The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1897-07-15
Fate, The MOeker.

wandering over the scene before i'm.
"You want to know what | have
been doing during these yearsY" said
the woman, with a slight sigh. ITS
easily told. After you lost sight of
me--do you remembered met Herrick
Ieend. He war rich, and I-oh' l was
tired of the game of chances. l seemed
never to wilma prize. somehow. Yeend
was-very nice, and L"
you married him." said the slow
voice behind her. "Wise little woman"
"And you can say that?" she MUIR
INJURED. with a note of reproach in her
tones. You would scarcely have said
so at one time"
The man laughed a little bitterly.
II suppose not" he said. II should
probably have torn my hair and thirst
ed for the blood of the estimable
Ycend. I've crown philosophical, Ber-
tha.''
(Which is only another name for for
getfulness-eh?"
There are some things l can never
forget. even if l wished to do So" he
whispered, trying to peer into her face.
"Ah! that sounds more like Leslie
of old days" she said. looking round
at him gratefully. 81 thought you had
begun to hate me-"
you have never taught me to do
that. But tell me-you are happy in
your marriage, even though you have
left certain dreams behind? l sup
pose we all drop those on our journey
through life; they are but cumbersome
luggage
You have grown philosophical in
<1n11 - .h, ,D,I;a,l 1arrIirr ttvNTh1 7
don't mind telling yOu-yoI are such
has been a hideous blunder."
"Rather sweeping" said the man,
sending a long wreath of smoke out
into the night air, land decidedly
strong"
"Not a bit too strong" she replied
calmly. 1T was all right at first;
afterward it developed into a night
mare, from which | have never awak-
ened." She shuddered a little and
sighed, and her went on in a lighter
tone. well, we won't talk about it.
Tell me of yourself. What have you
been doing?'
"Oh, I've been wandering in the
same aimless fashion about the world,
writing poems which nobody reads,
painting pictures which no man buys,
gambling a little, running into debt q
| great deal"
"And you are not married?' she
| asked.
NO. I'm not married." he said slow
~. looking at her. did you expect
that | should beY'
She did not answer for a moment;
she only looked shyly up at him, with
a flush on her face.
"Poor boy" she murmured at last,
softly. 81 remember that you were
awfully fond of me-in those old
days" .
yes. 1 was fond of you" replied
the man, without looking at her.
Il sec that in spite of your advice to
me you still carry some of your
Dreams" she said wistfully.
"Some of Them" he said.
lie?" she said.
Can you doubt it,"
you poor boy, | treated you very
badly in the old days, very badly in
deed. l wish l could make it up to
YOU"
Something in the tender. %regretful
J voice touched the man; he vent nearer
to her.
And you thought l had forgotten
all about YOU. You thought l could
forget?' he whispered.
She looked down the lamplit path,
and suddenly sat stiff and upright.
600 away now" she whispered
"Yeend is coming. I can see his figure
in the distance. Come back to me
! again. | want to talk to you"
She was sitting quite calmly. evil
IDENTIFY very much bored, when her hus.
band came slowly along the path and
stood before her.
"Well?" she said, questioningly
glancing up at him.
ITS all finished" he said. in d hol
low voice. This, is the end"
You don't mean, she began.
Il mean,' he broke in, that l have
lost tonight as heavily as before
more heavily, in fact. l have thirty
francs left"
'Thirty ~francs!' she exclaimed.
"That is all. I wanted to save
enough to get us some dinner and
and carry us elsewhere in the morning
The hotel bill-well, We'll forget it."
He laughed grimly and the woman
shuddered.
$50. this is the end" she said rather
slowly, without looking at him. BEG
gary and shameful flight and nothing
in the future. This is all you have t.
offer me-
I'VE are still together, Bertha" hi
said. looking at her hopelessly.
Bah! That is the worst part of it,
she said scornfully. Rich, you wer,
tolerable: but poor" She made {
quick gesture of disgust and turned
away from him.
And you can say this to meat thi'
hour he said bitterly.
ut is such moments as these tina
teach men and women honesty" sh'
said. with Il laugh. You have becl
blind not to sec it all before. Yol
know | never really loved you
lie turned away with almost a sol
in his throat. She looked at his bowet
head c~uriouSly. Suddenly she Leaned
toward him almost eagerly.
"HelTick." she said, give me the 81
francs. Let us risk all or nothing. II
try my luck"
He looked at her modify, then drew
the Coins from his pocket and tosse'
them into her lap. "As you WILL h
said. "It does rot matter now
She caught the money quickly to
gether and rose.
Il viii go alone" she said. "You''
sU il The luck. Something tells me
shpll win tonight"
He watched her as she WALKED quick