The Red Cloud chief., 1892-07-29

can't allow myself such n long holiday.
Mrs. Chase is nervous about my health,
and ! must go back tomorrow"
"well, Chase, you really do look as
IL you had been ncglecting yourself.
My wife would be nervous enough If ]
looked rs you do" Bclthorpc said kind
ly. Perhaps you a persuade Mrs.
Chase to come with you into the coun.
try"
I'VE shall go to the seaside later on,l
Michael answered with n prsoccupied
air. II have been thinking about Ann
Crake," he added. putting his hand in
his pocket. ''Will you give her this
from me, Belthorpe? And tell her
that | shall not forget her in the flu
turc.''
He laid a fivc-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. lie had come here for peace,
and the fash In Anron's eyes had cx-
pressed wrath and bitter contempt. IL
he had beer the man he once was
Michael would have given only q scorn-
full thought to his old companion; hut
he had changed greatly, and all his
GOODNESS was gone. lll-hcalth and Mrs.
Chase's temper had deprived him of
that self-assurance which had helped
him { o overcome many obstacles. lie
was shaken and worm. his nerves were
out of order, and he found himself
longing foolishly for some tender voice
TO soothc him in his loneliness tonight.
The crowned head, more fendish than
ever by candlclight, attracted his eyes;
he almost fancied that it smiled, n
wicked smile Of subtle meaning, and
turned away from IL with disgust.
There seemed to be no chance for rest
for him. lie was miscrably wnkcful,
and yet aching with WEAKNESS from
head to foot. There was no help for IL,
he must take n sleeping draught, al
though he knew that il was not IA wise
thing to do. He had had rccoursc &c
these draughts often of late.
After he had swallowed the opiatc 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 upor
his hot face and then threw himself
half undrcsscd, on the bed. lie meant
to lie there thinking for n few minute:
before he closed the window and pu'
out the light. Even nov he was no.
sure of getting any sleep; the draught'
had failed sometimes to produce th'
desired effect. And tonight he was 50
restless and wide-awalse that 1t seemed
as If nothing Oh earth could lull hin
into oblivion.
AS he lay there, gazing out ut TIN
star-sown night, he felt that he woul,
have given much to have seen the face
of his old friends looking kindly on hin
again. lie had gained so many desira
bic things that 1t was absurd To lie her
pining for a little fricndlincss from com
mon people. Only there are moments
even in successful lives. when nothinI
seems so precious as those poor treas
urcs that we laughed Mt and thrc,
away long ago.
How happy that pair had looked. n
they stood. side by side, watching tn
flow of the water! Yet it was only
very common kind Of Joy that they wer
feeling, ard il might have been Nj
chacl's too. lie had held II in his grns
and tossed it from him: II was gone 70,
ever, and he had only just begun to RI
alizc its true value. What had he game
in exchange? Shrcds of interest, give
sparingly by q oma who had neve
loved nor been loved. barren glittcrin
! days, whose monotony was only broke
by Mrs. Chase's frantic efforts to &c
into society!
As he thought Of those frantic efforts
he laughed with sudden scorn of he
and of himself. He was beginning (
know something about them now
} those disappointed women who hav
climbed a little way up the soci;
ladder and then stuck fast. fc ha
seen their frenzy when some othc
woman, poorer, but more attractive
| had glided gracefully past them, an
taken up her position above their heads
How pitiablc this small ambition SCENE
| to him ut this moment, when he we
! weak and lonely! The simple wifel
love, the clinging hands Of little chi
: dren, the sacred sweetness Of n home
were blessings that the successful na
was never to know.
Sleep came upon him unaware
D long sought, it kept far from him, bu
I when he had given up all hope Of res
q deep slumber fell upon his sense
and he lay still and unconscious wit
the night nir blowing on his face. tt
wind was rising, but he felt II no
Then n stronger puff caught the muslI
= window curtain and floated it ~perilousl
near the flame of the candle, which WI
Q still burning on the toilet table. But ]
did not wake.
No, he did not wake, but his dream
! were terrible. He had wrongcd Aarc
7 Fenlake, it was true, but surely Aarc
M.s,N II