The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1896-02-21

1orces toHetneEs{5sh nHu 81 answered. Win
mo. It is not trtte. Lam not sorry
But there was tremor i'll her gentle
voice. q tenderness III her eyes, which
II don't believe you," said Cyril, as lie
knelt down on the floor beside her. II
meah I don't believe your words. be-,
lieve your, eyes. And | car, read in them
bapby yo o 30 sF se that t you hys been WIN
Then she gave way, and a piteous little
sob betrayed the feeling she had been
trying to, hide, He stole one. of her
white hands, which not even the frost
had siieeeeded LII making red aid ugly,
cried i'll silence for Il few: minutes, and
then turned Upon him fercely:
"Why d6!yod t0rtiietlt tne r. she asked,
with something like terror in her voice.
"Because L love; you, Connie; because
! know YOU have had a hard life. which
is not growing dny easier, and because
/ want to give you some ease, SOME rest,
some happiness, darling."'
;.'Bgt you can't. You know YOU eaii;t;
But be. had. both her hands now. He
was holding them in d firm grip, looking
into her face. With ali .eXpressi6n Of long
ing tenderness which thrilled her,
warmed her. in spite of, herself.
my darling, couldn't YOU trust me ?
Don't you think; / would make you happy
as long as you iye?''
He could see in her eyes the struggle
which was going on between her feelings
and her instincts of duty and honor:
Don't you think I would make you a
kind husband, Constancew
With a sudden impulse she snatched
her hands away. IT,, =
'Ah if you could! If you only couldr'
she said piteously. But you know you
can't, you can't, while my husband is
aliye!
Cyril moved impatiently.
NOW isn't this nonsense, child? = said
he with an air of indulgent tolerance
"Your husband treated you disgracefully
as badly as man could treat woman
he deserted you for another woman Ave
years ago. Since he went to America
three years ago. you haven't heard
the strongest reason for thinking he is
dead. And yet you must bring this
hideous memory--for he is nothing more
to yqii-to staid in the way Of your
happiness For yoit would be happy
with w'th t %s' nd Rl9h't you know it2 COME
Eyes / know it; / am stlre Of It," wills.
peretl She: Aid yet
WELL. and yet, WhatT'
II rai't do it.: can't. can't
spect it,
Her head dropped:
Though l never really cared for my
husband and do care a great deal for
YOU. still can't pretend to be your
wife while he is alive. l don't say I'm
wise; | don't even say I'm right. But
that's how l feel, and-there's the end
of it,
She sprang to her feet, and drew her
cape round her shoulders again. She
would go back to the carriage, she said
But he coaxcd her. And, because she
loved him, because it was Il delight to
her to be with him once more, even If
their interview was as full of pain as of
pleasure, she stayed.
At last, though she would not yield to
his entreaties, she gave a half consent
to his proposal that she should take lodg.
lngs for the ensuing week i'll the house
where he was going to stay. This
seemed very good suggestion, as the
town to which they were going was no.
torious for the badness of it's lodgings
and the poor Scotch inn, where Cyril
and the manager was going to stay. of.
fered II prospect of comparative luxury.
But Constance, when she again sat
back in the corner of the railway car.
rage, found herself dwelling with SC
much eagerness on the pleasure she
would have in being for week con.
stantly in the society of the man she
loved, that she recognized with fear that
the JOY was in fact temptation. When
therefore, Cyril came to the door IF the
compartment at their journeys end, he
found that her mood and her manner
had changed.
Come" said he gently, as he took
her bag and offered her his hand. 1--WE
shall have to walk, but it isn't far to the
hotel"
She looked steadily before her, with a
white face.
Thank you. But l have changed my
mind. I am going to stay with Miss
Browning"
And she walked quickly away with.
out giving him time for protest or re.
ply.
There was no reward of virtue fol-
poor Constance. All that week Cyril
devoted himself to Miss Fairbrother:
and Constance, although she managed
to hide the misery she felt, could not
stife it,. She felt that she loved this mar
so deeply that her powers of resistance
were growing unequal to the strain
After all, was there not truth in what
he urged, that she owed no duty to the
man who had so neglected her? This
nominal husband that must indeed be
dead: For three years she had heard
law as we'll as morally, to contract q
fresh marriage?
So she tortured herself, and mean
while held aloof as much as possible
from all intercourse with Cyril except
on the stage. But the parts they
played were those of lovers; and the
harassed woman felt that they betrayed
their feelings in every word, in every
look, that they were forced to exchange
in the business of the stage.
At the end of the week, as she lcf
tho, theater after her nights work, tho
hallkeeper told her that there was 8
man outside waiting for her.
lie wanted to come in and wait here
miss; but he was too drunk to stand
and [ wouldn't let him in There he il
by the doorway. If you go the Other
way you'll miss him."
But Constance was looking at the hu
man wreck the man pointed out will
wide eyes full of fear. She knew him
changed though he was.
he was in rags, dirty, haggard; al
appalling spectacle. She answered the
hallkeeper with a gesture rather than by
words, and made step in the direction
OF the doorway within the shelter OF
which her husband was standing.
He staggered forward and clutchct
her arm. AS she stopped Cyril Ardene1
came out by the stage door on his wa,
homewards. He uttered an exclamat io1
Of disgust. and darted forward to sent
the wretch about his business. Witt
| one quick movement he released her
and supporting her trembling figure i
his arms, said quickly:
my poor darling! Don't be frightend
I'll see you home"
The other man uttered hoarse SCUM;
| meant for laugh. He was slinkins
| away without a word, when Constance
recovered herself.
''Let me go. Let me go, Cyril" sh'
whispered. 1T is-my husband.''
Cyril was SO much shocked that he
was speechless. Before he could recover
| from his disgust and amazement, Miss
Fairbrother, pretty, bright, brimmin,
over as usual with provocative coquetry
| ran out and stopped at the strange group
She had caught .Constance's words anc
her face was picture of amusement
horror and malicious satisfaction b,
| turns.
Constance gave Cyril one eloquent