The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1898-09-09

Sum Of human pleasure. Pleasurel
Faugh! A rotten word-belonging to
those who only half live
He handled cigarette mechanically
a1d lit it.
1--WE had gone through most Of the
drapery incrusted with japanese gold.
1t was mine, she said, and was
worn by a woman ! hated. She borrow
ed it one night after coming over in the
rain
Yet you hated her?' l asked, tax
ing my cue from the curl Of her lip.
Not then. In thoSe days thought
and women good.
81 looked down at the gold storks on
the heavy eastern silk, and said, And
when did you change your opinion?'
When l hung away this gown, and
determined it should never touch me-
Il rose to put my arm around her,
TO break the skein of unpleasant asso-
Citations, but she moved away. and said
in a hard, almost defiant voice:
There is one more, tell me its tale
If you can, and if not
''She paused while l took the fine
lace and lawn into my fingers. 1t seemed
a summer dress, scarcely crushed. In
front, however, and ON the sleeve was
a splash Of dull red brown.
Paint?' l suggested, 'or blood. An
accident perhaps?' and in questioning I
met her eyes.
Don't, don'tp I cried, don't
speakp l flung myself back in the chair
and covered my face TO avoid the sight
Of hers-the expression of horror that
was staring from it.
i will. | must speak. Yes, blood;
his blood. Ohp she exclaimed, stand
ing in front of me in that Cassandralike
attitude | had noticed before. Il can
see it now. George had gone to the
country-so he had said-and l, TO pass
the time. dined with an uncle at Big
nard S You know the rOom-the thou
sand lights and loaded tables, the chink
of glass and glow of silver-the gay
and brilliant Company that is always
there? We dined, and were leaving aft
erward for the opera. My uncle passed
out first and | was about to follow him,
when, at little table, l saw George
and her, George looking down, down
into her eyes with hot red flush in his
cheeks and a lifted wineglass in his
hand. l don't know what happened; l
burst between them, flung the glass
from his fingers, and them
Il thought she must scream, but only
a gasp escaped her She looked at some
thing ON the ground and added in an
awed, strangely intense voice, He was
dead
1.-THE tone compelled me to her side;
a torrent of agony seemed frozen at her
lips
'Listenp she cried, still standing
rigid, though the thrilling tone of her
voice confessed her efotion. The YER
dict Of acquittal was sincerely a doom to
perpetual remorse. A life for life,
was cried to me from even the daybreak
chirping of the birds.
oh, Aubrey, be merciful-spare
me all you can, for am like a pilgrim
who faints III sight of the great road. |
know now that it is not the pulse of
life, but the color and the scent of it,
that makes ones sacrifice. | believe
that every guilty soul must have his
moment of high opportunity, of expia-
tion, and this is mife. You are brave,
you are great, you are generous Shall
you tempt me--and stay, or will you
save me-and gO?'
Poor Yeldham's voice broke to a
hoarse whisper, and | laid a sympathet-
ic hand upon his knee.
And you, Aubrey. you went?'
81 am here " he answered, with a
groan that was more pitiful than tears.
CONDENSED From Black and White.