Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1900-01-18

How Shamefully you treat me!
He stood in front Of the fire. pulling
off his dogskin gloves; broad-shoulder-
ed, handsome fellow. with an aqniiine
nose and a close-cropped head
"Am late?" he said, indifferently. Il
really did not know it. | have had hfty
places to so to in as many minutes.
"Of course I shall forgive you If you
have been so busy" she said, softening
at once. Maurice, darling, are you not
going to kiss me?" She stood up by his
side upon the hearthrug, looking at him
with all her heart in her eyes, while his
were on the fire. She wound her arms
round his neck, and drew his head down.
He leaned his cheek carelessly toward
her lips, and she kissed him passionately;
and he was thinking Of something else.
"Poor little woman" he said, and he
patted her cheek lightly and turned
round to toss his gloves into his hat on
the table "How cold it has turned
aren't you going to give me some tea I"
And then he sat down on the further side
Of the fire and stretched himself back III
his armchair, throwing his arms up be-
hind his head.
Helen rang the bell for tea.
us that all you have to say to me!
she said, poutingly.
upon my word. Helen, l am sure l
don't know what you expect. l haven't
heard any particular news. l saw you
only yesterday, you know
Helen was silent. She knew very well
what she wanted, she wanted him to say
and do things that were impossible to
him-to play the lover to her, to respond
to her caresses, to look glad to see her.
There is something l wanted to say to
you," he said, after the tea had been
brought in and they were alone again.
He sat worward in his chair and stroked
his mustache nervously not looking at
her as he spoke.
What is it, Maurice?"
'Wen, it's about myself have been
awfully hard hit this last week at New
market, you know"
Eyes, so you told me. I am so sorry,
darling" But she did not care much as
long as he was with her and was kind to
her.
Eyes, but 1 am pretty well broke this
time-I had to go to John again. He is
an awfully good fellow, is old John; he
has paid everything up for me. But I've
had to promise to give up racing, and
now I've got to live on my pay"
II could lend you fifty pounds"
Fifty pounds pooh! what nonsense!
What would be the good Of fifty pounds
to me?"
He said it rather ungraciously, per-
haps, and her eyes filled with tears.
When a man does not love woman, her
childish little offers of help do not touch
him as they would if he loved her.
stWhat I woptp6 tO Soy n Won TTclpn
was that, of course, now | am so hard
up it's no good thinking of-of marrying
or anything of that kind; and don't you
think it would be happiest if you and |
i mean, wisest for us lboth-for you, of
course, principally"
WHAT" She lifted her head sharply.
She saw what he meant at once. A wild
terror filled her heart. you mean that
you want to throw me over" she said,
breathlessly.
my dear child. do be reasonable.
Throw you over! of course not-but what
is it to lead to? How can we possibly
marry? 1t was bad enough before, when
I had my few hundreds year. But
now even that is gone Why, I shall
hardly be able to keep myself, far less a
wife, too / cannot drag you down to
or honorable to continue to bind you to
my broken fortunes"
She was standing up now before him,
very white and very resolute.
"Why do you make so many excuses?
You want to be rid of me-"
"My dear child how unjust you arer'
Gam I unjust? Wait! let me speak.
How have we altered things? Could you
marry me any more before you lost this
money? You know you could not. Have
we not always agreed to wait till better
times? Why cannot we so on waitingw
1T would not be fair to tie you"
He had not the courage to say, II do
not love you-money or no money, | do
not wish to marry you"
AZ wish to be ted do not want to be
free-I will not marry any other man on
earth but you. Oh! Maurice. my love,
my darling" casting herself down again
at his feet and clasping her arms wildly
round him. 'Whom else do | want but
you? Maurice, tell me. You do love me,
don't your
Maurice moved uneasily under her en-
brace as though he would withdraw her
arms from about his neck.
'Of course" he said, nervously; "of
course I am fond/of you, and all that but
we can't marry upon less than nothing"
mo; but we can wait"
what are we to wait for?' he said,
irritably
ooh, hundred things might happen
your brother might die"
Heaven forbidv' he said, pushing her
from him. in earnest this time.
"Wel, we will not hope that perhaps;
but crandpapa can't live forever and he
ought to leave me all his money, and
then we should be rich"
1T is horrible waiting for dead peoples
shoes said Maurice. with little shud-
der: s'besides, Mr.. Harlowe is just as
likely as not to leave his money to a hos
pital-you could not count upon any
thing"
I'VE could at all events wait and see"
"And be- engaged all that time on rhe
off CHANGER he said, drearily; that is a
miserable prospect
"Then you do wish to get rid OF me?"
She said. looking at him suspiciously: