Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-03-26

J fallen on Malsie's face, and what ne read
here shocked and startled him beyond ex-
] preston. In those ten minutes she hau
agen ten years. What is the matter!
he asked. falling back a step and staring
At her in Mortified amaZement. Have
you seen ghost? Are you Ill.,
She rose and faced him in the dim light.
her hands clasped convuls!vely together,
7 her face deathllke In its CHASTITY pallor,
and in her wide, strained eyes such dumb
misery and blank despair as he had never
seen in any mortal eyes before.
Il am not ILL.," She said. "but-but-oh.
an awful thing has happened-an awful
thing"
She paused, but Dick said nothing. lie
waited in silence for her to so on.
After you had gone she continued,
after you had gone / heard people talk
Ing on the other side of the screen. They
couldn't see me, and l couldn't see them,
but | could hear every word they said.
She paused again, and put her hand sud
denly to her throat, as II something
choked her. They were talking of you"
she said.
Dick laughed shortly, though his heart
sank like lead lie knew what was COM
Ing.
oh dare say" he returned, with I'M
easy defiance. And what did they find to
say about me? Scandal of sorts. no
doubt"
She turned 10 him desperately.
Il ought not to have listened, l know
that but I heard the first words by ac-
f! cident. and then-and than | could not
move. | seemed turned to stone l can
never forget the things they said-and the
woman was worse than the man.
You bet" Dick said cynically. He did
not look at her, but at the shining tips
Of his irreproachable patent leather shoes.
You may as we'll tell me the whole story
and have done with it, he went on; Il
hate hearing things plecemeal'
She put her hand on the back Of a
chair as if to steady herself, and stood
there looking at hin-her face Willie and
set. her eyes glowing with an unwonted
fire.
They talked" she said. "of you and
your life: of your love for gambling, and
racing, and every form Of dissipation,
and-and of other things that can't be
mentioned between you ana me. Was 1t
is II all true?"
He laughed again.
I'm not saint" he said Il never
professed that. Did you expect me to be
one?'
She looked him straight in the face.
no" she answered quietly, Il didn't
/ expect you to be a saint-Eut l believed
you TO be u man of honor.
He was no. quite hardened. and her
words cut like knife. lie WINGED.
Go on" he muttered, between his
teeth.
She flushed suddenly scarlet then grew
white as death.
Il don't know how to go on" she said,
land yet l must After that they began
TO talk Of me-of you and me-and they
said-they said She brake off with
q gesture that was all-e.oquent.
Go on he said again.
She raised her eyes slowly 10 his.
They said" she went on desperately,
that you did not love me- that you
never loved ne and that You oi':y asked
me to marry you because you had run
through all your money. and because
because-oh! the shame Of it!-because my
money would enable you to keer on with
the old life and the old associations.
They said you had not given them up and
did not intend to give them up. even after
/ our marriage-even after our marriage.
Is that true?"
/ He shrugged his shoulders.
Yes" he answered. recklcssly; tits
/ true enough"
: She looked at him for moment in
. silencee then turned away
Il loved you she sail. Il trusted
YOU
Dick groaned in spirit. The situation
WIS the most embarrassing ana uEpleas-
art one in which he iaI ever found HIM
self.
! He had behaved like blackguard-the
J fact could not be CLOSED over-to a good
and true woman. and she had found him
out 1t was not the first time that he had
behaved like a blackguard to woman
nor the first time that he had been found
out but then those other women were not
/ like Maisie
! As h stood there, staring al the floor in
/ sulen silence and feeling like a prisoner
at The bar. he thought Of all that this
meant to him-and ii meant just every
thing. He had lost his last chance He
had played a desperate game. and his
! luck had failed him at the critical moment
! There was no more to be said or done
| Hencefor.h his world would know him not
/ As he realized this with intense bitter
| ness of spirit. he suddenly realized some
/ thing else. too-something that filled him
/ with surprise so Overwhelming. so Devil
dering. so appalling. that Il drowned for
the time b5ing all other feelings Il was
l., Of
Masie The woman to whom he had sold
himself in order that he might retain Ger
tain things. had in some strangely iron
zeal freak of fate. become far dearar %
him than the things for whose sake he had
been more than willing to sell himself
! And he had not known it until that mo-
ment.
| 1t has been said that we never appre-
I ciate n thing at its real value until we
! have lost it, and Dick bowed to the truth
OF the old saying.
Now that Maisie was lost to him for
: ever, he realized all that she had been 10
hm-reaized tha; he was honestly and
genuinely in love for the first time in mis-
( life and with a woman who was the OK
act opposite Of all the women he had ever
/ admired before. And this new strange
! love had grown up IN his heart so quietly
| and gradually that he had not suspected
/ its existence till the present cricis had
caused it 10 leap into sudden passionate
being.
Truly we are but puppets in the hands
! Of destiny.
Il loved you" Maise said again. her
/ soft voice strained and broken. her soft
eyes dim with bitter tears. and | thought
/ u fbougb, Won loved mo "