The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-01-21

| Why should not do Sc? she said kindly,
and advancing placed her hand in his.
/ Perhaps after to-day, Sibyl!a, you will
never give me your hand again, for the words
have come to say to you are surely the
hardest that man can speak to woman"
! She drew her hand away. quickly.
Do not say them, theD," she said, with
| all her own imperiousness-" forbid you!
then in an altered voice: nlien, l have
been weak or n wicked woman. perhaps,
| but remember / am proud woman.
know all that you have TO say. Don't re-
proach me-"
The last sentence fell upon ears which
were numbed by the preceding sentence.
"Don't reproach me-" He stared hard at
where she stood, looking at him with kindly.
sorrowful eyes; then sank trembling upon
chair. She had read what was in his mind
the instant she entered the room. What a
marvellous sympathy existed between them
She was making his task easy, but oh, how
doubly hard!
"How long have you known this, ST.
bylla?" he asked. after a while.
How long? How can / measure it by
time? she said. with touch of impatience.
It was days, weeks ago that became con-
scious of the indefnable something that had
come between US. felt that we were grow
ing farther apart, and tried to draw myself
nearer you. Yes, tried. But even when
was most affectionate, even when you held
me closest, I felt it most strongly-Ob, miser-
able sham and pretense; Julien, why do
you mai , me speak of it?"
"Sibylia, it was not sham and pretense-
it was real-while it lasted it was true"
"Think SO if you can" Then she added
more gently. want you to believe the
best of me-"
Capt Booth bent his head and covered his
eyes with his hand. He attempted to speak,
but only succeeded in making sound like
groan.
Sibylla rose and stood before him.
"Julien" she said, L am not won't to
speak slightingly of myself, but / am not
the woman to make you happy. All my
life have been humored and indulged. /
should have demanded much from you. and
should nos have been satisfied with less -
his very thought. Somewhere there is
another woman who will make you better
wife than I"-
"Not that-Sibylla- think anything but
that swear there is no other woman"
:" Not now, but there will be one day, OF
course"
He was silent moment. You do not
despise me, Sibylla?" he asked, in low
tone
"Despise you-despise you, Julien !"
She touched his hair softly. honor and
respect you more than any man l ever
knew"
Capt. Booth raised his head and gazed at
her with adoring eyes. Then, as be con-
tinued to look upward into her calm, lovely
face, he slid slowly from his chair and fell
on his knees before her. He bent his head,
and taking the hem of her robe tenderly
and as though it were sacred thing, he
raised it to his lips. Then he stood up,
took few steps backward, with head in
elined, and was gone.
It was beautiful, triumphant ending to
the interview she had so dreaded, and it
satisfied Sibylla Ashley. AS the door closed
behind Julien, she suddenly realized that
the rain was falling in torrents. Could she,
after that magnificent exit, call after him 70
get an umbrella from the rack, but to be
careful not to take the heavy black silk one,
because it was her grandiather's, and he
never lent it? How ridiculous!
Swiftly she crossed the room and opened
the door. "Julien, cannot let you go in
the rain," she called.
Capt Booth was at the front door. He did
not trust himself to speak, but waved his
hand without turning his head. The door
closed behind him, q tremendous clap OF
thunder shook the house. Sibylla ran back
into the room, threw herself upon sofa, and
burst into tears
=.
Julien walked rapidly toward the stable
after his horse. He heard q patter of feet
- I: nj hao at a
girl was running beside him trying to hold
q big eingham umbrella over his head.
"You're never goin' to ride out in this
rain, Capt. Booth" cried George from the
hayloft as Julien entered the stable door.
The young man stood for long time
staring out at the brilliant green Of the drip
ping shrubbery, underneath which the chick
ems, ruffled end sullen, were huddled. He
looked down into Chrissy's swollen face and
brimming eyes, and wondered vaguely if she
was crying because she was sorry for him.
Then he looked up at the leaden, streaming
sky, and tried to imagine what his life was
going to be like without Sibylla Ashley.
What had happened to him that he bad
fancied her lacking in tenderness ?-ths
glorious, beautiful woman whom he had just
renonnced, and whom, he knew now, he
loved with all his soul.
He darted out into the rain again, and
strobe back to the house. Chrissy still ran at
his side. He pushed the front door open.
The sound of his footsteps On the hall floor
was drowned by the fury of the storm. He
heard Letty's voice, and then Sibylla's. She
was sobbing.
Il sent him away in the rain, Lefty"
1t is better so, since you do not love
him?"
But-but-I do love him. didn't know
how much till now that have lost him for
ever"
The door opened softly, and Julien stood
within the room. Sibylla was lying on the
sofa, her face buried in the pillows. Lefty
stood beside her, holding her hand. She
dropped it with start as she saw Julien,
who held up q warnin. finger.
aDon't go away, Letty!" sobbed sibylls,
and then using almost the words of Egypt's
miserable and deserted Queen: Don't talk
to me-just pity mel"
She reached out gropingly to take Lettys
hand again. Lefty saw and understood,
and faded out Of the room it was Julien's
hand that Sibylla clasped.
'sLetty, / know he will ne-never come
back!" He said hardly word, but looked
so miserable! "How tight you are holding
nv hand-you hurt me, Letty!"
She suddenly sat upright. Julien was
kneeling beside her, his arm around her
waist. A sob was trembling on her lips.
There must be an outlet; q fit of hysterical,
II ,roo~;~r, oh hod L; n