The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1892-05-11


can't allow myself such long holiday
Mrs. Chase is nervous about my health
and must go back tomorrow"
"Well, Chase, you really do look as
If you had been neglecting yourself
My wife would be nervous enough if
looked as you do" Belthorpe said kind
ly. Perhaps you can persuade Mrs
Chase to come with you into the coun
try"
1--WE shall go to the seaside later on,
Michael answered with preoccupied
air. 81 have been thinking about Ann
Crake," he added, putting his hand in
his pocket "Will you give her this
from me, Belthorpe? And tell hel
that shall not forget her in the flu,
ture."
He laid five-pound note on the table
and went quickly out of the room.
That sudden encounter with Aaron
had set him quivering with annoyance
and pain. He had come here for peace
and the flash in Aaron's eyes had ex.
pressed wrath and bitter contempt. II
he had been the man he once was
Michael would have given only scorn.
ftl thought to his old companion; hut
he had changed greatly, and all his
coolness was gone. Ill-health and Mrs
Chase's temper had deprived him OF
that self-assurance which had helped
him to overcome many obstacles. He
was shaken and worn, his nerves were
out of order, and he found himself
longing foolishly for some tender voice
to soothe him in his loneliness tonight
The crowned head, more fendish than
ever by candlclight, attracted his eyes
he almost fancied that it smiled, q
wicked smile of subtle meaning, and
turned away from it with disgust
There seemed to be no chance for rest
for him. He was miserably wallcful
and yet aching with weariness from
head to foot. There was no help for it.
he must take u sleeping draught, al
though he knew that it was not wise
thing to do. He had had recourse tc
these draughts often of late.
After he had swallowed the opiate he
went to the window and threw it open.
The air was sweet and cold and seemed
to revive him. He let it blow in upon
his hot face and then threw himself,
half undressed, on the bed. He meant
to lie there thinking for few minutes
before he closed the window and put
out the light. Even now he was not
sure of getting any sleep; the draughts
had failed sometimes to produce the
desired effect. And tonight he was 50
restless and wide-awake that it seemed
as if nothing on earth could lull him
into oblivion.
AS he lay there, gazing out ut the
star-sown night, he felt that he would
have given much TO have seen the faces
of his old friends looking kindly on him
again. He had gained so many dcsira.
BILE things that 1t was absurd TO lie here
pining for little friendliness from com.
mon people. Only there are moments,
even in successful lives, when nothing
seems so precious as those poor treas.
ures that we laughed at and threw
away long ago.
How happy that pair had looked, as
they stood, side by side, watching the
flow OF. the waterl Yet IL was only 0
very common kind of joy that they were
feeling, and it might have been Mi
chael's too. lie had held It in his GRASP
and tossed 1t from him; it was gone for.
ever, and he had only just begun to re-
alize its true value. What had he gained
in exchange? Shreds of interest, given
sparingly by woman who had never
loved nor been loved, barren glittering
days, whose monotony was only broken
by Mrs. Chase's frantic efforts to get
into society,"
As he thought of those frantic efforts,
he laughed with sudden scorn Of her
and Of himself He WIS beginning to
know something about them now
those disappointed women who have
climbed a little way up the social
ladder and then stuck fast. He had
seen their frenzy when some other
woman, poorer, but more attractive,
had glided gracefully past them, and
taken up her position above their heads.
How pitiable this small ambition seemed
TO him at this moment, when he was
weak and lonely! The simple wifely
love, the clinging hands Of little chill
dren, the sacred sweetness of home,
were blessings that the successful man
was mover to know.
Sleep came upon him unawares;
long sought, 1t kept far from him, but,
when he had given up all hope of rest,
n deep slumber fell upon his senses;
and he lay still and unconscious with
the night air blowing on his face. The
wind was rising, but he felt 1t not.
Then stronger puff caught the muslin
window curtain and Aoatedit perilously
near the fame Of the candle, which was
still burning on the toilet table. But he
did not wake.
No, he did not wake, but his dreams
were terrible. He had wronged Aaron
Fenlale, II was true, but surely Aaron
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