El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-09-11
: his face that alarmed Isabel. She said

his face that alarmed Isabel. She said
quickly:
ST think I am. Won't you come to-
morrow? I shall feel more like myself. "
Thank you. will try to come
Bidding her good night, he went down
stairs to his rooms. When he came in, he
saw Frank staring moodily at the red
Goals burning in the CRATE. The sight re-
preached Herbert, and placing his hand in
an affectionate way on Franks shoulders
he said:
What is It? I haven't seen much of
you lately
That's not my fault"
Frank drew away from his friends touch
as he made the brusque reply, but Herbert
remained standing Mt his side. After a
short silence Frank spoke:
1--WE may as we'll have il out. 1 heard
some things today about your past life
that astonished me, principally to the eff
feet that you are n married man, living
apart from your wife for reasons unknown,
and are gaining the affections of talent
ed young woman under false colors. OF
course Isabel Lane is the woman meant "
Herbert's face darkened.
at is true that am married. L sup
posed you were aware of the fact. have
never seen the necessity of proclaiming it
from the house top or of prefacing my
conversation with people by that informa-
ton. People who know my wife and me
have never attached the slightest disgrace
to our living apart. 1t is simply and sole
ly a case of incompatibility. The last
charge you made it hardly seems neces-
sary to deny
Frank looked squarely into Herbert's
eyes.
Don't you care more for her than Is
the right of even n friend!'
Herbert turned away impatieDtly. by
Jove, you are going too far. will not
answer that question.
Then Frank blazed out with: II love
her. i don't care who knows it, I'd go
through the fires of hell to win her, and I
know she doesn't care that for me- and
he snapped his fingers disdainfully. Its
such unspeakable pain-this wasted love.
1 don't want Platonics- I'm SO wretched
it's hard not to be cruel"
The sound of tho doorbell pealed through
the house.
That must be Mcfarland. I must GO"
And Frank snatched his hat and coat. In
a few moments the outer door closed after
him.
To do Herbert justice it must be said
that no intimation of the possibility of
such n state of affairs had ever entered his
mind. Like many people, he forgot that
love could be born of distance and separa-
ton as truly as propinquity and associa-
ton. He wondered ut his lack of perspicac-
ity.
But he did love Isabel with the quiet
intensity of nature like his. or late he
Loo on ~, ieniou 'i'o .i'
n-o,ac,ad life ~ ,vif.bood ,no,berbood
thai :, was NO, in his po,v.r IN ,ive any
woman He WONDERED n Fr,nt could
make her b,nnv Tbouobts Of yvba. life
could be with this sweet Isabel his wife
ont5 No sieen came 70 hin, ,bat n;.h,
and "a combat ~ souI ra.ed
Tn tho mornine husinass Sun,,on.d him
IN New Work Er,nL remained avav ali
night and came bom, to dinner to find
Herbert gone In rbo ouiet Of his room
the misery that nbsorbinu du,ies had suc-
ceeded in Sitting RETURNED with Increased
strengtb Wild desire ,o see isabel to
be near her. seized him. and he went up
TO her room, where the door stood hospita-
bly, open.
She was seated before her desk writing.
A large glass bowl dIled with datfodiIs
and tulips made a blaze of color beside her
dainty brown head bent over the paper
She felt his presence and turned her
head.
Come in" she said, smiling as he
an excuse You look tired to
death. Take the big chair and make
yourself comfortable She pointed with
her pen to n chair by the table. Excuse
me for "a moment while finish this
He settled down among the cushions,
still watching her.
She folded and addressed the letter with
a sigh of relief. He closed his eyes wea-
rily and when he opened them she was
sitting in "a rocking chair sewing.
II didn't suppose you ever sewed, like
other women" he observed, thinking that
to be with her in this homelike compan-
was the sweetest feeling he had
ever known.