The observer., 1900-01-13

| "OAo OIuAuaTy enough. Dell6Vo Sn6
came from some little town In New
York state, and I know she never had
anything much In her life. But now
the struggle is over and I can give het
about what she wants, thank God,
tell you; Ned, it's pity yon let one
disappointment spoil your life.
There's nothing so sweetens existence
as the companisnship of a good
| woman"
And nothing poisons it like bad
one, said Frink, bitterly.
But surely the good ones outnum-
Der the bad. Forgive me, Ned, but
isn't 1t rather narrow to let one woman
prejudice you against the whole sex?
OF. course, 1 don't know your
story"
TITS not pleasant" said the other
man, knocking the ashes from his
cigar with nervous fingers. at all
happened the year I left college. I
met girl in Denver. She was beauti-
full and clever. and you're right about
my being sentimental, Teller, I fancied
because her eyes were pure and bright
as the stars in heaven that she must
be an ANGEL She was poor, too, Her
father was drunken, go6d-tor Iioth-
ing fellow, and she was very unhappy,
and pitied her. Ah, I was very far
gone, indeed. We were going to be
married when I had made money
enough, and meantime was happy
as-well, as happy as a fool. And
then one day as we were walking
down the street together We met
man, low fellow, with dyed mus
tache. 1 knew him. He was a shoe
string gambler who came down some
times from the mining camps; and as
vile a cur as ever breathad To my
amas ement he stopred and spoke to
iiie. What are You doing with my
wife?' he asked, angrily. I supposed
he'd been drinking, and was about to
brush him aside, when happened to
look at her, and what saw told me
all. She was covering before that
beast, with every vestige of color gone
from her face and her eyes fastened
on his with such look thatin fash
I knew that her fear of him was no
new thing With her.
"'Great God, Lncy,' I cried, tell
me this isn't true. But she only gave
a little moan, and so / turned away
and left them there. never saw her
again."
There was a moments pause. The
orchestra, from its per,h on the land
ing of the marble stairway, was play-
ing an air from lila Boheme, repeat
ing the refrain over and over again
with passionate insistence.
Isn't it possible there was some
mistaken" asked Teller at last, little
awkwardly.
"No," said Frink i'll hard voice.
"Her father came to see me after
ward. She was getting a divorce
on; tiy, he told me, and they had
agreed to keep me in ignorance of the
whole affair. OF couse, the black
guard threatened to shoot me if I
didn't marry his daughter, but when
he saw was not afraid of him he 1t
me alone. They came east after that,
I lelieve."
perhaps she wasn't as much to
blame as he" observed Teller,
thoughtfully.
"Perhaps-sho was very young.
But such training in deceit doesn't
turn out the women who make good
wives, and divorced women are hardly
in my line. No, there was no excuse
for her, and it was only my luck. You
fell in love with the right woman, and
1 fell in love with the wrong ono
that's ALL"
A woman come down the corridor
as he spoke the last words, tall, ele-
CANT woman, in modish gown, whose
cleaning folds clung closely to her
slender hgure. A boy of eight or
nine years held her by the hand, and
both looked out on the world with the
sam. eyes, great, beautiful, gray eyes,
at once proud and sad.
AS the woman's eyes met Frink's
they dilated suddenly, and he started
with sharp breath.
How had she come there just then
tbs very woman of whom he had been
talking? As he star ed up Teller
glanced around and then rose also
with happy smile.
''Ah, Lucille" he cried, 81 have
met an Old fri, nd, Ned Frink. He
must be yonr friend, also. Ned, this
is my wife"
The joyous pride in his friends
voice made Frink vince inwardly as
he bowed tremendously.
I'm very glad to meet Mr.. Frink,
she said calmly. How well he knew
her voice.
''You'll dine with us, hope, Ned"
called Teller, over his shoulder, as he
started OH with the boy.
Thank you, no. leave for Denver
in half an hour" replied Frink.
Then a sudden surge in the crowd
brought some one between them for a
mo onent, and the woman turned to
him abruptly.
The pitiful appeal in her eyes went
straight to Frink's heart, and he felt
his own eyes grow dim with tears.
"He does not know" she said
simply.