El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-06-03
"COME BACK"

| IS 700 lSCe TO CnanR6. Inc QO&CarG Is
| ct the door"
"What does that matter? 1t can go back
| to the stables. I wish you would
"My dear Jack, do not add Inconsistency
| to my other faults. Goodness knows tho
list of them IS long enough in your esti-
| nation"
| The speakers were a man and a woman.
both young, and both good to look upon.
| The scene was shady English garden
| q bright summers evening, the mellow
| ing light of fading day filtering through
| the dark cedar trees and playing upon the
| white gown of the lady she lay back
lazily in a luxurious wicker chair. She
| was very pretty and very young, but her
| mouth was set in a hard line and there
| was defiance in her eyes. The man stood
| in front of her, looking at her anxiously,
| and mingled with the cawing of the rocks
| overhead came the sound of a horses
boots, impatiently paving the gravel in
| was waiting.
Jack Rodney gave sigh which was al
| most a groan, then drew himself up and
squared his shoulders with the involun-
tary action of man who has to say some
| thing unpleasant and wLo hates the task.
every well, Maud, 1 can say no more.
It is evident we cannot go on like this.
Our lives are burdens to us, and soon peo-
pie will begin to notice that we are not
on friendly terms. Perhaps when 1 am
away you will think better of me. I may
not irritate you much. You know,
only speak to you for your good"
tYou preach-you don't speak
'Maudp'
"Oh don't let US argue. I am sick Of
it."
"And of me, too, suppose? Well, then.
goodby, if you will have it SO. 1 have
left note for you on the boudoir table
Will you kiss me?''
'No. 1t is stupid to be hypocriticai
and there are no onlookers."
With another sigh, the man turned
away, and without one backward glance
walked to where the dogcart stood in
readiness, took the reins and in a minute
the sound of horses swift trot was heard
down the gravel drive.
Maud Rodney sat quite still where her
husband had left her until the faintest
sounds had died away. Then she rose ard
began to hum the refrain of a popular
song from a comic opera:
"Clowns, clowns, clowns, j
Mischievous mankey clowns"
But somehow there was no merriment
in the lifting tune, and that, too, died
away into silence. She pulled rose from
tree she passed, but it fell to pieces
as she gathered it, and a thorn scratched
her finger. After all, it was as well that
Jack had gone to Norway. They were al
ways quarreling. and he never let her do
as she liked. She had been SO spoiled at
home that she could not brook the slight
est contradiction; besides, she wanted to
show him how independent she was and
how we'll she could do without him.
1t was getting cold, and she shivered.
Where was her warm cloak, which Jack
always wrapped around her when the dew
was falling? The maid would bring it.
She went to the house to summon her.
AS she passed through the open Frenchi
window into the hOn6nir she thOn0ht of
the note left for her by her husband.
''Another lecture, 1 suppose she NUT
tered, she broke the seal. 1t contained
blank check and a short note which,
said:
MY DARLING WIFE-You can fill ND the in
closed for any amount you like. Do not denvs
yourself anythng during my Punishment, and
try to recall me as soon as you can. You know
how much love you Yours ever. JACK.
She twisted the letter about in her fin-l
gers, and the corners of her mouth droOpedi
those of a child about to cry, but shot
forced back her tears and tried to tell
herself she was a woman of spirit. She
would go for brisk walk in the garden,
to brush away the cobwebs from her brain
and then she would look at the new books
from Nudes, and then-well, perhaps it
would be bedtime-but surely this even.
ing was very long'
Wrapping a shawl round her, she went
again into the dusky garden and wan-}
dered down long green alley, with tall
white foxgloves bordering it on either
side. They looked uncanny in the diml
light and the groups of pale blossoms III
the distance seemed to take queer shapes
and to bend and wave like fantastic spirit
forms made misty by the darkness. 1t was
so horribly still, and yet the throb of the
night beat like a silent pulse in the air.
Two white owls flew over her head and
startled her with their mOurnful cry, and
surely-yes, surely-there in the distance,
under the shadow of the trees, was the
crouching form of /, man. Mrs. Rodney's
heart sank into her boots, and with a cry
of 'Jack, Jack ~ she turned and fled
Footsteps followed fast behind her. The
man was evidently pursuing her, and like
a flash the thought went through her
mind that she was left defenseleSS.
'Jack, come back! Oh, come backr'
was her voiceless cry as she felt her
strength going and feet tagging, but as
she turned the corner she a maid
servant running toward her. She paused
to gain breath, and then went on. A hap
py thought flashed through her mind.
Her husband had returned She would
never be willful again.
''Your master-has he come backP'' she
gasped
The woman nodded, but said nothing
At the hall door a group of people wers
and their faces looked pale and
GerrlIeO. one nearu mur1nurS OIL. In6
horse fell, !" pitched on his head. "ali
over in moment,'' and with an icy fear
in her heart she rushed into the hall A
man held up his hand for silence.
On a low couch lay a still form, with o
handkerchief over the face. With trem
bling hands she lifted it and saw her hus-
band, quite white, quite still. He hail
come back, yet not he, but lifeless form,
an outward semblance only of the man
she had loved, yet banished. And then she
knew that she was indeed alone. And yet
the world would go just the same, the