The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1901-02-07

OF returning health sparkled on b
pages he wrote. One-two-of his late
| stories had been honored by generous
and complimentary acceptance. lie
hoped she was not depriying herself to
send him the checks she did. lie would
pay her back many times over n OF
these days. OF course 1t was pleasant
to be able to move about. and enjoy
the numerous beauties of this bewil-
dering Colorado. But March had
stormed itself away-ApFil had cried
her capricious heart OUTLAY had
passed, a cool. fair maiden, all blue n
gold.@"the deep. red June" had drawn
her last lovely breath. and July was
drifting towards sultTy extinction, be-
fore Marmaduke Fernald forsook the
fantastic beauty of western solitudes,
and came back TO the calm skies n
placid plains OF Illinois
Doris met him raptuFousiy. She was
radiant-aImost beautiful-with the
Joy of welcome loI s-deferred. Tall,
erect, bronzed, smiling. be was hand
somer than ever. He accepted her
eager greetings complacently. Yes. 1t
was good to get back. He had never
felt so fit. He hoped she was all right
She must have worked hard to get SO
much work written and accepted. But,
somehow, despite his caresses. Doris
felt more forlorn the night of his
homecoming than she had during his
months OF absence. She fought the
strange conviction that he a
changed, but it would not be downed.
They were apparently as close
chums as they had ever been. he
talked freely Of his journalistic as5ira-
tions-fsankly, II seemed, also. of his
personal experiences in the Rockies.
He praised her numerous late sue
cesses. which had been social as well
as artistic. But there was something
she missed in him-something which
CT old he had, which now he lacked.
Or, was it the intrusion OF a new and
alien interest which she noticed? Vas
it the Introduction of an unknown per-
sonal interest in his life which had
wrought the subtle alteration? Or was
she merely Internationally appre-
hensive?
Il fancy" she said to him one day,
that you are doing better work thar
hitherto-deeper, richer work. 1t
seems to have a new element"
He looked beyond her with mar
rowed, dreamy eyes. should not
wonder" he answered. One night he
was going to a dinner-a function OF
Importance. Doris was getting his
clothes together for him as was her
habit. A pair of cuff buttons he treas
ured-an heirloom-she could not find.
Perhaps she had forgotten to remove
them from his dress suit case when he
returned. She found the buttons in
the case-alsc a picture. 1t had been
thrust between the lining and the
leather of the Casa space cut to
permit its passage. She sat a long
time looking at it. The photograph
was that of a woman in the full ma
turity of sumptuous beauty. The pose,
the barred bosom. the lovely, languor-
GUS face recalled Meredith's Lady OF
Carrabas:
'Queenly she leaned on one round. white
arm,
With that regal. indolent air she had
So confident of her charmi"
On the back was written a line-just
a few tender words. Doris Fernald's
little brown face famed. She carried
the picture to her husband where he
stood, ready-dressed save for the links
she had gone to find.
Who is she?" she asked.
Suddenly, before he replied, she
was plain and clear. In that moment.
before the dumb. gorgeous challenge
of that piece OF ar aboard. she felt
her own physical insignihcance as she
had never felt it before.
Duke Fernald flushed, stammered,
was silent. Don't ask me to- can't
tell you, Doris"
You must tell mel" she insisted,
quietly.
Indeed, she frightened him a little,
she was SO quiet.
1T would be better il you were not
to say any"
She showed him the line on the re-
verse of the card. rs this the woman
you lover"
There was the silence of the grave
between them. She heard the ticking
of his watch where it lay IN the dress
ing-table.
Doris" he said, one hand outiuDg,
you know loved you,"
Yes" Her fiat bosom rose sharply.
you thought so-once."
Il didn't mean that" He spoke
hoarsely. you have given me every
thing-health. hope, new courage-op-
p~ortunities. You are the best wife in
the world, Doris, and"
She broke in with a passionate ex-
clamation. Il cannot accept gratitude"
she said. go on. You love her, then,
And she-is she free?"
He bowed his head in shamed 81
lence.
"And you think you could be happy
-with-with herr" She was hoping
with oil ha. cfraipipo soul thof ba