The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-12-06


her last lovely breath, and July was
drifting towards sultry extinction, be-
fore Marmaduke Fernald forsooli the
fantastic beauty OF western solitudes.
and came back to the calm skies and
placid plains of Illinois.
Doris met him rapturously. She was
radiant-almost beautiful-with the
Joy of welcome long-deferred. Tall,
erect, bronzed, smiling, he was hand
somer than ever. He accepted her
eager greetings complacently. Yes, 1t
was good to get back He had never
felt so At. He hoped she was all right.
She must have worked hard to get so
much work written and accepted. But
somehow, despite his caresses, Doris
felt more forlorn the night Of his
homecoming than she had during his
months of absence. She fought the
strange conviction that he had
changed, but it would not be downed.
They were apparently as close
chums as they had ever been. He
talked freely of his journalistic aspira-
tions-arankly, it seemed. also, OF his
personal experiences in the Rockies.
He praised her numerous late sue
cesses, which had been social as well
as artistic. But there was something
she missed in him-something which
Of old he had, which now he lacked,
Or, was it the intrusion OF new and
alien interest which she noticed? Was
1T the introduction of an unknown per-
sonal interest in his life which had
wrought the subtle alteration? Or was
she merely maginative-unduly appre'
hensive?
Il fancy" she said to him one day,
that you are doing better work than
hitherto-deeper, richer work. II
seems to have new element"
He looked beyond her with mar.
rowed. dreamy eyes. 81 should not
wonder" he answered. One night he
was going to dinner-a function OF
Importance. Doris was getting his
clothes together for him as was her
habit. A pair Of cuff buttons he treas
ured-an heirloom-she could not find.
Perhaps she had forgotten to remove
them from his dress suit case when he
returned. She found the buttons in
the case-also picture. 1t had been
thrust between the lining and the
leather of the Casa space cut to
permit its passage. She sat LONG
time looking at it. The photograph
was that of a woman IN the full ma
turity of sumptuous beauty. The pose.
the barred bosom. the lovely, languor-'
Gus face recalled Meredith's Lady Of
Carrabas:
"oueenly she leaned on one round. white
arm,
With that regal, indolent air she had
So confident df her charm"
On the back was written line-just
a few tender words. Doris Fernald's
little brown face famed. She carried
the picture to her husband where he
stood, ready-dressed save for the links
she had gone to find.
WHO is she?" she asked.
Suddenly, before he replied, she
knew that all which had perpleSed her
was plain and clear. In that moment,
before the dumb, gorgeous challenge
of that piece of cardboard, she felt
her own physical insignificance as she
had never felt it before.
Duke Fernald flushed, stammered
was silent. Don't ask me to- can't
tell you, Doris"
"You must tell mel" she insisted,
quietly.
Indeed. she frightened him a little.
she was so quiet.
"It would be better if you were not
to say any"
She showed him the line on the re-
verse of the card. SIS this the woman
you love?"
There was the silence of the grave
between them. She heard the ticking
of his watch where it lay on the dress
ing-table.
Doris" he said, one hand outfung
you know loved you!"
Yes" Her fat bosom rose sharply.
You thought so-once."
Il didn't mean that" He spoke
hoarsely. You have given me every
thing-health. hope, new courage-op-
portunities. You are the best wife in
the world, Doris, and
She broke in with passionate ex.
clamation. 81 cannot accept gratitude :.
she said. Go on. You love her, then.
And she-is she free?"
He bowed his head in shamed ST.
lence.
And you think you could be happy
-with-with herr" She was hoping
with all her straining soul that he
would make denial. But none came.
Il shall manage to make it-easy-
for you, as did before. Here are your
cuff buttons. l hope you will not bf
late"
She turned away. A queer sound ar
rested her-a sound like sob.
Il do-love her-yes. met her out
there. was so weak. seemed to
gain strength from her presence. AND
she came to care for me- But can,
let you make this sacrifice, after ali
the rest
He stood staring at her. Her eyei
wandered past him to the picture lean,
ing against the mirror. How thai
peerless perfection Knocked her! How
that beauty Of body derided her! How
the seductive smile glimmering In
those amorous eyes tainted her!
II surrender!" she murmured. II
was to the picture she spoke.
And so it came that he was weak
enough to take this last gift from he,
strong hands. The affair was quietly
arranged. Their friends never knew
the truth Of the matter. For of this
man and woman. one had the Gown I'd.