The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1894-11-28

speed than dignity, was wise enough to
attempt no renewal of their perilous
conversation. Through the streets she
ran, breathlessly, to the surprise of the
solitary policeman and sundry feline
wanderers who scuttled noiselessly out
of her path. How she longed to be hid
den safely in the corner of her comfort
able carriage, moving drowsily home
ward after some Cinderella But sea-
side festivities were nearly over, and
there was no excuse for her tardy arriv-
al She held her head down, fearful of
being seen ON foot in such haste, and
with her attractive companion, whose
sensibility would have been sorely hurt
at the eagerness with which she dis
missed him when the house came in
sight, had he not felt alarmed for his
own reputation as we'll as the safe GUS
tody of his uncongenial wife's fortune,
and with a hurried wish that all would
be well walked away with an air of re-
lief ere she reached the doorstep.
She rang the bell with a miserable
sensation of being deserted in her hour
of need, aud shuddering fear orept
over her as she waited outside the house
that looked darkly inhospitable with its
fastened shutters and massive door, A
boisterous wind sprang up, making her
shiver in spite of her warm cloak.
Clouds chased each other across tho fair,
round moon. She knocked and rang
again impatiently.
No sound of welcome admission to
warmth and light. only the faint echo
% her friends footsteps already in the
distance. With the erratic logic OF
spoiled and petted woman who had new
er seen the contrary side of the world
she blamed him for not having waited
-even remotely-until he saw her safe
ly indoors, wondering, in helpless anger,
that she had ever turned to him for
sympathy.
A loud rat-a-tat, and then another,
rather timid this time. for the closed
door and retreating figure bad grown hid
eous with awful meaning. What if her
husband had discovered the secret meet
ing and shut her out forever She knew
men did such things on the spur of the
moment, and in this case there had been
long and sullen arrangement to justify
any conclusion he might pardonably
come to. The thought became more ter
rible every instant as she knocked and
rang frantically without result.
The church clock struck the half
hour, a long, melancholy chime.
Trembling from head to foot she lean
ed against the ratings, her eyes heavy
with despair. Where should she go?
What should she do? The suspicious
questioningof her friends, the astonished
scrutiny of the townspeople, We're equal
ly difficult to face Like vision the
awful future flashed through her be-
wildered brain. She saw herself exiled
to the streets, forlorn, wretched wom-
an, forsaken by the man she despised in
her real trouble, yearning to make
amends for her past blindness and faint
ly imploring an memorable fate at the
steadfast door of the life she should
know no longer.
Barred outl Oh Godl Barred outl
In undreamed Of agony she pictured
her husbands stern orders and the gos-
sip in tho servants hall, Then, hardly
knowing what she did and choking
with desperate sobs, she turned toward
the home that had become SO dear, beat
ing wildly at the door panels with her
olinched fists and crying aloud like q
frightened child:
"Let me inl Oh, do let me inl'
care you mad?' said suddenly a
calm, well known voice at her side.
"The maids are ON the top floor at the
back of the house, and nothing short of
an earthquake would rouse James. If
| were not careful to take my latchkey
when / go to the club, he would present
me with tho key of the street. And why
didn't you order tho carriage to fetch
you, orr
He broke off suddenly. The ponderous
door stood open, and he waited for her
to pass in, but with quick glance at her
white face and closed eyes caught her
tenderly in his arms rs she fell insensi-
bic across the threshold Gently as a
woman he loosened the heavy cloak and
took off the little bonnet, disentangling
it from her soft, golden hair with dex-
terous fingers. Then, probably from q
lamentable ignorance of the principles
of first aid, he bent down and kissed the
sweet. tear stained face that rested
peacefully near his heart
And the wife, coming slowly back to
new life of perfect love and trust
through the shadow Of her former folly,
felt and answered the timid embrace
with clinging arms and tears of joy and
gratitude. London Today.