Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-25

courage to try and get away again. and I
suppose you will shut me up altogether
now-and so, for foHce, I'll speak out my
thoughts. And I tell you. don't care for
driving all by mysslf. and for dressing my
self up for nobody to see me. And l wish
oh. 1 wish they ha let me marry some
poor clerk at a bank with four hundred a
year, rather than tie ME to man who
doesn't want a wife at all who only wants
his pr-pri-priZe COWS and-and sheppard
and pigs"'
Now Sir Alexander was by TO means
the statue the poor little lady believed him
to be. He had INDEED figured in a terrible
romance, in which he. then a young man
Of only two and twenty, had been the vic
tim Of a designing and heartless woman.
1t was the scar from shat wound which
made him close his own heart, and say to
himself that he would never again let
woman gain an ascendancy over him.
The discovery that he in his turn had
made victim through this act Of selfish
discretion moved him greatly. 1t woke in
him the echoes Of old thoughts, old feel
ings. 1t softened, 1t unnamed aim.
His wife was sobbing with her head in
the sofa cushions. Suddenly she felt her
sell III the grip of a strong arm: a hand
was laid quite tenderly on her silky hair.
Mary. Will you try and forgive me If
treat you better?" asked her husband, in a
shy voice.
She left Off sobbing. and turned an as
tonished. still fearful face toward him.
Treat me" whispered she, ''as we'll as
the pigs?"
"Just as WELL" he whispered. with
smile which had something new in it.
She sat up. She looked at him inquisi-
lively.
Il wonder" said she. at last, whether
this Is only a ruse to get me away quietly?
For you must have been shocked, sur
prised, angry
so angry" answered Sir Alexander,
that I can't trust myself to scold you.
might say words you would never for
get"
Lady Auchlean looked long and stead
lily In his face. Then a deep blush came
suddenly into her checks, and she slid down
to her knees beside him on the floor.
ON, II you only mean it-if you will only
sometimes look at me like that, speak to
me like that-if you will only remember that
m woman, and not a doll, to be dressed
up to look pretty, and to be kept under a
glass case and never-t-touched! Oh, IL
you'H only do that you never need be afraid
of my behaving badly; indeed, you need
not. I'm not wicked really; I'm really,
really not. I've never done any wrong to
you. and If I had thought you would care
never should have thought of-of-oh, oh,
l am ashamed of myself! I don't know what
you must think of me in your hearth
"Well, I'll tell YOU" and Sir Alexander
raised her from the floor and seated her on
the sofa and sat down beside her. Il think
you sillier than I had thought; but I don't
know that I like you the less on that ac-
count. see that you can't be treated so
well as I believed"
"Oh, don't say thatr'
And SO l shall have to look after you
more. l shall have to- dance attendance
rpon you, l suppose. instead Of passing so
much time at the FARM, shall have. in
short, to be a more, Attentive husband If 1
"oh, don't say tha III dsa't. don't. If you
Know now wicked YOU make me feel! And
II can't understand it., You've always
seemed SO cold! Are yous sure you won't be
homer" II IT
Well. you must take your chance of
In spite of his wofds, Lady Auchlean did
feel comforted. She, did mot yet love her
husband but she was, contrite. humble,
ance,. and thoroughly ashamed of the es-
capade, which had so nearly had fatally
serious consequences.
Sir Alexander went to the hut to send
JOCK Tor a carriage, as, the weather had
changed for the worse, aid the Scotch mist
had given place to heavy rain. There was
a shrewd look In the old mans eyes, and
even Mrs. Jock glanced at him with fur
tive interest He felt sure that the pair
had seen and heard something of the re-
cent occurrences.
Jock, you rascal" said Sir Alexander as
he followed the old man out of the, hut,
You We been In somebody's confidence Ate
ly, suppose; not In mine'
nae, SIT, said Jock, stolidly, I've been
in naebody's confidence but my old wo-
mans"
"But you knew that there was to be a
meeting at the cottage7 It's Of no use to
deny Ii, man.
II thoct there would be when saw my
LADY come. 1t didna seem probable that
shed come to meet her husband, since he's
"she had been here before, then?'' said