Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-06-08
CESAR'S WIFE.

/. simon s Church at Aberdeen, SIT in !
Is study with the apparatus for writ.
ig before him, but the pen was dry
nd the page unmarked, lie was Think
~, but not of his sermon. lie was
esitating, but not over its eXordium.
jor man who had ever been prompt,
britain and inflexible, the tremors, the
aurmurs, the signs, the groans, which
now agitated him were most incongru
JUS. Something had evidently shaken
Jim from his wellscttled foundation of
pmplacency, and that something was
uspicion of his wife Edith and his
tiend Brainard.
1t was wcll-nigh incredible for him to
ealize that he himself could be the man
Who was doubling, for his faith III them
10Th had been as natural, stout and rigid
,s his allegiance to the tenets of tile
lhurch. But--alas those horrible "buts'
hat forefend the gates of felicity what
Use could he think? Must he distrust
NE evidence of his sensesI Then, if
light and hearing betrayed him, he must
Ne crazy. But he was sure of his sanity,
therefore, he must be sure of their inlI
lelity.
The facts were simple, and recapitu-
alton could not weaken their direct
Ind terrible deduction. Yet he would
muster them once more, if only for his
pwn tormenting. He was a deep sleeper
but night before last he had awakened
uddenly. The gas was burning dimiy,
lhe door was ajar, his wife was missing
from his side lie had crept to the
threshold and watched and listened.
AT the further end Of the corridor was
Brainard's room. There was flash Of
light, and then he had seen her, his
Edith, come forth and pause in con
Versation. She was clad in her morning
robe, and she was smiling. She stretched
put her arms in farewell embrace. In
IN instant he was back in bed breath
ing heavily. She had entered and
passed to his side and drawn the cover
hugs closer about him. "Dear Ralph" Y
She had murmured. How sound,y he
sleeps It's shame to deceive him, but
he is so peculiar
Was not this sufficient? Yet it was
not all, The very next day in coming
hither he had heard talking and mirth
In Brainard's room. His wfc's voice,
bis wife's merry laughter ! What was
bhe doing in the guests chamber Did
bhe not know that his own ideas Of hos
pitality forbade him from breaking that
privacy, and, If discretion failed, should
not respect for his views have restrained
her? OF course, he was queer aud set iii
bis ways, il you please, but so he HAL
been before they were married; She had
fomprehendcd his nature, yet she hal
loved him and come to him as wife, and
lhey had been So happy. Oh what else
gould he think !oh why, indeed, should
he think, since he so well knew
4. ~. Is
younger sister, whom lie had loved and
respected for her relationship, though
his judgment had pronounced her frvo
lcus. How that judgment had re,
preached him fortnight since, when
the news came that the girl had dis
appeared from her guardians home
and was missing. Missing, his wife.
sister, like the commonest country mait
beguiled by some fakir's guile! Was il
not shameful that this STAN should have
come TO his goodly name, and now us h,
recalled that lie had been far more
affected than his wife, was it wondc
that the argument of "bred in the bone
recurred % him. 81 guess Amy is al
right" Edith had said lightly. AL
right" when her feet were trealing til
living Goals of perdition.
visiting at his house lie had not il
vited him. Yet last month, when il
had returned from his journey with tin
bishop, here he had found him appar
entity settled for an indefinite period lu
here he remained. OF course thcr
could be no formality between him an
Rudolph Brainard-a lifelong friend
ship would laugh it to scOrn still, rher
ya n 40 4
to one OF his nature and sacred olligt
and no one knew it better than Bminurl
When Rolph Williams had Marie
Edith Banning there had been niue
iwonderment among their common d,
qualntances, not over his choice for sr
was voted the sweetest and prettic
giA in the town but over hers. {
course he was eligible birth, position
enolowments all proclaimed that--bl
he didn't seem lovabie. The starch
his surplice had an inward ana an on
Ward action. Like an iceberg, he ",
net emily cold himself, hut he boro vii
him an atmosphere OF gelidity. lie ",
30 precise, 50 regular, 50 accurate On
could not imagine him kissing withUr
hFst consulting a mental diary 10 $,
whether the proper time therefor ha
eHreky arrived. Now, Edith would
surely kiss before she had considerc
and yet, il ever young girl was radilr
with the triumph Of heartfelt dc.ir
size had been, And tho grim yld eua
dian under the late paternU Bannlnl
extraordinary will had grdclUtlsIY IS
stained from exercising any 81 b
extraordinary powers, and SO they We
wed, and Rudolph BrainNrd had Ucuu
gallant best man and dainty little Al.
rosebud of maid Of honor.
One not knowing the Rev Rail
Williams would naturally ask why
had not at once confronted Ills vi
with proof of her doubtful conduct, 5
an acquaintance would nave ~ 50.
looked for wings ie was slow ar
cautious, Often the smart Mould
spent before he realized TINT he "
stung. He was reserved through pri
and diflidenCe, an uncomfortable cop
bination, since the reason for one "
the contradiction for the other /
epirh shrank from the gaze Of My wifi
pure gray eyes, and Swellol with ina
nation that il should 80 shrink
doubted, yet feared TO doubt, ana e.
ing thai question would IL In aam
sion, kept silent, and suffered. Yes, a
acutely, for a porcupine may die fro
its own quilts. He was man h4yluat
N seli-examinstiou, and hence tcarrl
unhappy Ii is because the suuhc,
needs n9tthe shadow that 1t dances
blithely
But now the question which md
deliberately advanced was crush
against Ralph What should he d
For he must do something. Should
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