The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1896-12-11
Fate, The l!!Ioek|e|'l!||'|'||


l:lucklng at her finn: the man le4ued
over behind her, with his, face near Nor
own. & q sss
They had met but an hour alnce ID
surprising fashion, yet they secmsd Is
have but little to ANY to each ether,
only now an,l again the woman spoke
In low tones, with a little mlrthless
laugh alternating with the waorls. The
Wan answered drcamily, with hiS eyes
wandering over the scene before him.
"YoH want to know what 4 have
been doing during these years!N said
the woman. with slight sigh. s.'It's
easily told. After you lost sight Of
me io you; remembers -I met Herrick
Yecnd. He was rich, and I-oh' was
tired Of the game Of chances. seemed
never to win,A prize. somehow. Yeend
was-vcry nice, and IL" s;@ Il! IN
You married him, = said the slow
voice behind her. Wise little woman
And you can shy that?. she mnr-
INJURED. with note OF reproach In her
tones You would scarcely hive said
so at one time" rs
The man laughed a little bitterly.
Il suppose not he said. 81 should
probably have torn my hair and thirst
ed for the blood Of the estimable
Ycend, I've grown philosophi Ber-
tha.' IS gs f5
getfGlness- eh?" ss,s,s,s
forget. even IL / wished to do 60" he
int
.Ah! that sounds more like Leslie
of old days." she said. looking round
at him gratefully. II thought You had
begun to hate ine.'' 81
You have never taught me to do
that. But tell mcy0 are happy in
your marriage, even though you have
left certain dreams behind? sup.
pose we all drop those, ON our Journey
through life; they are but cumbersome
luggage
You have grown philosophical I'm
decd" she replied. laughing. We'll. I
don't mind telling y0u-you are such
an old frfend-that my married life
has been a hideous blunder."
Rather sweeping" said the man,
sending a long wreath Of smoke out
into the night air. .and decidedly
Not a bit too strong" she replied
calmly. 1T was all right at first;
Afterward 1t developed into q night
mare, from which have never, awak-
ened." She shuddered little and
sighed, and then went on in q lighter
tone. s'Well, we won't talk about It.
Tell me Of yourself. What have you
been doing?''
''Oh, I've been wandering in the
same aimless fashion about the world,
writing poems which nobody reads,
painting pictures which no man buys,
gambling a little, running into debt a
great deal"
..And you are not married?" she
asked.
no. I'm not married. he said slow
", looking at her. did you expect
chat should beg"
She did not answer for a moment;
she only looked shyly up at him, with
a flush on her face.
Poor bOy!' she murmured at last,
softly. 81 remember that you were
awfully fond of me-in those old
days"
''Yes, was fond Of you" replied
the man. without looking at her.
Il sec 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
iie?" she said.
.'Can you doubt it?'
You poor boy, treated you very
badly in the old days, very badly in
deed. l wish I could make it Up to
yor." IA g
Something in the tender, regretful
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 stir and upright.
go away now" she whispered.
s'Yeend is coming. I can see his figure
in the distance. Come back to me
again. want to talk to you.'' Il
She was sitting quite calmly, evil
| IDENTIFY very much bored, when her hus-
band came slowly along the path and
stood before her. :i
"Well9" she said, questioningly,
glancing up at him. #
TITS all finished" he said. in hol-
low voice. sThis is the end.
'sYou don't mean, she began.
Il uCoN, syASs OkOAOf SA1A4I = u9VO
lost tonight as heavily as before
more heavily, in fact. I have thirty
francs left" ags IS
Thirty francs!'' she exclaimed.
.'That is all. I wanted to save
enough to get us some dinner and
and carry us elsewhere In the morning.
The hotel bill we'll forget IT,
He laughed grimly and the woman
shuddered.
$50, this is the end, = she said rather
i slowly, without looking at him. Beg
1 gary and shameful flight and nothing
In the future. This is all you have to
offer meY
I'VE are still together. Bertha. !" be
said, looking ut her hopeless)y.
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. 81
"And you can Say this to me at this
hour" he said bitterly. ,s,s