, 1899-04-21
CHAPTER XIII.

OpeuS OnCe dRdlu " huihlI hCA huoD
His hands are full of papers.
Are you at liberty?' says he. Have
you a moment? These" pointing to the
papers, want signing. Can you give your
attention to them nowT
what are they?" asks she, rising.
"Mere law papers. You need not look
so terrified" His one is bitter. f'Ihere
are certain matters that must be ar ranged
before my departure-matters that con
| Germ your welfare and the boys. Here
laying the papers upon the davenport and
| spreading them out, you sign your name
here"
"But," recoiling, "what is it? VIVA does
it all meanr
cit is not your death warrant, l assure
you," says he, with a sneer. Come sign!'
| Seeing her still hesitate, he turns upon
her savagely. Who shall say what hidden
| storms of grief and regret lie within ina
burst of anger2
do you want your son to live and die
a poor man?' says he. "Comel there Is
| yourself to be considered, too! Once l am
| out of your way, you will be able TO begin
/ life again with a light heart; AND this"
| tapping the paper heavily, will enable
you to DO 1t. l make over to you and the
! boy everything-at least, as nearly every
| thing as will enable me to live"
at should be the other way" says she
Take everything and leave us enough to
live on"
"Why?" says he, facing round, some
| thing in her voice that resembles remorse
striking him.
"We-shall have each other" says she
Having happily got rid of such useless
lumber as the father and husband. Well,
you will be the happier So" rel oins he
with a laugh that hurts him more b 1t
hurts her, though she cannot know that
Two Is company you know, according
to the good old proverb, three, trlmpery,
You and he will get on very well without
me, no doubt"
ut is your arrangement" says she.
If that thought is a salve to your con
science, pray think So" rejoins he. III
isn't worth an argument. We are only
wasting time He hands her the pen
she takes it mechanically, but makes nc
use of it.
"You will, at least, tell me where you
are goingT" says she.
Certainly l should If l only knew my
self. To America first, but that is a big
direction, and l am afraid the tenderes'
love letter would not reach me through 1t
| When your friends ask you, say l have
gone to tho north pole; it is as Nkfly a des'
tination Us anJther." nzsA.
"pr+ ma to kne-rv zs.ySEdfe, TUFTS lei
dark eyes to his-dark eyes that seem tC
glow like fire in her white face. "That
would be terrible. 1t is unfair. You
should think-think@" Her voice grows
husky and uncertain. She stops abruptly
Don't be uneasy about that says he
II shall take care that my death, wher
it occurs, is made known to you as soor
as possible. Your mind shall be relieved
on that score with as little delay as 1 car
manage. The welcome news shall BIZ
brought by a swift messenger"
She filings the pen upon the writing table
and turns away.
Insult me to the last if you will,'' she
says; "but consider your son. He love:
you. He will desire new of you from
time to time. 1t is impossible that you
can put him out of you life as you have
put me-"
at appears o can be unjust to the
last" says he, tlinging her own accusa
ton back at her. Have l put you out OF
my life?"
"Ah! was l ever in it?' says she. "But
you will write"
mo. Not a line. Once for all, l breah
with you. Should my death occur you
will hear of it. And l have arranged SC
that now and after that event you and
the boy will have your positions clearly
defined. That is all you can possibly re.
quire of me. Even if you marry again
your j%ointure will be secured to you"
"Baltimorep eXclaims she, turning upor
him passionately. She seems to struggle
with herself for words. HAS marriage
proved so sweet a thing cries she, pres.
emily, that l should care to try it again
There! Go! l shall sign none of these
things!' She makes a disdainful gesture
toward the loose papers lying on the table
and moves angrily away.
"You have your son to consider"
"Your son will inherit the title and the
property without those papers,"
"There are complications. however. thai
perhaps you do not understand"
Let them lie there. l shall sign moth,
, ing"
"Ia that case you will probably fnd
yourself immersed in troubles of the
meaner kind after my departure. The
child cannot inherit until after my death
| and"
Il don't care" says she, sullenly. &c
If you will. l refuse to be benefited by it,
"What a stubborn woman you are!'
cries he, in great wrath. you have fol
years declined to acknowledge me as you
husband. You have by your manner al
most commanded my absence from YOU
side; yet now when l bring you the Joyful
news that in a short time you will actu.
ally be rid of me, you throw a thousand
difficulties in my path. Is it that you de
sire to keep me. near you for the purpose
of torture? 1t is too late for that. You
have gone a trife too far. The hope you
have so clearly expressed in many ways
that time would take me out of your path
is at last about to be fulfilled"
81 have had no such hope"
mo! You can look me in the face
and say that! Sanity lips never lie, how
ever, do they? Well, I'm sick of thi.
life; you are not. l have borne a gocI
daol Froro Won DC I fold Won hoforo -