The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1901-05-30
the widow, coesn'+ hep. lie ybis.

nodded to he1 c%arelessly, saying:
II sha'n't be up till late; we're go
ing to play baccarat."
And the little bride retired feeling
miserable and guilty, and wept her
self to sleep in womanly fashion, he1
last waking thought being a tearfu.
determination to eXpiate her neglect
of Dick the next day by avoiding
Magnac, and never to try to firt any
with any n but her husband.
But it was not so easy to accom-.
plish her purpose, a Dick, after Sleep
ing late and declining to show respon.
%sivencss, avoided her all day, spend.
ing all his spare time with the widow,
while Magnacm made her life aburden by
his persistent pursuit, puzzled in turn
by her unresponsive behavior, but not
to be deferred thereby, r.1iodful of the
graciousness of the pre- toHs evening
II thought de Sales aI. his wife
were such a model pair u turtle,
doves" remarked the cynicat marquis;
"but it seems to be the old, old tale
of convenience and cash-boXes."
"Yes," rejoined the sprightly lady,
his temporary fascination, sit seems
to be all widow with one, while the
other drags Magnac in manacles."
At length n day after a week OF
mutual misery, the Goddess of Chance,
kindly for the nonce, brought mat.
ters to a head by a simple circum.
stance. On a damp and dreary after
noon Dick was playing billiards alone
with the widow, when, firing OF
cigars, he ran to his room in the mid
die of the game to fetch a favorite
pipe.
AS he opened the door without
warning, he heard the sound of sobs
from the couch in the corner.
whats wrong?" he asked, outward.
ly ~nonchalant, though his heart be,
gan to beat furiously. "Has Magnac
deserted you?"
"O-oh, Dick" walled his wife, break.
ing out into a fresh paroxysm OF
weeping, "ho-ow can you?"
He crossed the ROOM, and took up
his stand near her on the hearthrug.
Geo." he said, in a softer voice,
"what's wrong? Aren't you enjoying
y~ourself?"
"Oh, Dick" she sobbed, "you know
I'm not. I've hardly seen or spoken
to you for a whole week."
"Well," he said, assembling his
agitation, 81 thought you were tired
of negotiating like a respectable cab
bage, and wanted a little variety"
She started up and looked at him
with tear-stained blue eyes which
seemed to plead for mercy.
81 thought I'd give you a fair field,
as it's such a bore to see more than
necessary of ones husband" he went
on almost brutally.
"Dick," she cried, jumping up with
a frightened catch in her voice,
where were you?"
Smoking on the terrace; but" he
went on, 81 only heard a little of your
conversation, quite by accident. Their
1 went in again."
"Dick, darling" she sobbed, trying
to reach high enough to put her arms
round his neck, forgive me, forgive
me; I didn't mean it a bit. Only J
thought, you know" she continued
as he unbent a little to aid her in
tentions, enabling her to draw closer
people would think us so silly; J
didn't know then really how happy
1 was. I thought I wanted to firt
as heaps of other married women do;
but I found out almost at once ]
didn't. And then Magnac wouldn't
let me alone-he didn't seem to un
derstand; and you We're alawys with
that horrid, fast American widow
Oh, Dick, I can't tell you how miser
able I've been. Do forgive me, dar
ling; I didn't think you'd mind"
'But I did, little woman" he said
bending down and kissing her pas
sionately. .
81 was only trying to keep in prac
tice for your sake" she pleaded, gain
ing heart and smiling, Andromache
like, through her tears.
"Then don't try any more" he sale
decidedly, and then fell to kissing
her again.
And between them they spent any
thing but q mauvaise quart d'heurt
making it up.
Suddenly Dick jumped up.
"Great Scott!" he exclaimed, &C
forgot that woman in the billiard
room!"
After g hurried explanation, de
layed by %consoling kisses, off rushed
Dick, to find Mrs. Massingham in the
middle of a game with Magnac; ant
somehow his us were received
with a certain GOODNESS.
"And you have forgotten to bring
your pipe after ALL" finished up thu
widow sweetly.
go lord" muttered Dick, making
the best of matters by a hurried re
treat to his wife's boudoir, where h,
spent the rest of the afternoon.
That night Dick was deposed ant
Magnac reigned in his stead, in Mrs
Massingham's graces.
"Only a temporary alteration,
commented the marquis on the case
watching Dick and Fec together
"and I can't quite fathom it. Tha
'tnrtle-dove' tale does not. seem t,
have been a canard after all; it,
only been a quarrel of lovers, or al
experiment in ethics"
"And a renewal of love-" chime,
in his companion. ct must be tn
end of the rub, and there has been
fresh cut for partners, you know"