Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-01-11

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you are my wife. You are bound to
live with me You thought it possible
hall. an hour ago. Nothing has changed
since then"
But / didn't know then! | thought be
had left off caring for me. My mother
knew. 1t was she who made me marry
you" painted she. All her delicate color
had faded; even her lips were white; her
I eyes were full Of terror.
"Oh, WON'T you be kind to me and let
me go;'
$40 your lovery'
T "No, no! ! will never see him again if
you will only let me go!"
But don't You know l love you? Yes,
as dearly as you love that man down
stairs. Haven't you a little pity for me?''
Anne looked at him duly. His round,
ford face had not paled. He looked as
prosperous as ever. Love her? Love was
young and strong and comely, with ardent
looks and melting tones. Her heart could
not recognize him under this guise.
II am sorry. 1t is not my fault. We
have loved each other so long. Oh, if you
will be kind and let me go!''
She came up close to him in her earnest
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the little tendrils of hair curling round
her tiny ears; the depth of her eyes dark
ened by coming tears.
"You ask too much" he said, with sud
den anger. II love you; you are my wife
and very beautiful"
He had both her hands in his now and
was drawing her nearer. Anne did not
speak, only looked at him with a white
face of terrified repulsion. He could sec
the pulse in her throat beating furiously.
"You would not be the first wife who
has lived down a fancy for another man
and has been happy with her husband
he said slowly, and then the girl broke
down into a storm Of wild, hysterical
weeping, covering away from him with
bent head.
"My poor child! My dear little girl!
You are quite overdone!" she heard his
voice saying in quite u changed tone.
"Come and sit down and let us think
what is for the BEST
She suffered him to lead her to a couch
and sat down, burying her head in the
pillows.
Mr.. Thompson was not accustomed to
women, and her long drawn sobs and the
PApCOuo ASoN VI LIZA oAiOuAACAa NViV Y HIS
very heart.
"You ask me to let you go, Anne. But
what would you do thenp Would you ga
to your mother"
"Oh, no, mol"
81 thought not. And, as you bear my
name, in common fairness to myself |
could not let you go alone into the world. y
She said something incoherent between
her sobs of wishing she were dead.
"For Gods sake, child, don't treat me
as an enemy!" he said bitterly. "Listen
You must share my home; there is no help
for that. But in all other respects 1 will
leave you utterly free. Only l ask you,
for your own sake, not to sec that man
again."
Through her own distress the sense of
his generosity reached Anne's soul.
"You are very kind to me-" che said
family.
II will think it out. l will see whether
I can think of anything better. But you
must give me time" he said. II will let
you know tomorrow. Perhaps you would
like to go to your room now. The waiter
might be coming up with the dinner"
Anne complied, thankful to be alone,
and sent word by the maid that she did
not want any dinner. So the bridegroom
dined alone under the watchful eye of the
waiter, who formed his own conclusions
on the situation.
Anne was lying on her bed, worn out
with the emotions of the day, when about
8 O'Clock she heard a rap at the loon and
her husbands voice asking if he might
speak to her.
She got up and went to him, looking at
him with eyes full Of apprehension.
II am going out for a stroll and smoke,
and I thought I would just come to sec
how you were"
"Oh, I am better, thank you," said
Anne quickly.
He paused, looking at her with all ex-
preston she could not interpret Stout
ness, a bald head and a lorid complexion
cut one off from much comprehension by
ones fellows.
swell, good night, them" he said awk-
wardly.
"Good night, - said Anne.
He held out his hand, and she laid hers
in it. He could feel the nervous twitch in
the slender fingers.
II am going to think it over, you know.
Good night" he said once again and
turned away.
He lighted a cigar, and strolling along
the cliffs proceeded to think it over.
What conclusion he came to can never
be certainly known, but the next day the
following paragraph appeared in an even
ing paper:
Fatal Accident to u Bridegroom.-A
most lamentable occurrence took place at
Dover last night. Mr.. Richard Thompson,
senior partner in the well known firm of
Thompson, Goodrich & Co., who had
just started on his wedding trip, was
found lying dead at the bottom of the
cliffs. 1t is supposed that the unfortunate
gentleman missed his footing in the dark.
ness. His body was discovered by some
fishermen and was easily identified by the
papers in his pockets"
1t was nearly a year later before his
bride widow married Charlie Dacre. His
voice and looks, when he had hidden her
farewell at tho door of her room, haunted
her. 1t was absurd to suppose that a well
to do British merchant could carry love to
saeh a height as to lay down his life to
make q woman who did not love him hap
by, and yet-no, she dared not let herself
believe it. Such a love would have de-
manded q lifelong fidelity to his mere
memory.
So she married the man she loved, with
whom she was happy enough. But the
memory Of her honeymoon never quite
faded from her min MADAME.