The Portland daily press., 1899-07-14


Vandeieur mentally mathematical
Crawford as he said. with bad imita-
| don of laugh:
"Pshawl Crawford Is an awfully good
| fellow, but. you know. he occasionally
constructs mountain out Of mole
hill"
Pointing to the seat which Crawford
had vacated few minutes previously. he
continued:
Wont you please sit down. Miss Sin
clair? l long to have chat with an old
friend"
His own desire now was to keep her,
and an unnatp-ai elevation pcrvaded him
as be hailed with almost hysterical de-
light the prospect of showing this woman
how utterly Indifferent he was TO her.
She hcsitated a moment. then quietly
sat down.
"But surely, Mr.. vandeleur,r she said,
"your wound cannot be of so trivial ma
turc as you would have one believe? You
were reported killed at first. All the pa-
pers said so. and I-every one was so
dreadfully sorry
"Were they?" said vandeleur ironieal-
ly. "Sorry to say their feelings must pass
unappreciated. Enough OF myself, how
ever. ! presume you are staying down
here for some timer he added, as he
threw his cigarette away.
please don'tr cried Miss Sinclair.
"You know have no objection. My
tastes have not changed even In 1S
months"
Excuse me- said vandeleur coldly.
81 thought they had. However. Il is of
no consequence, as smoke very little
now. Tobacco doesn't commend itself to
inyalids. Sou know"
During the Conversation Miss Sinclair
had been surreptitiously observing Van
deleur. we
With a dull pain at her heart she noted
the unmistakable evidence of suffering in
his look. -r,. E.
A strong desire to tend and nurse this
man, whom she loved as woman only
loves once, overrnastered her, and she ex-
perienced mad impulse to cast all con-
ventionality aside and throw herself at
his feet and cry: "Oh, my love, my love,
wronged you innocentlyl 1t is all a
hideous mistake! Won't you forgive
only forgiven"
The impulse died away, however. as
she glanced at Vandeleur and saw the
hard line OF his mouth.
He win never forgive. she thought
never.
Neither spoke for some minutes. and
the pause was becoming awkward, when
a puff of wind disarranged .Vandelenr's
rug. He fecbly essayed to reach for it.
but Miss Sinclair forestalled him. and
with "Please allow me-" arranged it.
While doing so her hand slightly touch
ed that of Vandeleur, causing the blood
to jump madly through his veins. while
the color flooded her own face.
Presently Miss Sinclair said hesitating-
ly: 81 have been trying for the last few
minutes toto say something. VIII you
listen? want to ask your pardon. Some
time ago wei quarreled with you, APP
parently without any ostensible cause
whatever. Three months ago discovered
the fact that had done you grieyous
wrong"
castically interjected Vandeleur. II was
acquainted with the fact exactly IS
months ago."
scorched the words ON her lips, but she
quietly proceeded:
"Please reserve your sarcasm until you
have heard me- Not even the fear of
your misunderstanding shall deter me
from performing what I consider to be
right and my duty to do. 1t is right you
should know that had some slight ex-
cusc for my apparent wanton capricious-
ness"
She paused a moment. resting her chin
on her hand. and yandeleur stole a
glance at her.
She had changed somewhat, he thought
grown gentler and more subdued, and
the passionate desire drew on him to open
his arms and say:
II forgive all. forgive all! Only love
mep
please go on" he said.
THANK you." she replied quietly. 81
viii. The Story of Man and Wom-
an is an old title and has been used
many times, yet purpose using it once
again as heading for my narrative"
She paused moment to collect her
thoughts and glanced at Vandeleur. who
continued to gaze sternly seaward. Then
she continued:
The man in this particular case ap-
peared to love the woman very dearly.
and she-well. she requited his Affection"
Vandeleur started and shifted his posi-
tion slightly.
He was writer of books" she con-
tinued, "and on her twenty-third birth
day he presented her with the first
proof of the book that had made his
name. 1t was unique present, and she
appreciated it accordingly until on turn
ing over the leaves she found between
the pages letter.
1T was a love letter, written in the
mans handwriting on large sheet of
paper and signed with his Christian
name. but not meant for her. The name
of the woman for whom it was designed
was Gladys"
Heavens" cried Vandeleur hoarsely.
+" The Hand on the Wheel'-it was the
page of manuscript that l could never
6ndi"
.'Yes." she said quietly. at. was page
Of manuscript that you had lost. She,
however, did not discover this until later,
but in her misery at what she imagined
to be the mans falseness never answered
his demands for an explanation. never
spoke to him again"
She paused for a moment, overcome
with emotion. yandeleur gazed at her
dumbly.
"Some time later" she proceeded with