Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-12-16

isNtf hAf' hoAu Iti III w III ~
arms, | could forgive herr
Judith listened to this passionate
outburst in trembling silence. and,
from her. she could only look at him
inability 10 help him.
Presently Claude spoke again, and
III n calmer tone.
Il told you we quarrelled on Satur-
day-that was scarcely the fact, unless
You can call that a quarrel where the
woman is-is-insulting and wilful and
the man only firm. / am ashamed TO
speak so of her; but it is only to you,
Judith, that | would tell the truth.
We were going to the Academy during
rhe day, and | asked her, as a favor,
not to wear a costume which she had
bought in Paris, a dress of gray and
white silk that fitted her like a skin,
and n tiny hat with white in tia cos
tune hardly fit for the streets, as it at
tracts too much attention.
she refused my request, and, when
| laughlingly told her that | would not
70 With her if she wore il, she lost her
temper, and told me she was sorry she
had married a selfish old bachelor who
wanted to make her a dowdy and de-
prive her of every little grace and
pleasure her youth entitled her to.
Feeling hurt, told her that the very
Q she derided entitled me, if my po-
sition of husband did not, to exercise
some sort Of control over her when her
ineyperience led her to make mistakes.
She said nothing in answer; but, half
IN hour later, when | asked her to kiss
me. she refused. | would not take her
refusal. but kissed her against her
will, asking her to forgive me, because
l loved her so. She repulsed me, and
| went out. On my return she had
gone"
II do not like to interfere. and, pos
sibly. l may be wrong" Judith said,
Iesitatingly; hut perhaps if you had
been firmer she would have been more
yielding. When you consider that You
are in the right, you should not ask
for forgiveness, though l think"
Say it out, ~Judith-you think my
jealousy was at fault? can't help it.
As to being firm with her-who could
be harsh with a child like thaty'
Judith could say nothing, for she
was too troubled. Claude told her
lii cttDo DC iaid 'dhth w hiSNpNt
his wife's whereabouts. and hat with
the assistance of n detective he had
succeeded only in tracing her to Wa
terloo station, ~whereevery clue had
been lost.
II delayed going to the ~Fletchers.'
he added, until the last moment. be-
cause / hoped to win Elsie back with
out any scandal. Fletcher was very
kind, and offered me all sorts of adj
vice. non of which, | fear, will help
me to recover my wife. Mrs. Fletcher
was less symrathetic"-he might with
truth have said rude" for Grace con-
sidered that Claude had been in fault,
and treated him accordingly. But
you. Judy, you will help me, will you
not?"
witt all my heart" responded Ju-
dith, fervently-''that is, il | can. for
ut the moment | feel so bewildered
that | do not see what | can do. l
hoped you were together again. Elsie's
going away having proved a freak of
which she had quickly repented. Poor
girl, | dare say, If we could only
know, she is as unhappy as you are!'
do you think she loves me, then,
Judy?" he asked, softly, his dark eyes
gllstening and his worn face brighten
ing, as he looked up into her thought
full face.
II am sure she does. Claude! But
she has been petted and made much
of by everybody all her life; conse-
quently her wilful young spirit was
chafed by your attempt to coerce her"
"But. Judy, am / never to point out
her errors to her? Living in this duh
place, she would not have the oppOr-
trnity to go far wrong; but, If she
cine back to me, and we go III into
tie world together, she will meet men
and women, too-who will only be
too glad to tarnish her innocence. Are
my love, wisdom and experience not
TO be used in her behalf against
them
Judith sighed; for she had thought.
many and many a time when she had
demonstrated. and had been twitted
with being envious and jealous of her
pretty sister. that one day the family
would regret it. and here. all TOO soon.
and %unhappily were her fears realized,
She knew Elsie's wilfulness and OBJ
stinancy too well TO have any great
hope that she would soon be truly re-
ltfitiHt anu NlSUlul W dtUut IOT UtT
conduct: she too greatly feared that
she would have to understand what
suffering meant before coming to this
proper frame of mind; but, because
she saw that he needed comfort of
some sort. she replied:
"Hope for the best. Claude. You will
no doubt hear from her in n few days,
and will find then that she is sorry for
the suffering she has caused you. and,
no doubt, will be more thoughtful in
the future
He looked at Judith, standing there
in her shabby silk gown. and reflected
upon the chance of restful happiness
he had lost In giving her up for her
sister: but the glamour OF Elsie's
youthful beauty influenced him too
completely to permit of his realizing
quite what he had renounced.
HAD Elsie any money when she
went away, Claude?" asked Judith.
YES" he answered simply, keeping
to himself the fact of hiw large a sum
his wife had had from him since their
wedding day. "She also took her jew.
elry, but not many clothes"
"Her jewelry! You mean the few
trinkets she possessed before you knew
her."
Il mean all that she had" he replied,