The Somerset reporter., 1900-08-09
AMID AFT t [ELR 2
BY JULIA TRUITT BISHOP.

The woman In white had passed
through a most triumphant day and
was weary. She tossed her hat to a
bed, her gloves and fan to a chair, and
she herself dropped into the great
willow rocker-a mass of fluffy white
draperies, her deerlike head, with its
crown of red brown hair, lifted above
the foam. The woman In white had
been younger, but she had never be-
fore been SO beautiful
Because she had won him-and be-
cause she had no right to him. Be-
cause he had once scorned and fouted
her and had passed her with his wife
on his arm and look of cold contempt
In his eyes, and because now he had
followed her for days and days, and
she had made him sue for kind word
from her-her, the scorned and de-
spised. Because she had laughed in
his face and had baited and lured him
until he had thrown to the winds his
decent life and all the long years of up
rightness and the position among men
for which he had struggled, and was
ready to follow her to the worlds end
and because he was the one man
whose scorn had cut deep into what
she called her souli
She looked at the radiant thing in
the mirror and laughed and turned
the flashing bracelet about and around
on her wrist, and a something almost
womanly came into her face as she
! realized that 1t was not the diamonds
she cared for-no! She would have
loved a ribbon If he had given it to her
with that look on his face and would
have kissed it as she did this, with a
passionate delight.
And the woman in gray, standing in
the door, saw her kissing the bracelet.
May l talk with you a few min
! utes?" asked the woman In gray; and
the woman In white saw her reflection
in the mirror. What she saw was a
slender, gray clad woman, with a pale
pale face, and dark eyes with darker
shadows under Them and brown hair
that was beginning to whiten with
early frost.
| The woman In white stared insoient-
ly at the reflection in the mirror and
smiled.
II don't know what my servants can
be thinking Of" she said without turn
Ing Il really have nothing for you,
my good woman. Perhaps II you go
down some of my people will show you
the way out"
But | must see you for a little
while" said the woman in gray, put
ting aside the insult and coming slow
ly nearer, and there was deadly still
ness about her as she drew chair for
ward and sat down in it. Then they
looked at each other-the woman In
gray and the woman in white.
II think perhaps you know me-" said
the woman in gray. mo doubt people
have pointed me out to you as the wife
0f-of'-
They have" said the woman In
white haughtily. taking up steel pa
per knife from the table near at hand
and playing with it. ITO what do |
owe the honor of this visit?'
The woman In gray looked at the pa
per knife and smiled YEARLY.
you mistake me-" she said. Some
women might have thought of that.
But you will live. See Tomorrow |
go upon long journey. and | knew
that must see you face to face before
went"
what possible interest can have In
your plans for travelling" cried the
woman In white contemptuously.
pray consult your dressmaker instead
and tell her for me that she should be
killed II she ever dresses you in gray
again. 1t is not becoming"
you are bitter" said the woman In
gray, land we have so little time, and
we are so near the tragedies of both
our lives. A little while ago was bit
ter against you, too, but now am too
sad to be very bitter. ] see how past
remedy it is. | am not here to beg you
to be merciful Even If you wished,
you couldn't give me back what have
lost"
well. you have had your chancew
cried the woman In white. And you
have lost It, Who but yourself is to
blameY"
The woman in white had thrown
prudence to the winds with that
speech, and now rage and jealousy and
insolent triumph were curiously blend
ed in the beautiful face and flushed in
a red glow from the eyes.
"Yes-I have lost It," said the woman
In gray. And having learned this.
past all doubt, would not try to keep
him If could. | am going away, and
he shall live his life In peace. have
merely come to ask you what kind Of
life it is going to be-"
The woman in white threw herself
back in her chair and raised her beau
tiful arms above her head.
"Oh, you cold blooded woman" she
cried, clasping her hands above the
shining coil of her hair. "You icy
wives that go your round of what you
call duties, and sew on buttons and
have good dinners and sit at the head
of the table. as interesting as that
Dresden shepherdess, month after
month and year after year and then