Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-09-26

ried a sweet young girl, if this was to
have been the one object of your exist
ence. To make her radantly happy. to
give her love. to gain hers in return, that
is your real life's work.
! ''She has her own interests-her art.'
Her art?" cried Sir Roland. ''She
| took it up simply because you neglected
her. She worked at it rishly-simply
| because YOU took not Il shred of interest
| in her life. She has put her whole being
into a picture simply because it makes
Murray pulled himself together to
speak but Sir Roland was excited and
silenced him with gesture.
But it can't last! Even the passion
| for her art won't suffice. A girl like
Nora must have love. 1t is natural-it
| is right. And if you won't give it to her.
some one else will And I'll be hanged
| if you don't deserve it, finished Sir Ro-
land, hotly, as he picked up his hat and
| gloves and moved to the door.
Murray sat motionless at his desk for
some minutes after his friends departure
could not concentrate his thoughts. Sir
Rolands words were ringing in his ears.
He flung down the pen and strobe rest
| lessly up and down the room. Was there
anything in what HUH had said? He set
| himself to think the whole thing out. He
| went back to the time when they were
first married. He remembered he used
| to set aside hours to spend with her. He
| considered them recreation. and the sound
Of her happy laugh. the ring of her voice,
too. in those days. Then as time went on
! and the great work was started. these
hours grew less and less. He had no
recreation. He abandoned himself. body
and soul, to his task. He only met her
at meals-hardly spoke then, his mind
| 10 no
! had left for a few minutes. Gradually
they had drifted apart. She took up art,
worked feverishly at it, but he, her hus-
band had taken not the slightest inter
seen a single picture she had painted.
All these things he realized for the first
time. He flung open the door of his
| room and crossed the passage that led to
her studio The house was built in two
wings, great hall and staircase sepa-
rated them. AS he opened the studio
door and crossed the threshold. Murray
| felt he was entering a strange region.
1t was the first time he had been there.
| At the further end Of the room he saw
large plcture,lt was already framed He
! crossed quickly to 1t and stood gazing at
| 1t nutely. Even ne, the man of science,
could tell that it was a wonderful piece
| Of Work-deStined perhaps to achieve
| fame. He realized that she had thrown
her whole being into it-that it meant as
had hardly known of its existence.
Huth was right! He saw it all. He
| had neglected her--neglected her cruelty
He strobe hurriedly out of the room, down
into the street. He felt he wanted to be
in the cool air. wanted to think. She
Did she now? Or had she killed every
spark Of affection! If you don't give
her love, some one else will" The words
rang; through his head. The very thought
ont 70 hn al 4 c..1II i,,+o
craving to sec her eyes light up again
with the old joyous smile, to feel her
| arms Irvine round his neck. took posses
sion Of him. His love, which had been
asleep, suddenly awakened and sprang
into a fierce passion. Could he win back
her love-or was 1t too late? And with
this maddening thought he trudged for
| miles. until at length. wearled and foot
sore, he turned and made once more for
| his home.
1t was dusk, and the London streets
were already twinkling with their thou
sand lights. In cab that was rolling
swiftly along on the wooden pavement
! sat woman-a young and pretty wom
an, hardly more than a girl. In one
hand she held letter tightly. She
SmOothed it out and looked at it again.
Tomorrow | must have your answer.
| Remember, your love is all | have to live
for.' she read in low, trembling tone.
She leant back, and sat staring ahead
of her with a dazed expression on her
young face. Then her eyes filled with
tears. and she gave a little sob
"Oh, Geoffrey! she murmured piteous-
| ly, why couldn't you have given me
| just little love-.
Suddenly there was a loud shout in
the street. then quick rattle, and a fire
engine dashed by. 1t turned down the
first street to the right which led to the
quiet square in which the Murrays lived
! The cab followed, and the girl gave
gasp as blaze Of light broke before her
eyes. A house was on fire the other side
Of the square, house standing by itself
the girl uttered a little cry-their
house! She paid the driver and got out
of the cab. The square was full of peo-
pie. She pushed her way through them
round to the other side, where the fire
engines stood. their horses painting and
foaming at the mouth The door of the
flames leaping up the staircase. As yet
the fire seemed to be only in the center
| Of the house.
In the little circle, kept free by the
police, she could see her husbands tall
figure. A man-apparently the super
intendent, was pointing to the house. and
talking TO him. She tried to get through,
but policeman stopped her.
He is my husband-it is our house,.
she painted. And he let her through.
She crept up to within two or three
PAGES Of him.
by devoting all our energies to one
wing we can save it.'' the superintend-
ent was saying THE other will have
to go. Have you any choice as to which
| one?"
Murrays face was pale and drawn. In
the right wing was everything that had
been dear 20 hlm-the great Work, the