Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-01-22
THE PLANTERS WIFE,
ny gilbert Parker, Author OF pierre snd
His People" rte
fconrrlaht. 80. hr GIlhet rmkerl

he was not an UNUSUAL ulNns NY WnIt
not happy they might never lH lle
was almost sure they would moi be- she
had long ceased 10 think they could be
She had told him when she married him
that she did not love him. lie was VIII
ing 10 wait for her love. believing that
by patience aud devotion he could win
H. She was the duughfer Of ruined
squatter whose family hud been pursued
BY bad luck. They were both sorry for
each other. They accepted things as
they were. but they knew there was
danger in the Situation. He had not
counted on it at first, bnt she had. lie
lnd come 10 see what might occur She
did not love him. but she loved some one
Else. She had done 30 before she mar
ried him. He had never spoken TO her
pf g. lie was of too good stuff for tnat
Tie was big and Durly. nnd something
awkward In his ways She was pretty.
.lear minded kind and very grave.
There were days when they were both
bitter nj heart. On ono such dag they
Mt nj lunch. eating little. and looking
most out Of the door. across the rice
Fields and banana plantations, 90 the
Hebron mountains. The wites eyes
axpd on the hills and stayed. road
inu down the hill toward a platform Of
rock. which swept smooth aud straight
~ the sheer side of the mountain called
Mite Bluff AZ first rlnncc u would
ilmest appear that the road ended az
the clin. that ID was mighty slide or
pathway 10 dcstructiOn On the contrary
lnstend Of coming straight 10 the cliif.
II ycpred suddenly, and ran round the
mountain side, coming down 90 q stgcp
but still comparatively safe incline. Tue
platform or clin was fenced of 10y a
low barncude OF trees, scarcely notice
able from the valley below.
The wife's eyes had often wandered TO
the spot with q strange fascination, a.
now. Her husband looked at her His
lips were pressed hard topth'r.. he nod,
dcd slightly ~ u to himself She looked
up Their understanding 0i each other -
Thoughts was singular Tom. sire
snid II will ride the horse Bovine 10
that fence some day is Will be Won
derful stecplcchase,
lie WINGED but sud slowly aud with
strange cnlmucss' fou have intended
20 say that for q long time past, am
glad Il has been said ut last She was
struck hy the perfect quletness of ms
tone Her eyes sought h's lace ana
stnid for moment half bewildered'
1T has been in my mind oftcn." she
said often
"it's horrible Thought" he graycly
replied. but IT'S better to BE- frank.
Stln you'l never do b.. Alice: youH
never dare 10 do IT,
''Dnre. Tom. dare" she said. rising TO
her feet aud q shuddruug sign ntoke
from her "thc thing Itself is easy enough
And WHY haven't you done itf' he
asked I'm hard. cold voice hut calmly.
she Leaned one hand upon the table
one was held nt her check nH hrr hend
bent forward nt him Because, she
answered. "hpcnusc ] have tried to be
thoughtful for yuu
"Ob os 10 that hr said AZ 10 that
aud ho shrugged his shoulders Nghuy.
"You don't caref" she m.5 YOU don't
cnrpf'
He looked up suddenly NJ hrr q great
bittprucss in his nc". nul laughed
strnugcy. ns be- reiulncd' Carr; my
Girl, good Goo, gnrE! i.on M MIn nj. T.
She did not change her position "Oh
Tom" she said, do you, too think mat
lie looked out Of the door across the
warm fields again he lifted his eyes in
that mountain rond; he looked down NJ
her ~ haven't nnN hope lri, now
Alice Let's be- plain with each other
We've always been plain, but ] mclu,
let us bee palmer There ore those rice
fields the hnuuna plantation. the sugar
cane stretching back 1s lar us the valley
poes-it's all mine, my girl, OIL mine. !
worked hard for 10. Lad ony one wish
Z
A was. that when ! brought you here as
INV wife you'd love me sometime.
We'll. I've waited and waited, II hasn't
come aud ! don't blame yOu yuu cant
helm 10. Int MS taking the heart uut of
me Aud wore as far opRrt today 0s
we were the day married you, Yes,
farther for had hone then. but I've no
hone now; none ut ull, Aud he dropped
his chin on his breast
Tom size snid she had not stirred
and her look had remained intent don't
you love me- amy morcF
~ don't know be- answered. ITO tell
Gods truth. I don't know.
Then she reioiuod, 1--WE shnl be
more unhappy still. ! suppose
II don't know Alice that ! could De
more unhappy
God forgive me-" said she, and drop.
ped into her chair
They both turned towurd the intern.
pemtc sunlight aud the great hill. The
hollowncss Of life ns they lived II came
homo 10 them with an aching force Vet
she lifted her Tan from The table and
famed herself gently with Il, aud he
mechanically llt u cigar Servants
PASSED IN aud ont Akntlv removing IN,
things from the table, Presently thcy
were left alone The heavy breath 0i
the palm trees tonted in upon them; ia,
fruit Of the passion flower hung tempt
the sound OF n torrent JUST behind IA,
house The day was droning luxurious
ly, vet the eyes of both, M by some weirt
influence, were fastened WnOn the hill
aud presently they saw. a. the highcs
point whore the road was visible. /
hOrseman. lie came slowly down unit
he reached the spot where the road wat
harricaded from the platform OF th,
clin. Here he paused He sat long
looking, as II appeared. down into thl
valley The husband rose aud tool
down a field glass from the shelf; IA,
levelled i 0t the figure. Strange
strange ho said To himself, "he seem
familiar. aud yet | cant tell who"
She rose aud reached ont her hand 70
the glass, lie gave II to her. She raispt
Il 10 her eyes, but, at that moment. M
horscmon swerved into the road again
and was lost 10 view. Suddenly Hougl
ton startedi an enigmatioal smile passe
you mean what you said nhout the steC
pie chaser mean about I'M rids dow
the White Bluff roadf'
Il meant all 1 said" was her bite
relly.
you think life Is mistake,o he r,
Joined.
II think we have made mistak,
Tom, WAS her answer. "a deadly mi,
take And u lasts al our lyMw
He walled TO the door. ietelud III
glass agnin az the hin. turiled nr1und an
said Iii you over think Of riding IN
White Blph road, my girl straight IA
the elf itsolf and Oycr-tcil me- an
~ ride Il with you; for IL rs al wroa
~ u Is, IT'S al wrong for both. and ma
Ne, the worst Of what comes after