Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1898-09-16

WlSunueFElOOQ, anu ne UHSISu IN ga
PLANTATION. But she did no ] need one
now. She had seen the full measure
of her folly.
81 know she answered, Il was
wrong, and-I am punished" She
threw her arms about his neck and
sobbed, and he held her close. 1t was
only for q little time. Then she drew
away and her arms fell at her sides.
1T cannot be helped" she said, and
she turned and went away.
| There was no change in Raymond.
either then or as the years went on. He
was good officer and good man and
unembittered. But Cicely Granville
changed. The world loves nothing bet
ter than to find an explanation for
what has mystified it. It does not
trouble to verify its belief. 1T is
plain" it said now, why Cicely Mar
lit married Granville. Raymond was
not the man to have allowed her to in
dulge her propensities."
The propensities were toward flirta-
tions that scandalized that conserva-
tive and respectable institution, the
army. Even the men of the regiment
resented that it should be given fame
through Mrs. Granville. And the wo-
men feared and hated her, but they
also admired. Popular superstition to
the contrary notwithstanding. most
women see the charms of rival. En-
Wy is as keen-sighted as love is blind.
And the clever ones admit them.
Being isolated from the small circle
of feminine wit, Mrs. Granville added
to her attractions much masculine
clear-sightedness and wide range of
interests. She was as good to talk to
as to look upon. She spoke with the
tongue Of wisdom that was more
not less-than womanly, and she sang
with the voice Of siren, and men fell
down before her and Worshiped her,
and, throwing the cloak of their in
fatuation over the clay feet Of their
idol, came finally to forget them and
believe it all spotless alabaster. They
held her up to wives and daughters and
sisters whom they would have dis
owned for following in her path. And
they ruined the peace of their lives and
of their homes for her-all. too. with
out the hope of even a capricious fancy
for reward. She brought them low
and laughed at them, but they still had
faith, as had her husband, though the
heavens should fall. She was known
to the borders of the service, and be-
yond, as a creature of no heart who
had caused disaster and even death
and had shown neither remorse nor
pity.
Yet when she was free once more,
Raymond went to her. His old faith
was unmoved.It was better sort Of
faith than any other she had inspired.
Years had gone since she had seen him.
She sat once again before the fire-this
time in her fathers home. And Ray
mond stood looking down at her. The
face, above the black dress of her
mourning, was as saintlike as of old,
and seemed as young and unscarred.
The long, gray eyes were as placid,
UuL uCCp. AOI dom III"
why she had done these things. Per-
haps he knew. But he said to her, as
though the time had never been:
"Cicely, do you love me still?"
And the sweet lips parted to say the
words that they had never framed
save for him: II love you STILL
He reached out his hand and took
hers. She tried to draw It away. ,D''
"But you do not want me-now?"
she said I'D
He held her fast and answered.: ri
want you now" There was no doubt
in his firm voice.
"You do not know" she tried to tell
him.
"Yes, know" he said; land yet
and yet want the Cicely who was my
honest little playmate years ago; who
was my trusted love in the past; who
will be my faithful wife in the time
to comeFor old sake's sake, l want
her, dear
She laid her tired head upon his
shoulder and closed her tear-filled eyes.
And for old sake's sake she said
you shall have her."-Gwendolen
Overton, in the Argonaut