The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-04-11
1t Is true. IT would have been better
for us both If we hau never met"

1t Is true. 1t would have been better
for us both IL we hau never met"
"Loueesy" Sim exclaimed fcarfully,
starting to his feet all IN tremblc
what is that you say? Surely you
don't mean them Words
IL do, and what l say is true. 1t
would have been far better for us both
| If we had never. never met"
He stared at her long time in ST.
lcnce, and he noticed that her face was
| painfully white and drawn. His, too.
he knew, bore the marks OF great
dread and fear.
"Loucesy," he said, his voice husky
and scarcely audible, "for Gods sake,
don't say that! Remember, you are
my wife. Please take back them
words. Say they're not So"
II cannot. Sim, | cannot. for I would
only be lying If did"
| She folded her arms on the table and
dropped her head on them and began to
sob. Sim stood watching her. sick.
ening dread stealing over him. I'm
certainly he heSitatcd for moment.
then went to her and put out lis hand
| and began to stroke her hair She drew
away from him, and n cold shudder IA n
| over her He stood aloof and looked
on her, his face painfully white and
drawn and q hard, tense sensation
clutching at his heart.
'Loueesy." he said presently, "wnat
does this mean? Why do you treat l..
like thatT
She made no reply, but continued :
sob. He reached out his hand again
and placed it gently on her head, al
again she shrank from him as though
his touch were poison. Her action cut
him deep, and pain. sharp and poigil
ant, passed through his soul. Whe;'
he spoke again, his voice was low and
husky.
| "Loucesy," he said, "is 1t true, IA
Mary Mann says, that you don't love
me noneW
| She did not answer, and when he had
waited moment he repeated his ques-
| ton. This time she looked slowly up
until her eyes met his. From that mo.
ment there was no need for her to
speak. In her eyes he only too plainly
read her answer to his question. Slow
ly. as one in dream. he turned to
leave the room. There was a queer
|
and everything around him bore a
strange air Of unreality. At the door
he stopped and put his hand up to his
forehead and for full minute stood
like one dazed. Then. turning his eyes
once more Oh his wife. he said:
| MY God, Loueesy, you are KILN me!
You have broken my heart. Oh. please,
p...,.. tell me It IS not true, that look 7
| saw In your eyes, and that you do love
| me"
She did not raise her head, but be.
tween her sobs he heard her murmur:
II can't, can't, for don't love you"
Without another word he passed
from the room and went staggering un.
certainly down the walk to the street.
lie felt that he had received n death
blow, and in reality he had received
that which was far worse. for death
would have brought an end to pain and
suffering and this brought pain and
buffcring only.
At the yard gate he stopped, and,
leaning heavily against n post. hc look.
ed back at the house. Through the
window he saw his wife sitting as he
had left her, and a great yearning came
over him to take her in his arms and
hold her to his bosom and kiss her. But
the next moment he remembered the
words she had spoken and the look she
had given him. and, laying his head
against his arm, he said sadly:
But she Is not mine! She Is not
minc!'
k,.r fro BE CONTINrrnY u