The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-10-19

doubtless? Jack would never have been
captured by woman who was not good
LOOKING. And woman of the world al
so? Jack hated school girls! "Neverthe-
!ess,' unused Mrs. Maxwell, contemplate
ing her reflection omplacently in one
of the mirrors of the gaming rooms,
II think l ought to be capable of hold
ing my own against the lady, | really
The wrong horse came in again, and
again, undeterred by i'll fortune, she
drew a TICKET from the bowl.
AS she lifted her head she felt her hus-
band beside her give a galvanic start.
The next instant, following the direction
of his gaze, she knew the woman.
"Plain." she meditated; ''evidently
fallen off! Now, l wonder if she has
charm Of manner enough to make him
a2 sight Of that, Or O.; if l dare venture
MY DARING, don't you think we've
played this idiotic game long enough?"
said Jack in a strained voice. Let us
go into the terrace"
So he could not even trust himself in
the same room with her, couldn't he?
1t was too bad; really, it was humiliat-
ing
You go, dearest" replied Mrs. Max
well, sweetly. Il know you hate to be
here, and / am much too infatuated to
leave off yet myself. Go and smoke
your cigar. in peace and the fresh air,
and come back for me when you've fin
l mean to break the bankH''
Jack departed obedicntly, and out Of
the tail of her eye his wife watched the
other woman take note of it,
Now, will she follow him or not?'
she asked herself. "Not just yet. sup
poSt-it would be too marked Patien-
Za!'
1t was ten minutes later when Mrs.
;)ernyngham sauntered carelessly from
her place at the table out through the
glass door. and Mrs. Maxwell clasped her
hands in her lap with sudden nervous
ness. After all it was an heroic course.
Had she been rash and foolhardy? There
was moonlight outside, and the tapping of
waves. Fatal adjuncts to such matter!
In the moonlight, too, the creatures ap-
pearance would be softened and refined.
She had made mistake, pcrhaps-sh>
mad placed him in a temptation she
would have avoided: Should she join
him-rescue him, while there was still
time; No. She would not. she would
moonlight, she would risk it, *
Two francs more-and the devil take the
hindmost:
They came face to face-she had
planned it so-and her slight gesture of
SURPRISE Was perfect.
NV. Mp; M az Is it possible?"
r. He was going to say he was pleased
to meet her, but decided not to.
II did not know you were in DiepDe.
Haye you been here long?''
II have been here, with my wife, about
month"; he answered.
with your wife? Really!' She gave
faint smile-a smile he remembered
very we'll. $50 you are married-am /
to congratulate your
u. iha9k yop,, he said; you are very
HES dead; so don't inquire about his
health. You were always making blum
ders Of that sort" She laughed. Il
used to correct you in that fashion long
changed: Well, well, we'll, and SO you're
married? l told you you'd marryNyou
didn't believe me then!'
"Ah, but you were right
'Of course l was right. Shan't we sit
down?-or won't your wife let YOU? /
say, are you henpecked? You used to
be the sort of boy who'd be henpecked.
Perhaps you've improved since those
days."
,'Perhapss I have. There are two
Thanks. DO you know this is very
funny to me, to meet you in the capac-
ity Of married man? Do you remem-
Der how you used to VOW that never,
never, never" She broke off and
burst into laughter again. "And shall
own something? After you were gone
sometimes when I was inclined to be SEN
timental-1 used to half believe you.''
She leaned forward, and fixed her eyes
on him in just the manner he used to
find SO irresistible. Somehow it seemed
less distracting now, The eyes had not
altered perhaps, but her face was older,
and that expression looked out of place
on it., There was even a sadness to him
in beholding the change that time had
wrought in her. The woman whose
memory had thrilled him so was gone.
He had thought about her so much. and
now she did not exist. It was pathetic
and-what was more painful still-thiS
wreck of Nora Jernyn CHAM could not
join with him in mourning for her. He
wept alone.
you are not glad to see me'' she said
He was not; he was sorry. His very
soul was full of regret, of sympathy
But he could not tell her so, and ho
listened for ten minutes courteously to
hnr DISTRESSING nrOvOcati OnS hor die.