The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-05-22


1 did not wait for the kiss I skunk
down the hall like some wretch doomed
| to the gallows. 1 could not believe II
real I was sure the morning won 4
show 1t nothing but a dream, and that
| Dorothy and / would battle in the surf
! and ride on the beach the same as ever
| Dorothy did not come downstairs that
night, and 1 was glad of IT. But the
next morning, as ] lay in a hammock
/ she came up to me with song upon her
I lips. She drew up a chair close to me
and glancing coquettishly &c right and
! left to see that no alien eyes were upon
US, she bent her head and gave me a
morning kiss-a dainty, birdlike touch
! There is a good deal of the tiger yet
left in the best of US. Ny veins at that
moment throbbed with murderous pas
sion, and felt that / should inevitably
| throttle her. Yet I did not l looked
her calmly in the eye. 1 believe 1 even
smiled. Her eyes never wavered In
stead q kind of love-mist spread over
them. and she kissed me again, very ten
derby, two or three times. Her exquisite
hypocrisy gave me a kind Of mental pa
ralysis, and for a moment 1 was as bar
rem of thoughts as an imbecile.
Fred, what would 1 do if you should
die?" she whispered, TREMENDOUSLY.
DO you love me so much?" I asked,
and, strive as l would, l could put no
significance into my tones.
so much. dear" she answered. SOL
EMMY. that the grave with you would
be preferable to a palace with another 4"
Too much even to deceive me-" I man
aged TO say.
'Ah. YOU know do. bow"
And have you never deceived me?"
I continued.
~ eba
l detected a quickening of her breath
which was falling upon my cheek.
Never 1 repeated, and 1 knew from
the stern ring in my voice that my man
hood was returning.
She flushed Enthusiastically, and a look
Of fright filed her eyes-fright that be-
fore would have wrung my heart, but
now only stung me to fury.
Never but once" she faltered piteous-
~. chnging TO my hand.
1 fercely shook off her grasp. What
was it," I demanded.
"Oh, Fred, intended TO tell you, and
will. But not yet; don't make me tell
it yet" she pleaded.
Now or never" 7 said, inexorably.
: did not imagine she could be 50 firm.
Threats cajOlery, pleading, were all in
vain. She would not tell Then e bet
ter feeling came over me, and l said:
Dorothy, I asked you TO confess, not
that I might longer love you, FOR that
is impossible. but that I might still re-
spect you. You have shut yourself out
from even that. Yesterday I learned
your secret By chance, and II must for
ever act as a bar between US"
She tried 10 smile, and I believe she
thought I was jesling. But when she
saw no answering smile upon nv So.
lips. no nirth IN NY hard eye she grew
white and rigid Even IN that crucial
moment. as 1 looked al her pitiable emo
ton. a siren fascination that banisbes
pride, xelf-respect and all. tempted ne
for a moment 10 take her in ny arms. II
only for the last time, and shamelessly
forget al.
is II al Over?" she asked. in hollow
tones.
All over" / answered
DO sou think me oat?" she asked.
brokenly
do you tAink you are good7" I ask
ed. scoERfuily.
y an good. sweetheart" sae painted.
desperately throwing herself half uroa
me u swear it before God, I should
have told you In the beginning, but every
DAY made il harder. Even thea T =aoala
have tod you. Il you had not said some
thing - slgh;lng. 80 crnel-io nae-aeoui
-sbout-
About uho-." ! asked.
"Aaout actresses she answered Il
Tow. hopeless tone
TIE ught broke II upon ne. ] took her
IN NJ arms ard hsid heE - lightly %
r,y heart that we seemed. n 5oiy as fl
s-i-it. . ~ ora
I had overheard Aer rsaearsluE.-Tas
Club Fellow.