Rocky Ford enterprise., 1898-12-08

CHAPTER I.
Don't, Paul-don't stare at me like
that!' cried my wife, leaning forward
on her chair and laying her small hot
palm across my eyes. with gesture
half scared. half petulant. that irri-
tated me vaguely. IL don't like 1t,
dear"
II beg your pardon. Helen." re-
sponded somewhat hufflly. drawing
back. 81 really was not aware You
objected SO pointedly to my looking at
you."
II don't-I DON'T" she broke in
eagerly. How could you imagine
such thing? 1t was the expression
Of your face, Paul, that took me back
for the moment, when l turned my
head and found you sitting there
watching me with such a critical.
searching sort Of look, almost as II
you-you-"
"As II I what. sweetheart" l asked.
appeased by the carressing touch.
''As II you saw something In me
you could not quite make out, and did
NOT like at all-at all! But l was
mistaken in that, wasn't l. Paul"
Then, after a moments pause, as
did not reply
Sure It was only foolish fancy on
my part? Say 1t was only that-ah,
say 1t was only that. love!" she whis-
pered. in the soft drawling brogue l
was learning to like.
well, dear" answered slowly. "as
you press me so. must admit l was
a little surprised, after leaving you on
the lawn romping with the dogs IN
the very ecstacy Of high spirits. declar-
ing that even the twenty-flrst OF June
was too short a day to be happy In.
to find you half an hour later sitting
here alone. to all appearance q prey
to the profoundest melancholy. your
eyes perfect wells of despair, looking
as II the burthen Of existence was too
heavy to be borne another summers
day."
1T was heavy-so heavy! You are
right. could not have borne 1t much
longer. For the last twenty minutes
IL have been your widow. Paul"
"Oh." said. with feeling OF unac-
countable relief, stroking her tumbled
silky hair, II see! You were my
widow. madam-a very flattering and
satisfactory explanation Of your ap-
pearance indeed! But. dear. don't you
think, all circumstances considered. 1t
is rather premature for either of us to
don the weeds even in spirit YETI"
She was nineteen. MS fresh and as
hardy as the mountain heather she
had lived among all her life. was
twenty-five, stood six feet one In my
stockings, and had not known an
hours illness since l had the measles
many years before.
THAT was not the kind OF widow
hood l meant" Helen said, looking at
me with a touch of pathetic reproach
In her strange eyes. Your death,
your mere bodily extinction, Paul.
would not grieve me for long: should
cease to mourn you soon enough"
"Mrs. Dennys." exclaimed, in
mock Indignation. explain yourself.
please! You surely would give me
the conventional year Of Grape at the
least?'
mo, I wouldn't-not a year, not a
week. not a day. for would die the
same moment you did. Do you think
could live and you dead. husband?"
And yet you say you were my
widow for full twenty minutes. true
daughter of Erin?"
THAT was because I had lost you in
. way that severed US in life as well
as In DEATH"
Lost me in q way that severed us
In life as well as in death? This is
dreadful weather for conundrums! I
give 1t up!" responded languidly.
Twas widowed, Paul, because I
had lost your love-because you cared
for another woman more than for me-"
she returned. in low voice, looking
at me with eyes full of tragic denunci-
alton, as Rebecca might have looked
at Ivanhoe, Us poor La Valliere at
Louis when she bade him her last
sood-by outside the convent gates.
1 laughed q little too boisterously, l
felt, and drew her to my side. 4.
ITO be sure, to be sure" I assented
yolubly, II never thought of that So
luton! How long is 1t since first
learned to care for you, ma belle? That
day you and 1 slipped down the noun
tain side through the yellow broom?-
let me see-seven, eight, why, nearly
nine months ago! A long spell Of con-
stancy-almost time l should be weary
ing for another love, isn't It? Some
men, you know, would like a change
of wife with every change Of coat; but
as happened to be Of rather conserva-
tive kidney, l think l ought to be able
to wear one wife to three coats at the
least. and believe I courted you in
the very cloth your fingers are caress-
ing now. It's getting bit shabby,
to be sure: but
"You may treat my words lightly"
she interrupted, leaning. over me with
half-closed eyes, a bright pink spot
burning m her cheeks, 81 still