The aegis & intelligencer., 1895-01-25

Il don't love you" she murmured.
Il shall be content with your com
pany'
Now you are brutally truthful, " sh,
cried.
He looked shocked II don't under
stand, he said. Il am vain enough to be
lievc that you might grow to care for m,
in time, nor have any fear of following
in the actual footsteps of the men you
have previously known. have never beer
a brute to woman In my life, and
don't intend to begin with my wife
Wife, " she repeated II should C, Sc
tired
He smiled. II will make the bon
light as 1t can be. You are not the sol
woman to drag your husbands nam
the dust.
but if you did" she flashed out
should follow suit
You are unreasonable, he answe
"A woman's logic has always, unhap.
for them, an assailable point Why sh,
l wish to be disloyal, since 1 love you
$50 many men have said they ]
me-"
Il could not hope" he remarked dryly
Ito be original in that"
She gave him a queer, amused glance
and said, smiling:
"You have a strong will"
~ hope So"
II respect that"
"A little old fashioned respect is not
amiss in an old fashioned institution like
marriage"
"You will beat me in argument
is that Il crime?'
NO but words never won q woman
yet"
What them"
Devotion.
You have it. That" he said sadly,
sis my weak point"
"How?"
II care for you too much. am at my
worst when l am with you. You cripple
my powers. The very remembrance OF
your personality makes me lose my own. "
You hid this weakness WE'LL"
He broke in half savagely: You must
have seen that 1 cared. 1 can't believe
that your acute perception was blind in
my case alone"
Then you doubt my wordr'
In that one particular, yes"
She hesitated, and then she said softly:
You are unjust. never see you differ
ent from what you are in my presence.
can't realize you in the city, at the head
of big establishment, q man accustomed
to give orders, not to obey them. Then,
again, am used to men who f1atter me
and pay me attention, the greater part
because they follow like flock of sheep,
with no reality in anything they say or
do What sign had to prove to me that
you were different? Believe me, please
don't want you to think that 1 should
lie to you.
Il must believe you," he said, "but l
realize that have been a fool"
She looked at the flowers across the
path in front of them, at the green trees
against the gray sky-at anything but his
face-and she said in faint voice:
Then your filtration with that Hannay
woman
He broke in:
"Over and done with"
Realty"
'Of course. Do you suppose
She stopped him with her hand in his
arm, and she said in the same low, trou
bled voice:
Il had no intention of marrying 1
meant to work hard and paint for my liv-
have lost heart. If you care to take me
as am and will try not to expect too much
well, then, yes. I will marry you, be
lieving firmly that you are the kindest
man have ever met, and that you will
be good to me. :"
And for the first time doubt of the
advisability of the bargain he had con
cluded crossed his mind.
Six months later two women sat talking
on the terrace Of hotel in the south of
France. Inside the little salon, with a
faint breeze entering to flap the muslin
curtains to and fro, another woman lay
resting on long comfortable sofa. Out
side the roses bloomed down to the very
shore Of the placid blue sea. Inside the
half darkened room was cool and sweet
scented by the perfume Of the flowers
borne into it by the breeze.
At the little round table on the terrace
the ladies slipped their coffee and whisper
ed and laughed. The voices reached the
reclining figure inside, and she sat up
suddenly, as If startled.
$50 you are well amused, Rosa?" the
elder lady said How long have you
known these peoplef"
The Herrmans? Oh, not long-a
month perhaps. We met at Nice and then
eame on here. You know how easy one
makes friends In foreign hotel. She Is
an impossible woman to know we'll, but
like her husband"
HE is good looking"
He is charming. can't tell you how
good he has been to me, and he Is not
cursed with jealous wife"
jealous! 1 should hope not, with you
on the warpath."
"Maryl How hopelcssly vulgar you can
be!'
II need not pick my words for you,
surely. So Mr.. Herman is your now
flirt?"
"Flirt? Not exactly"
"What then2'
81 can twist him around my little fin,
ger"
The curtains were pushed aside, and a
tall woman stood In the window.
Both glanced up, and both had the
grace to grow crimson.
'I was asleep on the sofa," she said
quietly, land woke to hear my own name
and my husbands. You should moderate
your voices"
Before they could answer she was gone.
The two left looked at each other and
laughed.
"Who was she, Rosas"
"a nobody"
"I don't envy her husband now"
"Nor do l."
"What will happenf"
Everything"
"And your
''I shall come out of it badly, but 1t
doesn't matter. Are you ready for a
driver
Up stairs Mrs. Herman knocked at her
husbands s door and entered. He was busy
writing letters. She took q seat and
waited.
He looked up.
"What is it, dearf'
81 want to talk to you"
"Wait one moment"
"Who are you writing tor"
"A business letter-nothing interesting.
Now, what Is itP''
He was struck by her face "Are you
ini" he added.
''No, merely annoyed"
And the causef"
yourself
He moved across the room to find a
cigar and lit it slowly.
II don't feel guilty. No more nonsense
about my liking other women's society, /
hope. You crush something definite every
time you start that subject. l am worn
ont nr0vinO that vOur imaD aDinarv don hts