, 1896-09-19
FATE, THE MOCKER.

at ostend. The woman sat tnerc luiy
plucking 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
10 and again the woman spoke, i'll
low tones, with Il little mirthless laugh
alternating with the words. The man
answered dreamily, with his eyes wall
dering over the scene before him.
"You want to know what have been
doing during these years." said tho
woman, with Il slight sigh. Its easily
told. After you lost sight Of m"-do
you rcmembcr?-1 met Hcrrick Hccnd.
He was rich. and I-oh, | was tired OF
the game of chances! l seemed never to
win a prize somehow. Yeend WIS
very nice, ard r.
You marl ed him" said the slow
voice behind her. wise little wonan!'
'And you can say that" she muir
INJURED. with a note of reproach i'll her
tones. "You would scarcely have SAID
so at one time"
The man laughed, a little bitterly.
L SuppDst utl, Ht Silu. 1 sliNuli
probably have torn my hair and thirstcd
for the blood of the cstimable lco&d.
I've grown philosophical, Bertha.
(which is only another name for for
getfulncss-ch?"
''Thcrc are some things l can never
forget, even if l wished TO TO 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. Il thought you had be-
gun to hate me-
lyon have never taught me to do
hat. But tell mc-yOu are happy in
your marriage, even though you nave
left certain creams behind: ] suppose
we all drop those on orr Journey
through life: they are but cumbersome
luggage
"You have grown philosophical in.
deed, - size replied, laughing. well. l
don't mind telling you-you ":c s.ch
an old t~ricnd--that my married h. has
been a hideous %blunder."
Rather ewccping.' said the Il
sending II long wreath of Smoke out into
the night air, land decidedly strong"
Not a bit too strong, she replied
calmly. ut was all right at first; after
ward it developed into a nightmare.
from which | have never awakened"
She %shuddered ~ little and sighed, and
then Went on, in n lighter tone: "Wcll,
we won't talk about it. Tell me of your
self. What have you been doing:'
"Oh, I've been wandering in the same
nimloss fashion about the world, writ
ing poems which nobody reads, painting
pictures which no man buys. gambling
IA little, running into debt Il Greit deal
land you arc not married:'' she
asked.
NO; I'm not married." he said
slowly, looking at her. Did you expect
that l should bc:'
She did not answer for u momen
she only looked shyly up at him. with
a flush Oh her face.
Poor boy!" she murlnured ut last,
softly. Il remember that you were aw-
fully fond of me-in those old days"
yes; l was fond of you, " replied the
man, without looking at her.
II see that in spite of your advice to
mo you still carry some Of your Dreams"
she said wistfully.
Some of thcm," he said.
and you are still fond Of me, Les
lie?" she said.
Can you doubt it?"
"You poor boy. l treated you very
badly in the old days, very badly in
deed. wish l could make it up to you"
Something in the tender, rcgrctful
voice touched the man; he bent nearer
to her.
"And you thought l had forgotten all
about you. You thought could forgetE"
he whispered.
She looked down the lamplit path,
and suddenly sat upright aud s'itf.
$50 away now She whispered,
"Yccnd is coming. l can see his figure
in the distance. Come back to me again.
l 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 ut him.
'It's all finished" he said in a hol-
low voice. ''This is the end"
"You don't mean she began.
II mean," he broke in, that I have
fost tOulSut as ueaNllS Us ueluTb-HlOTe
heavily, in fact. I have 80 francs left"
Thirty francs!' she calculated
fiercely.
THAT is all. l wanted to save enough
to get us some dinner and-aEd carry
us elsewhere in the morning. The hotel
bill-well, Well forget it"
He laughed grimIy, and the m
shuddered.
$50 this is the end, " she said slowly
without looking at him, 'beggary and
shameful flight and nothing in the fu-
ture. This is all you have to offer me?"
I'VE 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 q
quick gesture of disgust and turned
away from him.
"And you can say this to meat this
hour!' he said bitterly.
"It is such moments as these that
CATARRH