The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-09-11

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The nert tnstant the man a0ds ON hts back.
ferent, and she could not hate him, and
there was therefore but one possible re-
suit.
She had chosen, moreover, that kind
Of holiday which helped to make indif-
ference impossible. She saw her hus-
band at his best during the whole time,
and there was no incident Of their trav-
ell to distract her from him, nothing
that caught and held her attention
which was not associated closely with
him.
More than all, however, he was a
man born to be loved by women-strong
to command where strength was need
ed, gentle as child where gentleness
served, as brave as man can be and
courteous to the point Of long suffering.
In all bodily exercises he was excep-
tionally agile and enduring, and he pos
sessed In u marked and extraordinary
degree just those qualities which to
Lola were the type and embodiment Of
manhood.
She was bound to yield in time to
the forceful influence which he exer.
cised, and the more she perceived this
and struggled against 1t the more ire
sistible did che find it.
As her feelings softened so her fears
waxed. She was afraid to grow to love
him, because she saw all the dangers Of
it to her.
One thing she had learned clearly
about her husband. With all the stub
born tenacity Of his race he held the
honor Of bis name and family as high
as religious creed and perhaps higher.
Straight dealing was an instinct and
deceit and treaohery an abomination.
She had seen 80 instances Of this in the
months Of the honeymoon, and she was
shrewd enough to understand that the
deceit which che had practiced he would
punish remorselessly and visit with i'm
placable unforgiveness If he ever dis
covered 1t.
His faith once given was given alb
solutely; once betrayed, was withdrawn
forever.
She did not care while she knew that
the tie between them was on her side
one Of tongue and not Of heart. She
knew, of course, that in the future,
whether Pierre reappeared or not, she
would need clear head and calm judg-
ment to walk safely, but if she grew to
love her husband she would be neither
clear in head nor calm in judgment.
So long as she could part from him,
if all were discovered, without any loss
except such as touched her social posi-
ton and her money interests, abe felt
that she could 60 through all with the
certainty of ultimate success.
But if she loved her husband there
were a thousand and one complications
which might follow, each Of which
would be source of undoing.
1t was no trouble to her to feign love,
to school herself to seem happy in her
husbands presence. to be bright and
cheerful with him and to shower upon
him hundred attentions which seemed
the spontaneous outcome Of a desire to
please, but were in reality the more
shrewdly chosen because clever cal
culation prompted each and all.
Gradually she was surprised at the
ease with which this acting was done
and the pleasure which it seemed to
give her in the doing, nor did she guess
the real source Of the pleasure until an
incident which happened when they
had been away some two or three
months revealed the truth to her.
They had ridden into far outlying
town in one Of the southern states, and
Lola was standing in the street alone
waiting for her husband, who had been
detained at the place where they had
stabbed the horses. A couple Of drunken
rowdies passed, and, noticing her beauty,
stopped and spoke to her. She took no
notice except to glance at them with 80
much contempt in her expression that
one Of them lost his temper and, with
a deep oath, tried to clutch her by the
wrist, vowing he'd kiss her for her in
science.
He reckoned without her strength
and pluck, however, and as he grasped
at her she pushed him violently back
ward and struck him with the heavy
end Of her big riding whip in the face.
He staggered back and measured his
length on the roadway, to the intense
amusement Of his companion, who
laughed and swore gleefully.
When he got up, the ruffian, red
with rage and swearing that be would
have revenge, approached Lola, who
awaited his attack with unflinching
courage, eying him steadily the whole
time. Rendered cautious by his first de-
feat, he held off for moment watching
his opportunity, and then with cum
ming feint he put her off her guard and
rushed in, pinioned her arms and held
her.
She struggled to free her hands, but
the fellows sinews were too much for
her, and she was beginning to fear that
he would overpower her when she
heard him vent hoarse, cultural, ohok-
ing sound and saw that Sir Jaffray had
come up and caught him by the throat,
half strangling him in his fierce tenn
per. The next instant the man was on
his back again in the roadway, flung
there with great violence by her hus-
band.
"Are you hurt, Lola?" he asked, with
the pain of suspense in his eyes.
"No, not in the least. Come away.
That brute's getting up again."
The fellow was on his feet again d.
rectly, and both he and his companion
had drawn their revolvers.
lyon don't shoot women in these
parts, do your" said Sir Jaffray sternly.
"Wait. Come, Lola"
He led her away to house that was
open at some little distance, and, putting
her inside, told her to wait.
"You mustn't go back, Jaffray," she
said, fear that she had never felt for
herself awaking OIL account of him,
and she chung to him to keep him by
her.