Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-09-03
FATE, THE IOCKER.

pluclling at her fan; the man leaned
over behind her, with his face near her
own.
They had met but an hour since in
surprising fashion, yet they seemed to
have but little to say to each other, only
now and again the woman spoke, in
low tones, with o little mirthless laugh
alternating with the words. The man
answered dreamily, with his eyes wan
dering over the scene before him.
"You want to know what have been
doing during these years?" said the
woman, with slight sigh "It's easily
told After you lost sight of me-do
you remember?-I met Herrick Yeend
He was rich, and Lob, / was tired of
the game of chancesl seemed never to
win a prize somehow. Yeend was
very nice, and p
"You married him." said the slow
voice behind her "Wise little womanr"
"And you can say that?" she mur-
INJURED. with note of reproach in her
tones. "You would scarcely have said
so at one time"
The man laughed, little bitterly.
81 suppose not" he said. II should
probably have torn my hair and thirsted
for the blood of the estimable Yeend.
I've grown philosophical, Bertha
(Which is only another name for for
getfulness-eh?''
''There are some things I can never
forget, even If wished to do So" he
whispered, trying to peer into her face.
"Ah! that sounds more like Leslie Of
old days" she said, looking round at
him gratefully. ''I thought you had be-
gun to hate me-"
"You have never taught me to do
that. But tell me-you are happy in
your marriage, even though you have
left certain dreams behind? / suppose
we all drop those on our journey
through life; they are but cumbersome
luggage
"You have grown philosophical in
deed" she replied, laughing. "Well, I
don't mind telling you-you are such
an old friend-that my married life has
been q hideous blunder.
Rather sweeping" said the man,
sending long wreath Of smoke out into
the night air, land decidedly strong. "
"Not bit too strong" she replied
calmly. at was all right at first; after
ward it developed into a nightmare,
from which I have never awakened.
She shuddered little and sighed, and
then went ON, in a lighter tone: "Well,
we won't talk about it Tell me of your
self. What have you been doing?"
"Oh, I've been wandering in the same
aimless fashion about the world, writ
ing poems which nobody reads, painting
pictures which no man buys, gambling
little, running into debt great deal. :"
"And you are not married?' she
asked
mo; I'm not married." he said
slowly, looking at her. Ibid you expect
that should be?'
She did not answer for moment !;
she only looked shyly up at him, with
flush on her face.
''Poor boyP' she murmured at last,
softly. "I remember that you were aw-
fully fond of me-in those old days -
eyes; was fond of you, replied the
man, without looking at her.
"I see that in spite Of your advice to
me you still carry some Of your dreams, -
she said wistfully.
"Some of them," he said.
"And' you are still fond Of me, Les
lieF' she said
"Can you doubt it?'
"You poor boy, treated you very
badly in the old days, very badly in
deed Iwish I could make it up to you "
Something in the tender, regretfui
voice touched the man; he bent nearer
to her.
"And you thought I had forgotten all
about you. You thought could forget?"
he whispered
She looked down the lamplit path
and suddenly sat upright and stiff.
"Go away now," she whispered,
"Yeend is coming. can see his figure
in the distance. Come back to me again.
I want to talk to you"
She was sitting quite calmly, evil
IDENTIFY very much bored, when her hus-
band came slowly along the path and
stood before her.
"Well?" she said questioningly, ,glanc-
ing up at him.
sits all finished" he said in hol-
low voice. '"This is the end
"You don't mean she began.
+'I mean" he broke in, ''that have
lost tonight as heavily as before-more
heavily, in fact. / have 80 francs left. "
Thirty francs!'' she ejaculated
| fiercely.
'That is all wanted to save enough
to get us some dinner and-and carry
Us elsewhere in the morning. The hotel
biii-well, we'll forget it"
He laughed grimly, and the woman
shnddered.
$50 this is the end, she said slowly
without looking at him, ''beggary and
shameful fight and nothing in the fu-
ture. This is all You have to offer me?"
"We are still together, Bertha" he
said, looking at her hopelessly.
bah! That is the worst part Of it, :"
she said scornfully "Rich, you were
tolerable; but, poor She made a
quick gesture of disgust and turned
away from him.
sand you can say this TO meat this
honrf' he said bitterly.
"It is such moments as these that
teach men and women honesty" she
said, with laugh. "You have been
blind not to see it all before. You know
never really loved you.
He turned away with almost sob in
his throat She looked at his bowed
head curiously. Suddenly she leaned
toward him, almost eagerly.
"Herrick, she said, "give me the 30