almost as much excited
| as she was.
Her eyes held his in a strange and fascinated
| gaze.
81 have come to make one last appeal to you,"
| she said. "If you will not heed it the conse-
quences be upon your own head"
"And upon yours" he added.
"And upon mine," she repeated firmly. Then
her tone changed again to one of widest en-
treaty. "You will listen to me, Godfrey % she
pleaded. ooh say that you will listen and help
me.n
II am willing to listen," Geoffrey returned
slowly, "but can't promise to help you.''
''lf you refuse" she said breathlessly, ''if YOU
refuse-but no. hard as you are, you will not,
you cannot, refuse me now. Listen, Geoffrey;
L have just met Archie"
"Yes," he said, as she paused sis that alp
"No, no, you know it is not ALL Geoffrey, YOU
must take me away"
"Away?" he repeated.
''Yes, away from him. would not ask YOU
II were not forced to, but things are getting
beyond me. L can't help myself, and you must
help me-"
dark red flush glowed sullenly beneath Geof-
frey's dark skin.
"Upon my word, he exclaimed, "you are set
ting me nice task. L wonder you dare talk to
me in such way"
"There is nothing that would not dare to-
night" Doris cried. ~ am not afraid of you
now; have got past that. You are my husband,
you are bound in honor to care for me and pro-
tect me, and l demand that you take me away.n
He looked at her steadily.
"And what if 1 refuse your demand?,
Again the hunted look flashed into her eyes
"Ihen," she said, ''then-but we need not
think OF that, because you will not refuse''
AT that juncture Godfrey temper got the bet
ter OF him. Few men could have looked into
that poor child's white, miserable face and re-
fused her the help that SHE craved, but he did.
His heart was SO full of sullen, unreasoning an
ger at the knowledge that she could entertain
single thought of another man that there was no
room in it for pity or consideration.
~ do refuse" he cried; 81 refuse distinctly.
L tell you now, as have told you before, that if
you have not strength to stand alone you are no
wife of mine. You are too weak, too slight for
me-"
She WINGED at his words and shrank back as if
he had struck her, but moment later she rose
to her feet and faced him bravely.
"You will be sorry for those words some
day. she said, in low vibrating tone, that
thrilled him unpleasantly. ooh! yes, YOU will
be sorry. Your eyes are blinded now, but some
day you will see clearly. 1 know that L am
weak, but is not that all the greater reason for
you, my husband, to help and protect me
do not wish to reproach you; no doubt you have
acted up to your standard, but if you had ex-
pected less and given more, if you had spoken
kindly to me, and helped me when | needed
help, things would never have come to this.
Some women, no doubt, can stand alone, but
they are cast in very different mould. If I
We're not here l do not think you would miss
me much; our lives are so separate and distinct.
you never seem to require my sympathy or ad-
vice; there is no companionship between us-in
snort, am not necessary to you. Love is not
necessary to your life, but it is to mine. L can
not live without it," She paused for moment,
still looking up at him. 81 think you loved me
once" she went on, in a softer tone 'Eand some
day, when you remember that love, you will be
sorry that you did not listen to my appeal. [
am going now, and you need not be afraid that
Shall ever trouble you in this way again. /
nave made my last appeal-and failed.n She
moved slowly toward the door, swaying as she
walked. On the threshold she turned and
looked back at him. Goodnight, Geoffrey,m
she said, and then she went
Geofrey never saw her again.
That night she took the last, most desperate
step OF ALL The next day he learned that she
and Archie had fled together
That is all-thereis is no more to tell.
Many years have rolled by now since Geoffrey
heard the tidings of Doriss death, and he muses.
here tonight, a lonely, gray-haired man, without
hope or love, or interest in life. He tempted
to wish that he had not found the lilies, and vet
he knows that il is pOOd som atimas IN ravayU tla