The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-20


fell upon the room. In my distant cor
above my abasement; and where had
left him he remained, wrapped in such
reflections as I might only guess at.
+ The daylight was growing dim, for
1t was late afternoon now, and the
flames upon the hearth gave Its chief
illumination to the room. The snap
ping of the logs assumed unusual I'M
portance in the stiffness, being the only
sounds which echoed athwart 1T.
Through the closed doors which shut
off the dining room / could hear the
quiet football of Stone as he moved
about laying the table for an early
dinner. In the midst of my distress I
feared less he should remember his
duty and enter for the purpose of light
ing the lamps.
Certainly five minutes must have
passed before Richard moved And
five minutes is very long time when
you are sitting, wretched and forlorn,
with your head buried in your hands,
uncertain as to what you had better,
consistently do next. He solved my
difficulty finally by assuming the bur-
den OF action, approaching me with a
slow, deliberate step that somehow
conveyed the assurance that a crisis
as we'll as q person was advancing,
and filled me with. strange sense of
awe and foreboding. When he stood
quite close to me, so that I could feel
the nearness of his presence-for my
head was still bowed between my
palms-he paused-evidently hesita-
ing yet to break the quiet that pre-
vailed. The moment was strongly
significant to me of some weighty de-
cision upon the mans part of which l
was ignorant. l quaked and trembled
inwardly, apprehending some conclu-
sion that should add anew to my dis
tress. But l gave no sign even that
l had noted has proximity but sat.
motionless and passive, awaiting l
knew not what
Before he spoke, he leant down and
laid gentle hold Of my wrists, drawing
my hands away from my face and in
to his own clasp.
Oh, the tender, solicitous touch Of
man we love! What power it has over
us poor women! l had no choice but
to look up into the face of him in
whose palms my fingers lay imprisoned,
and, meeting the light in the eyes that
regarded me, all the resentment and
anger l had been cherishing against
their owner died like poorly-rooted
plant before the bright rays of the sun.
Forgive me-" he said quietly; "but
man cannot be eloquent in his own
defense unless he may watch the face
OF his judge You have pleaded we'll
and strongly against me, and, to my
infinite regret, l must admit that many
Of your charges are well-founded But,
as God is my witness, am guiltless of
that outrage to which you have today
been subjected. I had no knowledge
or suspicion concerning it until an hour
ago, when it was Haunted before my
eyes in the same spirit that prompts
the waving Of red rag before bull.
1t was intended to gall and madden me,
and it succeeded; but it also overleaped
it's aim, for it has brought me to you
again, Pauline, and that the woman
who baited me would have done much
to prevent. This time your doors shall
not close upon me as upon a stranger
l swear they shall not It i'll becomes
man to shelter his offenses behind the
skirts of a woman, but I cannot clear
myself in your eyes in any degree I'M
less [ suggest that you reflect upon