Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-10-02
AMID A[F [FIT[ER 2
BY JULIA TRUITT BISHOP.

w:DcVcO.0sOs@e 0*O1S&0
The woman in white had passed
through a most triumphant day and
was weary. She tossed her hat to a
bed, her gloves and fan to chair, and
she herself dropped into the great
willow rocker-a mass Of fluffy white
1raperies, her deerlke head, with it's
crown Of red brown hair, lifted above
the foam. The woman In white had
been younger, but she had never be-
fore been SO beautiful.
Because she had won him--and be-
cause she had no right to him. Be-
cause he had once scorned and fouted
her and had passed her with his wife
on his arm and look Of cold contempt
In his eyes, and because now he had
followed her for days and days, and
she had made him sue for kind word
from her-her, the scorned and de-
5pised Because she had laughed in
his face and had baited and lured him
until he had thrown to the winds his
decent life and all the long years of up
rightness and the position among men
for which he had struggled, and was
ready to follow her to the worlds end,
and because he was the one man
whose 3corn had cut deep into what
she called her soul!
She looked at the radiant thing in
the mirror and laughed and turned
the flashing bracelet about and around
on her wrist. and something almost
womanly came into her face as she
realized that 1t was not the diamonds
she cared for-no! She would have
loved ribbon II he had given 1t to her
with that look ON his face and would
have kissed 1t as she did this, with q
passionate delight.
And the woman in gray, standing in
the door, saw her kissing the bracelet.
May / talk with you few min
utesY asked the woman In gray; and
the woman In white saw her reflection
In the mirror. What she saw was
slender, gray clad woman, with pale,
pale face, and dark eyes with darker
shadows under them, and brown hair
that was beginning to whiten with
early frost.
The woman in white stared insolent-
ly at the reflection in the mirror and
smiled.
II don't know what my servants can
be thinking Of" she said without turn
ing. II really have nothing for you,
my good woman. Perhaps If you 90
down some of my people will show you
the way out"
But i must see you for a little
while" said the woman in gray, put
ting aside the insult and coming slow
ly nearer, and there was deadly still
ness about her as she drew a chair for
ward and sat down in 1t. Then they
looked at each other-the woman in
gray and the woman in white.
IL think perhaps You know me-" said
the woman in gray. mo doubt people
have pointed me out to you as the wife
| Of-of'--
"They have" said the woman In
white haughtily, taking up steel pa
per knife from the table near at hand
and playing with 1t. "To what do l
owe the honor of this vislt?"
The woman in gray looked at the pa
per knife and smiled wearily.
"You mistake me-" she said. Some
women might have thought of that.
But you Will live. Seel Tomorrow l
go upon long journey, and knew
that must see you face to face before
l went"
What possible interest can have In
your plans for traveling?" cried the
woman In white contemptuously.
pray consult your dressmaker instead
and tell her for me that she should be
killed II she ever dresses you In gray
again, 1t is not becoming"
You are bitter" said the woman In
gray, "and we have so little time, and
we are so near the tragedies OF both
our lives. A little while ago was bit
ter against you, too, but now am too
sad TO be very bitter. ] see how past
remedy 1t is. am not here to beg you
to be merciful. Even IL you wished,
you couldn't give me back what have
lost"
well, you have had your chancew
cried the woman in white. "And you
have lost III Who but yourself is to
blameT
The woman In white had thrown
prudence to the winds with that
speech and now rage and jealousy and
insolent triumph We're curiously blend
ed In the beautiful face and flushed in
a red glow from the eyes.
"Yes-l have lost It," said the woman
IN gray And having learned this,
Don't be deceived or humbugged by