Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-03-26

/ twelve years since Lney udu "eI.
Venetia leaned forward little, her
two hands on the table which stood
between her and her husband, her
eyes fixed keenly upon his face. She
had aged less than Roger, who, bronzed
and saddened, looked more than his
40 years and who stood motionless be-
fore her as if waiting for the word of
command. 1t was moment of intense
embarrassment for him; what it was
for her even she herself would have
found it difficult to sa.-.
The tension of her attitude at last
relaxed, she withdrew her hands from
the table and sank back among her
cushions with a long sigh. Roger
neither moved nor spoke. He had
presented himself, but for the life of
him he could not take the initiative.
He did not know what to say.
$50 you have come to see me-" said
Nine. Zavertal, at last, in the soft,
slow tones that he remembered so
we'll. 81 think am almost glad. Will
you not sit down."
Il think not" said Col. Vanbrugh,
quickly and abruptly. mot at least
until l have said part of what I wish
to say. I have come here today, Ven
eta, to carry out a duty. I come to
ask you whether you will return to
me-or at any rate to Aldersleigh."
His wife looked at him silently. Her
blue eyes had curious green lights in
them sometimes. He remembered
them of old; and in those days he had
secretly known them to be danger sig
nails. The green lights were there now
as she looked at him.
rs that all?" she said at last, drop
ring her white eyelids over the dan
gerous CLEANS ct requires consider
alton. Have the goodness to sit down
while we consider it. 1t fatigues me to
see you standing"
Col. Vanbrugh grimly drew a
straight-baLGed woo len chair forward
and seated himself He did not look
exactly prepOssessing at that moment.
He was stern, harsh, uncompromising
IN appearance, and yet he had come
with words of Cancellation upon his
lips.
81 suppose she said, after little
pause, that Lancelot has brought you
to make this request?"
''Lancelot? No."
Il do not mean in words | mean
that his action-his leaving home has
been too much for you. l suppose
that you want him back again.
I'VE need not discuss my motives,
I think" said Col. Vanprugh, dryly.
1T is enough for the present purpose
that | came here to beg you to return
take your place once more as my
wife"
But it is by no means enough" said
Venetia, starting to a more erect posi-
ton and clutching the soft cushions
at her side with one little clenched and
nervous hand. ct is anything but
enough. The motive matters more
than ALL"
Perhaps you are right said her
husband, in perfectly quiet. uncon-
cerned voice, "the motive is important,
but the worst is that motives are
really always mixed. The most con-
siderable of my motives, however, is
a desire that we should do our duty
to each other"
1T is an admirable motive said
Venetia, keeping her blue-green eyes
Upon him.
You may think possibly that you
have done yours Roger Vanbrugh
went on slowly. II am not convinced
that such has been my case. We have
perhaps given the world some cause
to speak evil of us-more evil than
either of us has deserved. Nobody has
ever known the true cause of our Sc
paration, nobody need ever know. If
we live together again scandal will die
a natural death. 1t will be seen that
we did not hate each other; that I did
not treat you harshly, or suspected
you wrongly of misdoing and that the
cause of quarrel has been-removed-
or forgotten"
ct can scarcely have been forgot
ten" she breathed.
mo, it was one that is difficult to
forget he said, with perfect equanim-
ity But it has in a sense been re-
moved The fortune which a kinsman
of yours left you a few years ago
makes it possible for you to help your
fellow-countrymen to your hearts con-
] tent. You will agree not to expect me
to devote funds to purposes of which
I do not approve"
/ Her bosom heaved, her eyes began
] 20 flash.
What purposes do you mean?" she
asked
He looked at her steadily as he re-
piled:
/ Purposes of sedition, rebellion, assas-
purposes of murder, for one thing.
sination."
All" she painted You have not
changed, then? You have no sympathy
with those who suffer-
yes, l have sympathy. You mis-
take me, Venetia. [ was always on
the side of your people, of the OPP
pressed and much-wronged race to
which you belong, but l have no sym
patty with anarchism and the plan of
anarchists for Kidding the earth of the
oppressOrs. That was the point on
which we first began to quarrel, you
will remember
And we are no nearer agreement
than we were"
mo, that is true, but circumstances
have altered. You were then depend