The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-09-06

W 6ouu NY 4neuoA " suo 8oiAoybs 4ue
same chivalry which let You live on
me urges you to whip me with fear
for my fathers safety. Would to heaven
I had dared you at the first and never
put this cursed fetter on my life." She
was playing nervously with her we'd
ding ring an she spoke. T.
Her husband eyed her ouriously with
out letting any sign Of annoyance at her
words. appear and replied with the cir
Of one who is merely balancing the pros
and cons Of given course:
II wonder II I did make q mistake
with you when I stopped you going on
the boards. A speech like that to the
gods ought to draw many pounds a
week to any house. You want q trif1e
more gesture. If you're going to say it
again, either hold up the 'fetter' and
faunt it in my face or dash 1t on the
ground. The gallery likes gesture.
Don't forget But you'd better not re-
hearse here because the rock is not very
wide, and If you chuck much Of your
jewelry about some of it's pretty sure
to roll down into the gorge, and what
goes over there won't come up again.
But therel What's the need for me to
doubt your powers Of acting! Haven't
/ seen you lead dozen men on-aye,
and to tho very verge-only for us to use
'em up in the end2 You're born ao-
tress, Lola, with limitations and in GER
tain line."
"I'll act no longer. then," returned
the girl. for she was little more. ''You
60 your way. I'll 60 mine"
"And your father can go bis, chr
Poor old chap. You're very hard on
him Lola, very hard indeed. To send
him to the galleys in that way, and at
his age too"
His cold, sneering indifference goaded
her almost beyond the point Of endur-
ance, but she fought down her rage.
II have come out here to tell you
that this kind Of life must end. p
"And devilish uncomfortable place
you've chosen" he said, interrupting
her and laughing. Here we are on
lonely orag, with these villainous fir
trees on one side and sheer dip right
down to the bottom Of the ravine on the
other and sky that looks as though
nothing short of miracle could stop it
sending down buckets Of rain inside five
minutes wish you'd DO bit thought
full. If you want to do an uncomfortable
thing, you might at least choose 4 COM
Portable place to doit in. Look herel Let
us go to some hotel and have it all out
there quietly over a bottle of wine."
II know what you mean by all this.
You think to sneer me out Of my pres
ent mood I mean to speak here and
now. l came here on purpose.
"WhatI Here up on this internally
bleak DEVILS rock, stuck right in the
middle of the Schwarzwald? What rub
bish, Lolal Do be consistent Why, when
the train started this morning we had
not an inkling that we should be brought
to standstill at this roadside station,
with three hours to wait for the next
train, 60 you couldn't have come on pur.
pose, as any fool can see"
when I knew we had to stop 80
long, resolved to bring you here to
say what had to say"
"All right" was the answer, and
the husband glanced round as If resign
ing himself to an uncomfortable expert
ence. "Devilish dramatic surroundings
and devilish dangerous. too" he NUT
tered, Slansing over the side of the rock
into the abyss that yawned below. some
400 or 800 feet down. might be dew
ilish convenient too, II you wanted to
get rid of an uncomfortable friend.
Well, wife, wife. go on" he said. sit
ting down on point Of the rock and
looking round to shrug his shoulders
again and smile. you've brought me
to the dismal depth of Swiss wood in
order to thrill me with a terrible tale
Of defiance. Very we'll thrill away"
He seemed determined to make light
Of the interview and to mock his COM
panion's indignation and emotion. But
be watched her all the time, despite his
assumed indifference, with lynx eyed
vigilance.
II repeat, this life shall end" she
cried, after moments pause, bursting
into quick, vehement, emotional utter
ance. "Shall end, do you hear? I will
be your decoy no more-your slave
your, tool. Twill no longer lure men in
to the meshes Of the net your cruel
hands spread for their ruin. You and I
shall part. Do you hear, part, now and
for always. I will be no wife Of yours
for the future, and if I can avoid it, 60
help me heaven, I'll never look on your
hateful face again."
The man listened in silence, and
when she ceased waited before answer
ing, looking at her with his head lit
tie on one side and his eyes half closed.
"All right. Goodby," he said at
length, turning away to whistle.
"What, not gone yet?" he added aft
or pause in tone of surprise. pray
don't stop on my account. Any show Of
politeness between us would be such q
superfuity Of foolish pretense. And he
resumed his whistling.
presently ne stoppeu anu, RettlHs up,
went close to her and spoke in differ
ent tone, seriously and directly:
"Look here, Lola! Don't make fool
Of yourself. You can't leave me. You
know that we'll enough. My silence is
as necessary to you as your beauty is to
me. There was never any other bond
between us and never will be probably,
but you can't break it. And you must
own that I've done well for you. You
live on the best of the land; you've
never staid at any but the best hotels;
you spend what you like on dress;
you've any amount Of lovers. What
husband could do more than thatr'
The wife made no reply in words,
but her eyes lighted with anger
"Go long as you don't 60 too far with