Mexico Missouri message., 1900-05-10
Y. ~. ~. .s't ~. ~. W ~. 81. ~. ~. 81,
! AND AFTER /
by Julia Trultt Bishop. K
az slS az sN' 7lS az SSzS%7lS, 7,S5,S, ,z,S

she herself dropped into the great will.
low rocker-a mass of fluffy white
drapcries, her deerlille head, with IT'S
crown of rcd-brown hair, lifted above
the foam. The Woman In White had
been younger, but she had never before
been so beautiful.
because she had won him-nnd be-
cause she had no right to him. BE.
cause he had once scorncd and houtcd
her, and had passed her with hi. wife
on his arm and n look of cold contcmpt
in his cyes-nnd because now he had
followed her for days and DAYS, and
she had made him sue for Il kind word
from her-hcr, the scorncd and de-
spised. Because she had laughed In
his face and had bnitcd and nrcd 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 tho one man whose
scorn had cut deep into what she called
her soull
| She looked at the radiant thing In
the mirror and laughed, and turned the
flashing bracelet about and around on
her wrist; and n something almost
womanly came into her face ns she
realized that 1t was not the diamonds
she cared for-no! she would have
loved ribbon If he had given It to
her with that look on his fnce, and
would have kissed it as she did this,
with passionate delight.
And the Woman In Gray, standing In
the door, saw her kissing the bracelet.
MAY talk with YOU fow min
utes?" asked the Woman In Gray; and
the Woman In White saw her re election
In the mirror What she saw was a
slender, gray-clad woman, with pale,
pale face, and dark eyes with darker
shadows under them, and brown hair
that was beginning to whitcn with
early frost
The Woman In White stared insolent-
ly Mt the reflection In the mirror and
smiled.
Il don't know what my servants cun
be thinking Of" she said, without turn.
Ing. 81 really have nothing for you,
my good woman. Perhaps II YOU go
down, some of my people will show you
the way out"
wMle," said the Woman In GRAY, nut
ting aside the insult, and coming slow.
~ nearer; and there was deadly still
ness about her rs she drew chnr for
ward and sat down in il. Then they
looked at each othcr-thc Woman in
Gray and the Woman In White.
u think perhaps you know me, "anid
the Woman in Gray. mo doubt people
have pointed me out to YOU as the wit,
Of--of-"
They have" said the Woman in
White, haughtily, taking up steel pa
per knife from the table near at hand
md playing with it. "ro what do
owe the honor of this visit?"
The Woman in Gray looked nj the
paper knife and smiled wcarily.
"Iou mistake me-" she said. "Somc
women might have thought OF that
but You will live. See. tomorrow
go upon II long journey; and knew
that ! must see you fnco to face before
went"
"Nhnt possible interest can | hay"
in your plans for traycling?" cried III,
Woman in White, contrmptuuusly
"iray consult your drcsSmutrr iu.
stead and tell her for N" that she
should b" killed II she ever dresses lou
in gray again. 1t is not becoming"
You are bitter said the Nomnn Ia
Gray; "aud we have so little limr.
and We nrc 50 near the Tragedies Of
both our lives. \ little while ago wn~
Inter against You, too; but now / am
10" sad 10 he very bitter. ! see now
past remedy It Is. am not here To- .
hy" you to br mcrciful. Even II yuu .
wished, you couldn't give me back T.
what have lost"
We'll. you have had your chance" F.
cried the Woman in White. "Aud YOU
have lost 1t! Who but Yourself is to I.
lEdur""
hr Woman in White had thrown .
prudence to the winds with that /
speech. aud now rage and jealousy aud /
iuhulrul triumph were ruriousIy blend. /
rd in the beautiful face, aud flushed In .
II red glow from the eyes.
YES have lost IT," said the Wu1 /
uu in NIny. And having learned rO, /
past All uuubt. | would not try to kcr9 f.
him II / could. nm going away, uud [.
hr s'aIl live his life in peace, have .
merely come to ask you what kind Of
life it Is going 10 be-"
he Woman In White threw herself .
back in her chair and raised her beau.
liful arms above her head.
"Oh, you cold-bloodcd womau!" shr
cried, clusping her hands above the
shining coil of her hair. "Iou les |
wives that go your round of what YOU
rail- duties and sew on buttons aud |
have good dinners and sit at the head
n the table, ns interesting ms that
Dresden shcpherdcss, month nftcr
month and year after year, and then
are shocked and outraged when he
meets II flesh-and-blood woman and
loves her! What kind OF Me will he
have? Why, he will learn for the first
time that he Is alive! What right have
women like you to talk about lovc!--
women who give man mp the first
lime he looks another wayi Why
would make myself the most beautiful
and most attractive creature in tho
world to him, SO that he could never
wen look at another wuman-and
Hal L.. 4 4