Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1892-01-23
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BY MARY Z. sTICKNEY.

"An the same" meeting his eyes I'M
hinchingly, sit was l."
Donald did not seem surprised, al |
though his face grew graver. And may |
ask what you were doing at the bank?"
Certainly. | went there to get the |
check cashed."
Sin the EVENING""
Yes The bank was closed when I |
decided that wanted the money, and
as kindness Mr.. ingalls, went and got
it for me in the evening when went
around to his house and asked him"
Donald rubbed his forehead in be-
wildered way: And why could you
not have waited until the bank opened
next day?"
Because wanted to take the early
train next morning
And did you?"
Yes"
And where did you go9" breathing
hard.
40 Pueblo" with an inscrutable
smile
TO Pueblo and you took money
enough to take you to Parish suddenly
growing pale, as a light seemed to break
upon his mind. And did your cousin
go with you? he demanded slowly.
"Oh, no." with that little, cool, teas
ing smile, "but he came back with me.
"In other words, you Went to meet
him" hoarsely, his eyes flashing blue
fire. We'll, do you intend to tell me
the rest of it?''
"Ah, why should II" with u careless
shrug of her shoulders, smiling always
you are so keen at su1nising."
do you know you are leading me to
surmise very strange things
"Yes?" inditferently,
80 think of my being tricked out of the
way with that little cock and bull story
of your aunt's coming!" he exclaimed,
his voice SHAKEN with anger. How You
must have laughed in your sleeve to see
me led away 10y the nose like AN ass
"Wel, no. not exactly If anybody
laughed it must have been Mrs Rogers
who did the leading, and whom, to all
appearances. you were only to ready to
follow
How like II woman that is" regard
ing her with scorn ine(fable, Ito try to
whitewash yourself by throwing mud at
another! could not have imagined that
you would stoop to anything so small;
but" frowninglv considering the check
he was twisting through his fingers, lit
seems you are capable of anything"
"Yes," growing very white do you
think SOP
What / don't understand. he went
on, slowly, cruelty, still studying the
check, lis how you happened to come
back at all Evidently you did not plan
| to-"
We'll do you know, rather wonder
at that myself now" white to the lips:
but it is mistake most easily rectiied.
can go again.
Don't be idiotic." he roughly retorted.
BE satisfied with what you have already
done disgrace yourself and me. Don't
imagine that you are going on to have
me pointed at as deserted husband; to
have the history of your shame hawked
through all the papers in the land. If
you hankered for the excitement of an
elopement you should have embraced
the opportunity when you had it, rest
assured you will not get another.
"No?" with an insolent smile will
Mrs. Rogers never take you away again?"
He opened his lips, br' then, as if fear
ing to trust himself to sL.4k, turned and
rushed from the room. Anita buried
her head in the sofa pillow and lay still,
making no moan, although every nerve
was a-quiver under the singing humilia-
ton of Donalds tone and her own i'm
potent anger \ moment later she lifted
her white face, duly staring Donald
had come back,
ii want to take it all back Nita," he
said humbly, even pleadingly, "all the
hateful things | have been saying
have tormented myself into a temper
over this thing, and / have said more
than meant-a good deal more than
ought. 1t does look queer, and You won't
explain it. And the queerest thing about
it is your reticence. All the same be,
Iieve you could explain it if You chose, sc
as to put an altogether different aspect
upon the matter; and think you are
keeping your lips closed in some foolish
within of shielding your cousin some way.
know that he is at the bottom of the
whole business; that-why, great heav
ems, Nita, if an angel came to tell me
any evil about you | could not really
believe itr' moving n little toward her
~ believe nothing-nothing Nita, ex
cept what / saw; and someway, some
how, l believe in you in spite of that"
Anita had buried her face again in the
sofa pillow for shame Of the tears tina
were yelling from her eyes, so unused
to the weakness of tears.
r "If you would only be frank with me
= Nitar he murmured, wistfully regard
ing her, but moving no nearer.
Anita said nothing. Womanlke. ever
in her weeping she had her Wis wei
about her, and, seeing Donald ready TO
reconciliation, she was full of obstinat,
resolve to move no step toward meeting
him half way. His had been the frs
j wrongdoing; legitimately his was TIN
humiliation of confession and pleading
Seeing her in tears for his harshness, sh,
= subtly planned, he, already disposed t.
tenderness, must be moved to take he
in his arms with comforting and caress
ing; and when he had come to that sh
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