The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-06-25

neIore MIN, yet us MS Doohs Wcfo hnishsu,
one by one he had always been able To
dismiss all further thought OF thsm-save
from business point Of view-and inter
est himself I'm new set OF characters.
But he could not dismiss Ulrica. Instead
of working out the plot OF the novel that
was To appear in the Mayfair MagaZine'
in the autumn. he could only wonder
whRf. she would have done in the situa-
ion Of the heroine. lie dreamed OF her
night and day, as IA young man dreams
of his love; her face was ever floating be-
fore MN, and her low, deep voice sounded
continually in his ears.
one morning he suddenly resolved 90
put "a stop To all this folly. He could not
afford TO waste moro time. 80 he drew
a chair 10 his desk and began resolutely
TO sketch the outlines OF the first chap
ters
But his pen had scarcely traced three
words upon the paper before IL dropped
from his hand. and he sank back In his
chair, sick with inconprehensiblof fear.
He knew we'll that IL was only fancy,
but at the same time he felt that Ulrioa
was standing before him. resting her long,
slender fingers upon the table, ana gazing
at him with her dark gray eyes. lie hung
away pen and paper, and fled from the
room, not daring TO cast look pehino
HIM.
II think must have n little holiday" "
he said TO his wife in the evening. Il
don't feel up to my work.
Yes l should say that IL would be the
best thing for you, +" she rejoined. You
don't look we'll +"
'All right, then, thought OF going to
Westward Ho for little golf-but per-
baps you would rather have week AT
Phngbourne.
"IS Oh, my dear, l don't think can
manage to go with YOU.
The authors face fell.
Il don't care TO go without you.
"Ob, nonsense. You will enjoy your
golf much more IL 1 am not In your way
You see 1 don't like to leave home just
now. That examination at Muriels
school begins next week. and she is sure
To get over excited and eat no breakfast
unless i am here to look after her. -
The author quite agreed that IL was
unadvisable TO leave Muriel To her own
devices, but suggested that she might give
up the examination and come with her
parents.
"Oh. no, Horace dear 1t would make
the child miserable. She has been work
ing so hard this term, and they seem to
think that she has n fair chance of win
ming the Latin prize"
So the author stayed at home and made
spasmodic attempts at work. FancyiDg
that his wife's presence was some pro-
lection, be would coax her into the study
on one trivial pretext or another, and try
| to make her sit with him while he wrote.
But he dared not confess the truth to her,
and she saw no rsason for dawdling away
the whole morning in the study, be-
| cause her husband said that he felt lonely
without her 1t was not so very long
since he declared that he could not write
| II any one were In the same room with
| him.
Then he gave up all thought of writing
until no should be able to take holiday.
! Still he could not shake off the dull OPP
preston or the haunting dread. The
author OF Man Desire Datur ally re-
ceived many Invitations that season. his
wife liked parties, and no went with her.
not because he liked II, but because he
was afraid OF being left alone. He would
get into corner, behind the door II pos
sible and stupidity wonder how he came
to be thcre. How uninteresting bow life
less. seemed all the seeipea-arnund him.
| by the side OF tho terrible living woman
whom he bad created. Once, as this
thought crossed his brain. he thought be
| saw her coming through the crowd
toward him. Was she going to claim him
| for her own before them alIS He caught
! bis wife by the arm and told her that
she must come home at once. For few
| DAYS he was so III that she devoted her
self to him, and kept the phantom at bay !;
but when be began to recover, she was
| iunined TO leave him TO himself.
TO do her justice, the Rrandest hall in
London would not have drawn Ter from
her husbands side II he had expressed a
wish for her TO stay with him. Yet surely
she could leave the various soc icties, Of
which she was so useful and influential a
member, to manage their own business
because he imagined he could not sit I'm
the house without hcrg SO she went of
To her committee and conferences. think
ing TINT 10 was fer tho poor dear follows
good not to encourage his morbid ideas;
and be felt the horror creeping nearer,
day by day.
1t was a chilly rainy evening on which
he crawled homo after long expedition
into tho city, As he dragged himself
along the street. he gathered comfort
from the thought that his wife would
he sitting by the fire waiting for him.
She would give him his ten, and they
would talk comfortably together, AM
perhaps, after little rest, he might feel
equal To playing with baby A soothed
look was already passing over the worn
face as he opened the drawing room door
The room was empty; the fire was low;
there was no sign of his wife.
He dropped into an armchair and sat
there, motionless. IL never occurred TO
him TO ring the bell for Goals OF for u cup
OF toa He only knew that he was wear
led and chilled to death, and that his
wife the only person who could put new
life into him, was not tnoro.
Hush What was thaty Only the rustic
Of feather fan. waved gently To and fro.
by long slender fingers. The fingers rested
against black velvet dress His eyes
travelled slowly upward. There was n
bunch Of red Feraniums in front OF the
low bodice-thore was pearl necklace
round the thin neck.
Yes, it was Ulrica, standing with ono
arm On the mantlsplecc ms no had dcs-
cribod her I'm the great scene OF mans
Desire. Ulrica, with her cleaning ewes,
and her loose fair hair knottec nc the back
of her neck. For ore moment she gazed
on bin, while n triumphant smile curled
her thir, pale lips then softlv-very softly
-she stepped TO his side and bent over
HIM. The touch of those ups on his
mouth scorchcd like flame--he strove in
vain 10 brenk from her--and-then- -
There IL really no need to distress
yourself, my dear madam, said tho doc.
tor; the last struggle often leaves such
an expression Of suffering. We have no
reason TO imagine that your poor nus
bands death was In any way. err
troubled. "-1Jemplo Bar.