The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1896-11-20
CHAPTER u.-oCoxrrNuEp.,

nothing else for eight years-dreams |
of home, and love, and appreciation; OF
liberty TO speak out what she had |
never lisped since her mother died, and |
of being once again joyously and with |
out reserve, herself. There are no !
harder specters to lay than these same |
dreams Memories, however dear and |
sacred, are more easily forgotten or
dismissed, or smothered by the growth /
of later ones If she bade them fare |
well now, it was for lifetime. "a
lifetimer' she repeated, shivering with
"a sick chill, and crouching lower over
the register. Maybe ten, maybe
twenty-who knows but forty years? 1t
lis tedious slumber of ones heart, and
"a loveless marriage is loathsome sep |
lulcher for ones better and real self. A
lifetime! and / can have but one! But
one, If this step should be ruin and
misery, there can be no redemption
this SIDE of the grave. His grave, per-
ihaps-just as probably miner
Tonight, this very hour, she must
resist the glittering temptation to fore
swear her womanhood, or murder, with
her own hand, the dear visions that had
come to be more to her than reaiity.The
winter twilight had fallen early. 1t was
the season best loved by her dream
visitors. She had not lied in declaring
10 her inquisitor that she had never
'been in love, but she confessed
,that she had equivocated as
the shadowy figure of her
ideal lover stood beside her in the
friendly gloom. Mrs Romaine would
have questioned her sanity had she
guessed how the girl had sobbed her
Igriefs into quiet upon his bosom, how
talked iowly but audibly to him Of her
love ard the comfort his presence
brought. She had never looked into
his face, but she should know him in
an instant should they two ever meet
in the flesh. as they did now daily in
spirit Somewhere in the dim and
blessed future he was waiting for her,
and she had borrowed patience from
the hope She was to be his wife-the
mother of children as unlike the prodi-
gies OF repression that lined two sides
ICI lSI Dt ctL-Ii - NaciS 90 NAASA SSho ~
Puppets. She welcomed them to her
farms in these twilight frances. They
lolled upon her knees, slept in her en-
brace, strained eager arms about her
meek, dappled her cheek with their
kisses. Unsubstantial possessions
these, but cherished as types of good
things to come. Other women had such
,;oT roo Jo-c 20 in nd
affections less ardent than hers. If
the Great Father was good and merci
ful, and the ReWarder of them who put
their trust in Him, a true and loving
parent, who reioiced in the happiness
of His creatures-all these must be
Ihers at last. Ii she resigned them now
lit was final separation.
"And l can have but one lifetime"
she moaned again. Thwarted and fruit
less thus far but still all she had.
The one idea recurred to her with the
persistancy OF presentiment. The: life
which Gcd had given, the heart He had
endowed!
''If some one. stranger and wiser than
/, would only take the responsibility OF
decision from my soul, would hedge me
lin en- the right and left, 1 would go
forward. As it is, ! dare not! l dare
not" She sobbed and wrung her hands
in the agonies of irresolution.
"You told Constance about the tele-
gram ?" II was her brother speaking in
the library 5elo% The sound arose
plainly through the open register
Il did But regret to say that she is
not yet in the frame of mind we could
wish her TO carry to the interview with
MIR. WitherS." said Mrs. Romaire. She
always expressed herself with delib-
crate precision even in conjugal tete-
a-tete
MOP" Constance heard the rustic OF
the evening paper as Charles laid it
down, and the creak OF his chair as he
confronted his wife. What is the mat
ter?"
Some oyerstrained ideas of the beau
.ty and propriety of reciprocal devotion,
I believe She looks for a hero in a
husband, aud Mr. Withers has nothing
iheroic in his appearance or compost
.tion"
HE is worth more than half mil
lion, all accumulated by his own tai
,ents AMI industry" returned Mr.. Ro-
maine. Constance cannot be such an
iegregious Simpieton as not to perceive
the manifest advantages of this connec-
tion to her have never complained OF
the burden Of her maintenance, but
have often wondered her own sense OF
Justice and expediency did not urge heI
ito put forth some effort at self-sup-
port. There is but one way in which
she can do this. She is not sufficiently
Thorough in any branch of literature
for any accomplishment, to become q
successful teacher In the event of my
death or failure in business she would
ibe driven to the humiliating resource
Iof taking in sewing for livelihood, OF
ito seek the more degrading position OF
Ia, in Her futl1rl