North Park union., 1900-09-21
O0s I'm" A Fascinating
90 Romance
" AH ~ Alan Adafr..

could be thankful that he had seen her
and had not hated her.
He crept home slowly. Ike wound
ed animal going to Its lair. Home.
The very word hurt him. And he ana
Joyce had only this morning talked
Of buying the pretty house for their
summer residence. This morning was
1t, or years ago Could it be only an
hour or SO since he left the station.
all unsuspicious of what was to beflll
him?
For he had been unsuspicious. He
had entirely forgotten the woman who
he now easily identified as Veronica
He had been happy as 1t is given to
few mortals to be happy. He groaned
aloud as he opened the door which led
into the pretty hall. His throat was
dry; he could not call Joyce.
But she had evidently heard the
opening door. for she came out of the
morning-room, which they furnished
with the hangings they had bought
on the day he had seen Veronica. She
called gaily to him and a little re-
proachfully. "oh. Alan, how late you
oAe' you naughty IVY. Anu our
will you have tea first?"
He simply could not answer. 1t was
impossible; his tongue Glove to the
roof OF his mouth. and his dry throat
could not articulate sound.
Alan" she called again, come
along, darling"
Il am coming" His voice IVES, how
ever. so muffied, in moment she was
alarmed. She came running out to
him.
Alan. Alan, what is it? Are you
i'll, dearest?"
Her Inconsistencies almost killed
him, together with the thought that he
would have to tell her. Then she
came up to him and saw his face. In
an instant she knew that something
awful had occurred Her Jaw fell, and
she staggered up to him, putting out
her hand and feeling as II she were
blind. She was unconscious no longer,
for she remembered vividly the day
when he had turned SO white, and had
told her the reason afterwards as they
sat together at the hotel. Her quick
mind told her that his ashy greyness
and the misery on his face had some
thing to do with his dead wife. Hand
in hand they went together into the
pretty morningroom. into which the
sun was shining, and they sat down
speechless A bird in bush close by
set up its joyous song. Nature was
full Of gladness.
Then suddenly he wrenched his
| ha nd nf hara nd
headlong upon the couch. Sobs broke
from him and his shoulders heaved
For moment she let him weep, and
then she knclt down beside him and
flung her pretty, soft arms round his
| neck. and pressed her cheek, down
which the tears were running. against
his, so that their tears mingled to-
gether.
Tell me like this" she said But
he could not speak. his grief was un-
controllable. And so in whispers she
began: at is something about your
wife, Alan-your first wife, l mean
poor Veronica"
He groaned. and an awful knowl-
edge came to Joyce-a knowledge that
cutched her heart and made her very
being stand still. For moment she
saw nothing distinctly, heard nothing
distinctly, only felt Alan's tears upon
her cheek. Then, when the mist
cleared away: rs she alive?" she
whispered.
"Yes!" he cried.
"Alive? Oh. my poor heart! Alive.
Your wife? And II"
He sat up then and grasped her
| hands in his. You, you!" he cried
And the agony of his voice came back
to Joyce for years after. You! I've
got to give you up, Joyce! You, the
wife of my heart, my own, my soul!
You've got to be as nothing to me!
How can | do it"
II don't know" she said feebly.
And yet, Alan, we must!"
do you think l don't know it?' he
cried. DO you think would have you
live with me while my wife was Nv
ing? Do you think l should let one
person in this world point finger of
scorn at you? Do you think l should
let you soil your beautiful white soul
for me? Oh, Joyce. love you too per-
fectly for that, you are too dear to me
for that! l will say good-by to you,
my own and never look at your face
again; but | will not let you live dis
graced. But the parting-the part
| ing!"
Joyce's white face uplifted to his,
Joyce's hands grasping his. Joyce's
whole being suffused by love for him,
/ and he had to give her up! No more
exquisite agony had to be Imagined
than this moments, and yet, when 1t
came to the actual doing of 1t. 1t so
far transcribed the imaginings OF 1t
that this interview almost seemed
| sweet in comparison.
1.-The parting?" she re-echoed. THE
narting? You mean that we must
cease living in the same house. in the
same place. together? Alan, can we
do it? Will strength be given us? Oh,
what shall we do?''
(To be continued)