Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-01
A STUDY IN VIRTUE.

She was q good girl. She thought she
was bad. He knew she was good.
He was bad man. She thought he
was good. He knew she thought 50.
Stuart had been sitting by his open
window for an hour. The clock had
struck midnight, and stin he did not
move. The light was low, the air was
freighted with a suggestion OF Septem-
Der. the sound Of traffic in the streets
was stllled 1t was an ideal time for
thinking He had been so engaged, though
he hardly knew il.
Six months-three months-before he
would have been infinitely amused by the
suggestion that be think Of girl ten
consecutive minutes. But he had not
known Flora more than six months.
Three months after he me- her his devOt-
ing an hours serious thought TO her was
out OF the question. Three weeks ago he
might have done so. Tonight he had
been thinking Of her twice as long.
Strangely, he did not know she had had
ore than fair portion Of his thoughts.
when he met her it was by accident.
ccdentally they met several times in
e course Of o few weeks following the
rst meeting. Then one afternoon he call
n. The calls were repeated. The IN
YsteadDy shorter. He had seen her to-
rlght-Friday night Wednesday night
he had seen her. His wondering when
ne should see her again had caused him
10 start into this reyerie, which had kept
him engaged for the past two hours.
His meditation had not advanced far
when the question as 10 motive for see
ing her confronted him. Strange, but it
had never done so before. She had seem
ed bright and bonnie always. She had
let him talk. and was interested. She had
sung and played for him. She had walk
ed with him. He knew from the first
the smile of welcome she gave him was
genuine.
He evaded the question at first. He liked
TO shirk things ThGt was one OF the
have said. he vas bad. But why?
Why? Why? 1t was insistent. And then
he had answered. Flora was different
from all the other girls he knew. lie
should like 10 be with her always
Would she like t.? He knew she was
good. | have said that. too. 1t did not
at first occur to him 20 ask her. He rea-
soned first from her Viewpoint then
from his. He was, at least. a good ave-
rage man. he told himself. so far as
looks. intelligence. and ability 10 support
a wife went He would love her very
dearly. and be good to her He knew
she thought he was good-I am repeating
myself again. She need never know he
was bad. He would make Il an object Of
his existence to see that she did not He
felt he could tell her all this in q way
that would make her know ne was ear
nest and honest with her She would
not suspect him.
All How good she was How little did
she dream Of the wickedness OF the
world-of his wickedness. He would
have 10 look into her eyes every day, and
ne-lle because he must try 10 reflect In
his eyes the honesty which was I'm hers.
He mpst make her believe what was not
Ee must make her trust In a dream. lie
must cause her all her life 10 swear by a
false god II would be bad, but he was
bad man. as, ] have twice before re-
marked, very bad man.
Stuart thought on. His sixth cigar
was half burned mp when he arose 10 his
feet. and flung II out into the darkness.
Il WON'T I can'tr
lie was soon I'm bed But when the
white shafts Of day began glancing
through the blinds. and the roar Of traffic
was rising from the streets, he was toss
Ing on the bed with wide-open eyes Bad
men often are troubled with the smitings
OF conscience. ] am told. Maybe con-
science would not let him sleep