Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-10-08

w V
She shrugged her shoulders and eot up.
breakfast this morning, Il don't think
that frock is as pretty as the ones you
generally wear, and it's the prettiest
one I've got1 It's the person inside who
is getting uglier. Oh, dear, and we've
not been married three weeks Is it
coming true what Trelawny said-that
Will would turn to other women in
time. 1t isn't 1t can't be true" She
stood still. throwing out her arms in the
middle Of her white bedroom. all pure
white from the satin lined paper on the
walls to the furniture and brocaded
hangings and velvet carpet at her feet.
no color anywhere save in the flowers
that showed their tints royalty in that
white setting.
The door opened quickly behind her,
and the next moment she was in Wills
arms. His face was little flushed, his
glance strange, but he took a long drink
Of kisses as if he were dying Of thirst
and olasped her to him with all his
earliest passion. why have You been
hiding yourself, little one?" he said.
"Hagar and looked for you every
where out Of doors
80 saw" said Mamie, who had
not returned one Of his kisses. "You
were hurrying all you knew when saw
you walking in the garden with her for
the last hour"
Will colored, but looked at his wife
steadily and did not let her bulge All
inch when she tried to free herself.
"You asked me to be kind to her,"
he said reproachfully. "At one timo
You were always quarreling with me
because did not like her."
And now you like her too much"
burst out Mamie, who was nothing II
not jealous, and the more odious she felt
the more odious she longed to appear.
Such is human nature. why didn't
you marry her when you had the chance
and leave me to Blake, who never look
ed at Hagar-wouldn' t look at Venus
herself il 1 were by!"
and putting lcr from him.
Mamie caught u glimpse Of her little
red nose in the glass opposite, and it
did not sweeten her temper.
II mean it," she said, all the more
positively because she did not in the
least, land you can 90 and flirt with
your Gregorias az much as you like. !
shall talk to Trelawny."
Suddenly there flashed through Wills
memory the words, III ever you treat
her i'll, II ever OF her own free will she
turns to me, without my lifting I'm
ger, mind, to beckon to her, will take
her, nor man nor devil shall hinder
me-" and pale, distracted, inwardly an
gry with himself for something, he
scarcely knew what, that had passed be-
tween him and Hagar that morning,
he stood downcast before Mamie, an
image Of apprehension and guilt.
Mamie had heaps Of pluck, and she
wanted it, too, as she turned away, and
putting a large dab Of powder on her
nose because she knew he hated her u.s.
ing it she marched grandly to the door,
making, however, an inglorious exit as
Will, recovering himself, made grab
at her, barely escaping pinohed fingers
as the door shut smartly in his face.
"Confound that woman - cried Will,
Tuning and chatting as he walked over
to Nannie's silver covered table and alb.
sently began to brush his hair. What
does she mean-what do mean, tom
fooling round with herr Every beat Of
my heart is Nannies, and yet the wom-
an is getting some COMPOUNDED influence
over me, and II I don't fight it tooth
and nall
He sat down. queer nervelessness
about his attitude, his muscles haccid
and unstrung.
THANK God she II be gone soon. he
said aloud, land that old sinner as
we'll. Strange that Trelawny seemed the
only danger, aud now he's behaving as
we'll as possible, while r. In his
mind he dashed Hagar with words Of
obloquy, but deep in bis mans vanity
and 1t is to be found IN the noblest
and best of men--he knew that he for
gave her for loving him. The gift was
one Of rarity and value from such
woman and had not been thrust upon
him, nay, it had not yet been offered
He closed his eyes, he saw the privet
white purity of her skin, the sea blue
of her eyes, the cleft chin that is loves
sign manual Of temperament, and yet,
and this was the strangest thing Of all,
he had been aware Of all this year
ago, and it had not moved him one jot.
With what new forces was she charged
to make her dangerous to him today!
They must be resisted. He set his
teeth hard, and with all an honorable.
logged Englishman's strength of will
he resolved that they should be, then he
rose, and looking out Of that window
which had surely played considerable
part In that days drama saw his wife
and Tselawny walking together below
Their faces were turned toward each
other, they looked happy, and memory,
by no means kind friend to Will that
day, supplied him with another signifi-
cant fragment:
"She has latterly experienced only
my roughness; she does not know what
my tenderness could be. y
He turned abruptly away, and in that
moment il seemed to him that the furies
had crossed his threshold and his dream
Of happiness was over