Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1892-03-29
"Why, Normal Is 1t really yo,Y"

Ihorne had even less difficulty with
his legal arrangements than he had an
ticipated. He had hitherto relocated the
subject of divorce to the limbo of things
as little thought and spoken of as pos
sible by we'll bred people. He knew
nothing of the modus operandi, and
was surprised at the ease and celebrity
with which the legal machine moved.
"Ill have to prove my identity and
the truth of my statements to the men
out there, suppose" he remarked to
the lawyer from whom he obtained all
necessary information.
The lawyer laughed; he was a south
erner by birth, and his voice was gentle,
his manner courteous.
''Of your identity, Mr.. Thorne, these
men will take excellent care to inform
themselves, and of your responsibility
also" he answered. "For the truth of
your statements, they are apt to take
your word, and the dispositions of your
witnesses, without troubling themselves
about substantiating the facts. The
soundness of your evidence is your look
out, not theirs. If the case were to be
contested it would be different; but, in
this instance, there is consent of both
case is reduced to u matter of mere
form and business"
apparently, then, my statement may
be a tissue of lies from beginning to
end, for all the difference it makes" OBJ
served Thorne, curious to discover how
small penknife could now cut the bond
which once the scythe of death alone
was held to be able to sever.
For your veracity, Mr.. Thorne, your
appearance is a sufficient voucher" re-
sponded the lawyer with ready cour-
tesy. And the looseness on which you
comment, recollect, is all in your favor.
When man has an unpleasant piece Of
business in hand, it's surely an immense
advantage to be able to accomplish it
speedily and privately"
Thorne walked in the direction of his
hotel in state of preoccupation. He
was sore and .irritated; he disliked it all
intensely; it Jared upon him and Of
Tended his taste. Over and over he
cursed it all for a damnable business
from beginning to end. He was per-
fectly aware, reasoning from cause to
effect, that the situation was, in some
sort, his own fault; but that was a poor
consolation. That side of the question
did not readily present itself; his horizon
was occupied by the nearer and more
personal view. He loathed it all, and
was genuinely sorry for himself and
conscious that fate was dealing hardly
by him.
AS he turned a corner he ran against a
tall, handsome young lady who put out
her hand and caught his arm to steady
herself, laughing gayly. "Take care,
Nesbitw she exclaimed, "you nearly
knocked mo down. Since when have
you taken to emulating Mrs. Wilfer's
father, and telling your relatives to the
earth?"
"Why, Normal is it really your" he
questioned, refusing to admit the evil
dence of sight and touch unfortified by
hearing
He was genuinely delighted to see her,
and foresaw that she would be a comfort
to him during the days that must elapse
before it became possible for him to start
for Illinois. He needed sympathy and
some one to make much of him. And
Norma, with her lustrous eyes aglow
with the pleasure of the meeting, ap-
peared to divine it, for she set herself to
entertain him with little incidents and
adventures of her journey from Virginia,
and with scraps Of intelligence of the
people at home. She did not mention
Pocahontas, save in reply to direct in
quiry, and then simply stated that she
had spent night at Lanarth day or so
before coming north, and that the family
were all well.
She cheered Thorne wonderfully, for
she seemed to bring Virginia and the
life of the last few months nearer to him
the peaceful life in which new hopes
had budded, in which he had met and
known and loved Pocahontas. Norma
did him good, raised his spirits and
made the future look bright and cheer
full, but not in the way she hoped and
intended. She had come north with the
hope OF furthering her own plans, Of
making herself necessary and agreeable,
Of keeping the old days fresh in his mem
DRY. And she was necessary to him, as
trusted comrade who had never failed
him, clever adviser in whose Judgment
he had confidence, a charming friend
who was fond of him and who had but
now come from the enchanted land
where his love dwelt. Of her plans he
knew nothing, suspected nothing, and
the days she brought fresh to his
thoughts were days in which she had no
part.
In little while he went west, and
there was a period of uneventful wait
ing 4ftee which Norma received q west.
en- Hnt44 hoatRtniaa 4 Nhnpk niid f5fsfyif.