The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-05-10

wv II wv utilli ll' 'llAis Nv ll.'' l'' itI'
see You again. can live without love
but | cannot aud will not do WrUng
Wrong ii would be to see you and list
on to you again."
Those were the few words that
caused Captain Ruthven to drop his
book and wonder for II moment
whether he was mad or dreaming
Then he read them again. Word for
word, it was the letter for writing
which he had almost cursed his wife.
Like Il lightning flash It struck him
that she had written the book, and
that the sheet Of paper he had believed
TO be part of letter written to an
other man was merely page of the
manuscript He saw it all now. May
had deceived him, as she frankly
owned but. oh, how small was the
fault compared to the one of which
he suspected her. She had written the
book, and meant to tell him some time.
Now he understood the few words
that had puzzled him SO, She would
mover do 1t again-dear little. innO-
cent May. He hated himself for his
bin fury, his mad rage, his senselcss
jealousy.
81 might have known" he said to
himself hundred times that she
never could and never would really de-
ccivc me-"
She had written, and, moreo ,cr, had
published book; but what he would
once have resented as "a crime now
seemed blamelcss. She had done that
although she had heard him say that
he did not like women writer's and
would never marry one, but she had
not done worse. She was his love, his
wife. and she had been true to him.
How small and mean and contempt
iblc Inc felt as he thought of it all!
Some mon would have been proud of
Il wife who could write as she did.
Her fame was spread all over Eng
land. People said that she was a gen
ius-that she had written words that
moved all human hearts alike; and he,
in his narrow jealousy, would have
kept her all to himself, would have
clipped the wings of her intellect and
forbidden 1t to soar alOft.
His prejudice against lady writer's
had been both sincere and strong; but,
when he began to reflect upon 1t, ii
seemed absurd His wife had never
neglected Il duty, his house and him
self were both equally well cared for.
Hencver remembered to have seen her
untidy or with nkstaincd fingers;
and, if this gift had been given to her,
why should she not use it?
His repentance and TemOrSc were as
great as his sorrow had been. He
could hardly endure the two days de
lay which his doctor declared to he
necessary before he started for Lon
don. He thanked his kind, hospitnblc
friends for their care of him, and with
an ngitated heart started for the mo
tropolis.
1t was not he who had to forgive.
He was the criminal; it was he who
/ had sinned against the loving gentle
girl whom he had made his wife.
/ In all his after life Charles Ruth
ven never forgot that journey It's
/ fears, its hopes, its suspense. lie did
not even know whether he would find
/ his wife at home; it was two months
| since he had left her
He walked up TO the house and rang
/ the bell \ strange face looked into
his rs the door opened, and he had
hardly strength or courage TO ask If
Mrs. RuthVcn were at home.
"Shc is" said the girl, ''but she is
busy packing up. What name shall |
sayY
"All right" said the captain, "what
room is She in? | will go to her"
"Shc is packing up books in the
| drawing room" answered the girl,
whose eyes were fun of wonder.
In two minutes he stood in the pres
ence of his wife. lie opened the door
quietly, and he had time to note how
pale and thin the sweet face had
grown Then she looked up aud saw
him. Anger and pride were forgotten.
She ran to him with n low cry, and he
folded her to his breast.
"You have forgiven me, Charlier'
she said when he gave her time to
speak If knew you would | thought
you never could be so cruel as to leave
me forever, just for such little thing
as writing a book"
at was not that, darling" he said:
and then Charley told her all-all ne
had suspected and feared and be-
lieved.
Her face wore panied, startled
look as she listened.
"And you thought | cared for some
one else. CharlcyY she said. you be-
uoycd ! had written II love-letter TO
some one not my husband"
81 was mad" he replied. "Do for
give me, May"
Il forgive you,' she gently-'yol
have suffered much; but, oh, Charley
! should never have made the SAINT
mistake with regard to your
Charley groaned in spirit over hii
folly; but he had no excuse to offer.
Ibid you not see" continued May
that it was the half of Il sheet o
ruled writing paper and no letter Il
allT
81 never noticed IT," he said humbly
but, May, why did you not tell m
what it WASP
81 thought you knew" replied TIN
wife. when you held 1t In Your han'
and said | had deceived you, | though
you knew all about it,"
81 was mad" declared Ruthven; AM
whenever in after years he mentlone'
the subject, that was how he summed
1t up, Nov tell me all about II
May, he added; "how came You L
I write that famous boOkp
"There Is nothing much to tell,' m
, sWered his Wife, with one of her oil
, smiles. 81 was always fond of VIII
| ing; think 1t was because | was sue
/ lonely child. | had many fancift
a thoughts about the lives of iloWer
and the trees. l used to write thel
! down, because Aunt Bessie did nc
= like to hear me talk about them. The
. afterward, when | grew older, my III
F; was SO quiet so monotonous, that