The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1899-10-19

euu KNOW Buo newer nau Any tuiuk
much In her life. But now the strug-
gle 10 over. and l can give her about
what she wants. thank God. tell
you, Ned. it's pity you let one disap-
pointment spoil your life. There's
nothing SO sweetens existence as the
companionship Of good woman"
"And nothing poisons 1t like bad
one" said Frink bitterly.
But surely the good ones outnum-
Der the bad. Forgive me, Ned, but
isn't 1t rather narrow to let one wo
man prejudice you against the whole
sex7 OF course l don't know your
story
ITS not pleasant" said the other
man, knocking the ashes from his
cigar with nervous fingers. ''It all
happened the year l left college. ]
met a girl In Denver. She was beau
tiful and clever, and you're right about
my being sentimental, Teller. l fan
cied because her eyes were pure and
bright as the stars In heaven that she
must be an angel She was poor too.
Her father was a drunken. good for
nothing fellow, and she was very un-
happy, and pitied her. All, was
very far gone indeed. We were going
to be married when l had made mon
ey enough. and meantime was happy
as-well, as happy as a fool.
"And then one day as we were walk
Ing down the street together we met
@ man. a low fellow. with dyed mus
tache. | knew him. He was n shoe
string gambler who came down some
times from the mining camps and as
vile q cur as ever breathed. To my
amazement he stopped and spoke to
me- What are you doing with my
wife? he asked angrily. supposed
he'd been drinking and was about TO
brush him aside when | happened to
look at her. and what | saw told me
all. She was covering before that
beast, with every vestige of color gone
from her face and her eyes fastened
on his with such look that In a fash
l knew that her fear of him was no
new thing with her.
"'Great God, Lucy cried, tell me
this isn't truep But she only gave
little moan, and so turned away and
left them there. never saw her
again"
There was moments pause. The
orchestra from its perch on the land
ing Of the marble stairway was play
ing an air from La Boheme." re-
peating the refrain over and over
again with passionate insistenee.
isn't it possible there was some
mistaken" asked Teller at last, a little
awkwardly.
NO" said FrInk In a hard voice.
Her father came to see me after
ward, She was getting a divorce
quietly, he told me, and they had
agreed to keep me In ignorance of the
whole affair. OF course the black
guard threatened to shoot me II
didn't marry his daughter, but when
he saw was not afraid of him he let
me alone. They came east after that.
| believe"
Perhaps she wasn't as much to
blame as he" observed Teller thought
fully.
"Perhaps-she was very young. But
such training In deceit doesn't turn
out the women who make good wives.
and divorced women are hardly In my
line. No, there was no excuse for her,
and it was only my luck. You fell In
love with the right woman, and l fell
In love with the wrong one~that's all"
A woman came down the corridor rs
he spoke the last words. tall, ele-
CANT woman. In modish gown, whose
cleaning folds chung closely to her
slender figure. A boy of or o years
held her by the hand, and both looked
out on the world with the same eyes.
great, beautiful gray eyes, at once
proud and sad.
AS the woman's eyes met Frinks
they dilatsd suddenly, and he started
with a sharp pain at his heart that
caught his breath.
How had she come there Just then
the very woman Of whom he had been
talking? AS he started up Teller
glanced around and then rose also with
happy smile.
"Ah, Lucille" he cried. 81 have met
an old friend. Ned Frink! He must be
your friend also. Ned. this Is my
wife"
The Joyous pride In his friends
voice made Frink vince tnwardly as
he bowed tremendously.
I'm very glad to meet Mr.. Frink."
she, said calmly. How well he knew
her voice.
you'll dine with US, hope. Nedy
called Teller over his shoulder as he
started on with the boy.
Thank you, no. leave for Den
yer In half an hour" replied Frink.
Then a sudden surge In the crowd
brought some one between them for a
moment. and the woman turned to him
abruptly.
The pitiful appeal In her eyes went
straight to Frink's heart. and he felt
his own eyes grow dim with tears.
HE does not know" she said sim
ply.
HE never shall" cried Frlnk.-ChI-
cage Herald.