Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-10-20

WAS iultt Ill Ills tlis q WSc DuUSs I1L5
sole object in life was to bring them
together, and SO he planned a sojourn
for them on the Jersey coast, where
they had first met
The young people went there because
Mr.. Bertram wished it. If they were at
all sentimental about the locality, they
said nothing One morning, while prom
enading Oh the board walk, they met, to
their great surprise, Marga Vandermeu-
len and her mother. The dashing Marga
was as vivacious as ever. She embraced
Sue, shook hands with Jules and an
nounced her engagement to Lieutenant
Tomkins, the cadet with whom young
Leroux had first met her
"How beautiful you are," she blurt-
ed out, examining Sue from head to
foot. "You were sickly thing when I
first knew you.
She suggested sail on the ocean,
and Jules and Sue were forced to acqui-
esce. The morning went by quickly,
but Mr.. and Mrs. Leroux were not whit
livelier than they had been before meet
ing the chatty, clever Marga All dur
ing their sail Sue was tortured by the
thought, ''If the boat should be cap
sized, which one would he rescue, Mar
ga or me, his wife?'
Sue was passionately in love with her
husband. His presence was as necessary
to her as the air. She could have kissed
his hand with humblest devotion when
he passed it gently over her blond hair.
She was ecstatically happy when he
talked with her on the most Indifferent
subjects.
She had banished every thought OF
death. She had suddenly become an
egoist She craved the love he had Civ
en- to Marga and pinned her faith in
the ultimate fulfillment Of her ardent
desire on little signs that seemed to her
unfailing. She consulted her mirror,
and it told her that she was growing
more beautiful day by day. Was she as
lovely as Marga in his eyes? Perhaps.
At any rate she would ask him. She be-
gan to torture him with disguised
questions in which Vargas name was
often mentioned
Jules felt Inundated at first, then
hurt, and finally he grew cold toward
his wife. Marga was completely forgot
ton. He loved his wife, and he became
conscious of the change in her. 1t SEEM
ed to him that demon had taken posses
sion of the harmless child. He feared
that she was no longer content with his
affection. Meanwhile they loved each
other more and more yet became I'M
happier as the days wore on.
With Marga's coming Sues jealousy
had once more definite object. Per-
haps the sly mink feigned to be be-
trothed to the lieutenant to disarm her
(Sue's) suspicious She must set trap
for them--for him and Marga.
Lieutenant Tomkins, Miss Wander
meulen had said, was in Washington,
making arrangements for a long leave
of absence. Thither Sue was determined
to go. She would find the young officer
whom she had never seen and ask him
about his coming marriage with Marga.
She told her husband Of the journey she
planned. He offered to accompany her,
but she said that she preferred to go
alone. He gave his consent reluctantly,
but Sue, blinded by jealousy, thought
his reluctance was only feigned.
Sue was driven to the station. She
paced the platform impatiently. The
train was half an hour late. Suddenly,
just as the monster engine pulled into
the station, hand clutched her arm
tightly.
"You are deceiving me! With whom
are you going?"
Sue turned quick as flash and
looked into the pale distorted counte-
nance Of her husband. In moment she
understood him. He whom she loved
distractedly was jealous of her!
would you kill me?" she whisper
ed, hardly able to repress tears Of joy.
"You and him!" groaned Leroux,
drawing a revolver from his pocket.
"Jules," she broke forth in joyous
tones, forgetful of her surroundings and
the fact that the train was just then
leaving for Washington, "tell me that
you love me, not Marga? Twas going to
hunt up the lieutenant to whom she is
engaged. was going to ask HIM
"Hush!' said softly the happy hus-
band, his face radiant with unutterable
love. ~ love only you, my wife, my
all!''
He lifted her into waiting carriage.
"By the way" he continued as he
wound his arm around her waist, 'your
father has telegraphed that he will ar
rive tonight. We will go down to meet
him, Sue. Do you think he will see a
change in us?"-St. Louis Republic.