Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-12-01

Never did man weary OF time more
than Captain Herbert until he found
himself standing. with fast-thrObhing
pulses. in the drawing room ut the
HattieldS' house in ClaXton. awaiting
his wife. AS he strained his ears for
the first sound OF her footfall, keeping
his eNpectNnt eyes on the door, She
suddenly opened it and came in.
For moment. though he involunta
rily held out his arms to her. he could
not speak. He noticed that she wore
muslin gown. similar to the one she
had Worn OH their wedding day; that
her soft. dark hair was twisted up en-
actly as he had once told her he liked
to see it: that his wedding ring glist-
ened on her slim, white hand; and
that. though she looked pale. her lips
smiled in unison with her dark eyes.
Judith. Judith! my darling! Are
you glad to see mc?" he exclaimed. at
length. as lie moved toward her
"l-think-I - am" she admitted
with Il wicked little glance as She
stood ut the door But don't latter
yourself that it is love for you: it Is
simply because l have been almost
badgered to death within the past
month. and l want to get away from
it,"
But there was something in her en-
misunderstanding in her willingness
to be embodied in his arms. and more
in the lingering tenderness of her
greeting kiss-that warned him not
wholly to believe her: and his hear,
was va full of Joy and content
Judith. as wife and mother. was
exceedingly happy, her husband prov
ing the most constant and devoted that
she had ever deemed it possible he
could be. She knew that her intiu-
oncc over him was for good. and eXer-
cised it wisely. being ultimately repaid
by his loving trust. Time dealt gently
with her, so that her husband was
wont to declare that she would never
grow old like other women.
Elsie did not Wear so we'll. becoming
very stout. She became reconciled to
her fate. but not until she had fully
realized. as Judith had warned her.
that it was her last chance: for. al
though Claude speedily recovered from
the effects of his wound. his love was
not quite so demonStrative as before.
The lesson Captain Herbert taught
her was a salutary one. COmprehend-
ing how she had debased herself. she
became careful to control her flirting
propensitieS: but she never forgave
either him or Judith. though outward
~ they We're friends.
AS to Claude. Judith fancied some
times that he was not quite so content
eddy happy and trustful as he APP
peared to be; and she has secretly
wondered more than once if he wholly
believed in the mistake he was sup
posed to have made the night he shot
himself: or whether he had not rather
deceived them all for her and his
names sake.
There are no other changes as yet in
the Hatfield family. except that John
has become quite Il bird of passage.
He spends most of the money he earns
by his ready pencil in paying visits to
his eSt-beloved sister. and her hus-
band. who are always glad to see him,
wherever they may be.
Giving way to his miscellaneous pro-
penSity for caricaturing after his first
Introduction to Captain Herbert. he
drew Judith caressing the head of a
donkey: but hardly had he given his
sketch to her to look ut before he
snatched it away and destroyed it, de-
claring:
why. it is l who am the donkey!
Fancy the man donkey who wins
you for wife.If either it is you who
are that much-scorned animal, my
dear"