Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-11-12

and retire to his room in order to dress.
When he re-entered the parlor, she
inquired where he was going.
lis it essential" she said ironically,
ito come in at all? Your visits are
so brief that it seems to me you must
find it an Inconvenience to make them
what do you mean"
II mean." said Mrs. Capel, 'that l
am moping myself to death. l mar
ried you for your society, Harry, and
1 need not remind you that l am not
getting much of it."
He was hipped, angry, out of sorts.
He had lost at a race meeting that
day.
II am sorry" he said savagely. shat
you regret my marrying you; II you
were single again. you may take my
word for it, l wouldn't"
1t was the first occasion that any
thing like plain speaking on the sub
ject had occurred between them. He
seized his hat, and left the house in
a rage; Myra sat still with tears in
her eyes and mutiny in her soul.
Why should she be left to eat out
her heart like this, she demanded OF
herself. Better the distractions of her
old life a thousand times. He regret
ted their marriage. and she, too, re-
GREETED it. Well, then. he could lead
his own life, and she would lead hers.
She would go to the "Audacity" the
very next morning, and try for q re-
engagement. She would 20 tonight
now! The one the wiser. To-mor-
row might be too late.
She ran into the bedroom her hus-
bald had just vacated, and hastily
proceeded to don her cloak and hat.
In fastening the latter, she dropped
the pin, and, STOPPING for it, found
that it had fallen on the jacket he had
exchanged for a dress coat.
She picked them both up together,
and a note fell out Of the jacket peck
eta note in a woman's handwriting,
which began my Ducky."
She was not a heroine, only a very
natural girl, and she read the tote
through from the address to the sig
nature. When she had finished the
perusal. she took the cloak and hat
off again and sat down in the armchair,
thinking, until Mr.. Capel returned.
1t was l o'clock when the street door
was unlocked, and his steps We're heard
ascending the stairs. Mrs. Capel stood
up. with the note in her hand.
you should be more careful" she
| said SOW nVlf yo c,trnn vny ,rr,t%Nl
your marriage so deeply, you were
anxious l should assist you to regain
your freedom. l promise to do my
best"
Are you mad!'
NO." she said, Il am very sane.
We have both made a desperate mis-
take and my eyes are open to it. Six
months ago l should have been pros
trate with misery to find you false
to me. To-day | thank heaven for my
chance of escape. l can divorce you
and l mean to do it."
You are mistaken" he answered
sullenly. Il am sorry to dispel an illu-
sion, but you cannot divorce me. l
may have been false to you, but |
have never been cruel. You are my
wife, and you will have to continue
| So"
81 will not live with you another
day"
"Oh, that may be, but my wife you
are. and will remain. Any lawyer
will tell you as much"
She broke down then and wept pas
%sionately; and clumsily, because he
was ashamed of himself, he str0ve to
console her. His efforts, however,
were quite u%navailing, and after aban-
doning the attempt in despair and seek
ing refuge in a pipe, lie left her to her.
self and turned into bed.
When he woke the next morning she
was gone. He must have slept sound
~, for her box was packed and her
preparations had not disturbed him.
A letter lay on the table beside him.
and reading it he saw that she had
left him forever. On the whole, he
was relieved to learn it, and he was
not surprised, in the course of three
or four days, to see her name
ed rs q member Of the forthcoming
Audacity %burlesque. Well, the episode
was W He had tried most things
and found them a failure before es-
saying m%atrimony, and marriage had
proved as empty as the rest. There
was nothing now to prevent him re-
Stunning, without restrictions, the more
unfettered life he haC forsaken at the
temptation Of little Myra Bromley's
pertty face.
He would clear out of the Maddox
street lodging and take q couple Of
rooms somewhere en- garcon. He bal.
anced his cash and decided that be
was justified in treating himself to a
well-chosen little dinner and A mns,c
hall afterward. As for Myra. he did
no want any more to do with her. She
had left him, and he did not intend to
think Of her again. It was his s.re.
ward" he told himself bitterly. for
marrying her-her recriminations and
desertion. He felt that he had been
guilty of a certain King Cophetua No.