Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-03-24

(Continued.)

after the other like clouds across his
n ind. He seemed to see the Alien
guard hills stretching drearily, white
With frozen snow, around the black
ford; he pictured Thelma, broken
hearted, fancying herself deserted, re-
turning through the cold and darkness
70 the lonely farmhouse behind the
now withered pines. Then he began
to think of the shell-cave where that
other Thelma lay hidden in her last
deep sleep,-the wailing words of
Sigurd came freshly back to his ears
when the poor crazed lad had likened
ihelmas thoughts to his favorite
flowers, the pansies-'One by one you
will gather and play with her thoughts
az though they were these blossoms;
your burning hand will mar their color
they will withet and curl up and die,
and you-what will you care?
Nothing! No man ever cares for a
flower that is withered,-not even
though his own hand slew it"
Had he been to blame? he unused,
with a sorrowful weight at his heart.
Internationally, had he,-yes, he would
put it plainly,-had he neglected her,
Just little? Had he not, with all his
true and passionate love for her, taken
her beauty, her devotion, her obedience
too much for granted-too much as
his right? And in these latter months.
when her health had made her weaker
and more in need of his tenderness,
had he not, in a sudden desire for po-
lttical fame and worldly honor, left
her too much alone, prey to solitude
and the too often morbid musings
which solitude engenders?
He began to blame himself heartily
for the misunderstanding that had
arisen out of his share in Nevilles un-
happy secret.
Neville had been weak and timid he
had shrunk nervouSly from avowing
that the notorious Violet We're was
actually the woman he had so faith
fully loved and mourned,- but he,
Philip, ought not to have humored him
N these fastidious scruples he ought
to have confided everything to Thelma.
He remembered NOW that he had once
or twice been uneasy lest rumors OF
his frequent visits to Miss We're might
possibly reach his wife's ears, but,
then, as his purpose was absolutely
disinterested and harmless, he did not
dwell on this idea, but dismissed 1t.
and held his peace for Neyille's sake,
contenting himself with the thought
that if Thelma did hear anything she
would never believe word against
me-"
He could not quite see where his
fault had een,-though fault there
vas somewhere, as he uneasily felt
and he would no doubt have started
Indignantly had a small elf whispered
in his ear "conceit." Yet that was
the name of his failing-that and no
other. How many men, otherwise
noble hearted, are seriously, though
often unconsciously, burdened with
this large parcel of blown-out Nothing!
Sir Philip did not appear to be conceit-
ed--he would have repealed the accu-
sation with astonishment,--not know
ing that in his very denial of the fault,
the fault existed. He had never been
truly humbled but twice in his life
once as he knelt to receive his mothers
dying benediction,-an again when
he first loved Thelma, and was uncer-
tain whether his love could be returned
ty SO fair and pure creature. With
these two exceptions, all his experience
had tended to give him an excellent
opinion of himself, and that he
should possess one of the best and
!oveliest wives in the world, seemed to
him quite in keeping with the usual
course of things. The feeling that it,
was a sheer impossibility for her to
ever believe a word against him, rose
out OF this inward dissatisfaction
this one flaw in his otherwise bright,
Lonest, and lovable character flaw
of which he himself was not aware.
Now, when for the third time his fairy
castle OF perfect peace and pleasure
seemed shaken to its foundations,
when he again realized the uncertainty
Of life or death, he felt bewildered and
wretched. His chiefest pride was CEN
tered in Thelma, and she-was gone!
Again he reverted to the miserable
idea that, like a melancholy refrain,
haunted him-"What if l should find
her dead!"
Absorbed in painful reflections, he
was a very silent companion for Lor-
inner during the luncheon which they
took at a quiet little restaurant well
known to the habitues OF Pail Mall and
Regent Street. Lorimer himself had
his own reasons for being equally de-
pressed and anxious.--for did he not
love Thelma as much as even her hus-
band could may. perhaps more,
knowing his love was hopeless. Not
always does possession Of the adored
object strengthen the alteration, the
rapturous dreams Of an ideal passion
have often been known to surpass
reality a thousandfold So the two