The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-06-11

iuss,y sure Of her faithfuInsss. but NOT
onoe did the thought strike him Of his
cruel neglect, which was killing her by
inches. Probably had 1t struck him he
would have put the thought away as be-
ing too trivial for his smart, up to date
mind.
He did not notice that as she enooun-
tered his gaze all the gladness died out Of
her face, and he knew not that the caro-
less indifference she say in 1t entered into
her soul with intolerable anguish.
~ am not going to bore you with my
company for long," he said, leaning
against the mantelpiece.
"You know you don't love me, Phil.
Why don't you tell tho truth and say you
don't intend being bored by meP' she an
swered quickly.
Zone doesn' always like to say what
one thinks, p he replied, Struggling his
shoulders.
~ do bore you, them" she asked
"You bore me when you ask suoh a
stupid lot of questions.
His wife's lips trembled and quivered.
DO you know what people are say
ingp" she went on slowly. II hear it
wherever CO. though, of course, I'm not
supposed to. Shall tell you what 1t isa"
please yourself.
IAN right, III tell you then. It's only
that you are tired to death of mo and re-
pent your marriage from the bottom of
your heart For once people tell the truth.
Don't theyr"
She pushed her hair back from her fore
head with weary little gesture, and her
husband burst into boisterous laugh.
Eyes, for once people have hit the mark
nearly in the right place." he said, with
an angry flash. "Have you any more in
teresting news to tell me before gop"
"Is that Interestingly l should have
thought 1t dreadfully stale to you who
have known it SO long, and besides it ia
such an everyday thing. heard some one
whisper today that 1t was quito COM
mon commencement at all unusual.
She laughed softly and raised pair of
shining eyes to his.
LET me have good look. at you,
Phil" she said, fitting her head slightly
to one side and regarding his fair,
handsome face with smile lurking round
hep mouth.
what good looking boy you are"
she whispered, "eyen when you are an
cry"
Greville made her hooking bow, but
she only smiled that strange little smile
again and stood on tiptoe and placed her
small hands on his great, broad shoulders.
"Good night" she said. 81 know you
are longing to go, and l wouldn't keep
you against your will for worlds. Good
night. And, oh, Phil Pm awfully sorry
smoked" She raised her pale little face
to his but with muttered growl he
pushed her roughly away from him.
"No I'm banged if will kiss you aftor
your remarks" he cried scoffingly, and
strobe out of the room with quick, angry
strides, banging the door behind him with
considerable gusto
Though Phil Greville's conscience was
very minute one, it gave him little rest
that evening, and as he wendell his way
bomeward few hours later he had the
! good grace to feel rather ashamed of him
| self
"What brute she must think mel" he
muttered as he let himself into the house,
and indeed, to do him justice, he thought
himself one also.
cts pity she's so tender hearted" he
continued, hanging up his coat, because
| I'm really awfuly fond Of her, though l
was too bad tempered to tell her SO when
| she told me what people were saying"
| He crossed the hall and noticed a streak of
| light shining underneath the drawing
room door, and, somewhat surprised, he
| turned the handle and entered the room.
| He paused on the threshold, and an ex-
| clamaton broke from his lips, for on one
of tho lounges lay his wife, apparently in
| deep sleep.
"Good heavensl What brings her here
| at this unearthly hour?" he murmured
and walked across the room softly and
stood looking down at her wish new and
unaccountable tenderness stirring within
his heart. How fair she seemed to him
| in her childish white gown, with one arm
thrown lightly over her head and the
other lying carelessly on the crimson vel
vet cushions-how fair and fragilel
Her beauty struck him more forcibly
than it had ever before, and he mentally
compared the pure, high bred face, which
looked unnaturally pale in the dim light,
with the coarse, painted and berouged
faces he had seen at the music hall that
night.
| "A BrtdU Ndfe Va ISSIot sNSpV oNCi HIS
soul with overwhelming force. 1t seemed
to strike him how terribly he had neglect
ed her, how cruelty he had treated the
frail, clinging little creature, and he bent
down and gently pushed the soft scented
hair from her forehead and pressed rev.
erent kiss on her smooth, rounded cheek,
but he drew back with a cry of terror.
Her face was cold-icy cold-and the blood
seemed to freeze in his veins
He placed a trembling hand over her
heart. 1t was quite still-deadly, horribly
stll-and with groan of agony he re-
menbered that her mother had died of
| heart disease.
He fell on his knees beside her silent
folm and took her little cold hands in his
warm ones, calling to her in wild accents
of despair to speak to him. But the softly
parted lips did not answer, though smile
seemed to hover round them such as one
secs on child's face when asleep, and the
dnrkly fringed eyelids did not CULVER at
| his passionate caresses.
Through the easement faint glaam Of
light shone pale and yellow, showing that
new day had dawned for the living and
for the dead. Queen.
| FULFILLED the Law.