The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-23

have to spend. and the bills I'm allowed
to run up. | should not be satisfied?
That | can't be happy without some
one to care about me-"
"Don't-dOn't care about you?
stammered Sir Alexander. quite hum
bly,.
He was an upright. honest man him.
self. and he respected her for telling
the truth. respected her at the bottom
of his heart. far more than that.
Her reply was very prompt, very cut
ting.
mo. If you had cared about me, you
would have seen what was coming.
Everyone else did"
What was coming" Sir Alexander
spun around again toward her. Why,
then, have you. have YOU"
~ haven't done anything. But l
meant to-"
Then" stammered her husband. in
an unsteady voice, "let us look upon
my coming in here tonight as a special
intervention of Providence, to save you
from-from-'
From being happy with man who
would have been kind to met" burst
out Lady Auchlean. as she gave way at
last to hysterical sobbing. "Oh, yes.
] know | am shocking you: l know
you think me terribly wicked. but |
don't care. I've got to live out my life.
my wretched. miserable, lonely life
with you--for | shall never have the
courage to try and get away again.
and suppose you will shut me up alto
gether now-and SO. for once, I'll speak
out my thoughts. And I'll tell you, /
don't care for driving all by myself.
and for dressing myself up for nobody
to see me. And wish-oh. l wish they
had 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 pri-
pri-prize cows and-and sheep-and-
and pigs"
Now. Sir Alexander was by no means
the statue the poor little lady believed
him to be. He had indeed figured I'm
a terrible romance, In which he. then
u young man of only two-and-twenty
had been the victim of "a designing and
heartless woman. 1t was the scar from
that 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 sell
fish discretion moved him greatly. 1t
woke in him the echoes of old thoughts,
old feelings. 1t softened, it unnamed
him.
c,l.l Nx,tt hnp hoe
in the sofa cushions. Suddenly she felt
herself in the grip of II 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 hus-
band. in shy voice.
She left off sobbing. and turned an
astonished, still fearful face toward
him.
Treat me-" whispered she, las we'll
as the pigs"
Just as WELL" he whispered. <vith a
smile which had something new in it.
She sat up. She looked at him in
quisitively.
Il wonder" said she, at last, whether
this is only ruse to get me away
quietly? For you must have been
shocked. surprised, angry"
80 angry" answered Sir Alexander.
that can't trust myself to scold you.
l might say words you would never for
get
Lady Auchlean looked long and
steadily in his face. Then a deep blush
came suddenly into her cheeks. and
she slid down to her knees beside him
on the floor.
ooh. If you only mean tiff you will
only sometimes look at me like that,
speak to me like that-if you will only
remember that I'm woman, and not
a doll. to be dressed up to look pretty.
and to be kept under u glass case and
never-t-tOuched! Oh. If you'll only
do that you never need be afraid Of
my behaving badly; indeed. I'm really
really not. I've never done any wrong
to you. and if l had a thought you
would care.I never should have thought
Of-of-oh, oh, | am ashamed of my
self! ] don't know what you must
think of me i'm your heart!'
''Well. I'll tell you" and Sir Alexan-
der raised her from the floor and seated
her on the sofa and sat down beside
her. 81 think you sillier than I had
thought: but / don't know that like
you the less on that account ] see that
you can't be treated so well as l be-
lieved."
"Oh don't say thatl"
And SO l shall have to look after
you more shall have to dance at.
tendance upon you. I suppose. instead
Of passing so much time at the farm.
] shall have. in short, to be more at
tentive husband If want to keep my
wife"
"Oh. don't say that! don't. don't! If
you know how wicked you make me
feel! And IL can't understand it.
You've always seemed so cold! Are
you sure you won't be just the same
again when you get me home?'
We'll, you must take your chance at
that!' :.
In spite of his words, Lady Auchlean