St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1901-11-27


which he was still examining, he foun
that Louis had suddenly gone pale
while Emma's face was alternately whit
and crimson.
"Let us d-drop the whole matter
please" said Emma. at has caused to
much trouble already, and we are al
| glad to know that we had no reason t
| be angry with you and-and"- Emma
could go no further, for she knew that
! Unsuitable and inevitable explosion o
! temper on this part of Louis was only
matter of a few seconds. 1t dawned OF
her with peculiar force that she hat
been woefully unjust to him in nagglns
him so much about previous girls wheI
she had had experiences of her own al
a firt. But who was to know that Var
Ripper would ever turn up again? But
it would never do to let the explosion
occur in the presence of Uncle Bob
Turning suddenly, she fled precipitately
to her own room. After watching her
exit in establishment Uncle Bob turned to
Louis for an explanation.
"Wwhat's up"
But Louis was by this time giving a
ine impersonation of Banquos ghost and
was stalking majestically after his re-
treating wife.
"Well, I'll be blowed if they are not
going to have a row of some sortl Con-
found young married people anyway!
They need more breaking in than a team
of bronchos, and it seems I've had a
row with them without knowing it. Well,
l guess there is nothing for me to do but
to wait patiently until they have given
the family skeleton his daily exercise,
and then they will perhaps be rational
again for awhile" So Uncle Bob pro-
ceeded to make himself comfortable.
Emma in the meanwhile had sought
the seclusion of her own room, and as
she heard Louis following her she
promptly burst into tears. Louis en-
tered with awful calm, and as he stood
beside her without speaking the strain
became uncomfortable.
Forgive me, DEAR" she sobbed. 81
know it was awful mean of me to scold
you as much as | did because you had
firted with other girls before we had
met when l knew that l had done the
same"
'Were you engaged to this man Van
Riper?" asked Louis.
Eyes, but it was only a foolish affair.
/ didn't know what love meant then"
Indeed 1t seems to me that | have
heard that remark before. In fact, it
seems to me that l have been obliged to
use it myself and that you despsed it.
How am | to know that you love me
now?"
Don't, Louis; please don't! You
know l love you and that really never
loved any one but you"
''How do | know it? Didn't you tell
me as lately as yesterday that you could
never be sure that really loved you be-
cause l had been engaged to other
girls?"
"But | was mad then. l know l had
no right to be, but l was, and l do
know that l love you"
But | am mad now" exclaimed
Louis, boiling over, For over a year
you have kept me in hot water about
having tlirted with other girls, ard now
it seems that you were no better your
self. Like fool, / told you everything
when we were married, and you never
forgave me-"
Don't look so angry and disgusted,
dear, and | will tell you everything now."
Everything? Do you mean to say
that there were others besides this fell
low Van Riper?"
Emma saw that she had made a mis-
take, but she whispered brokenly.
Yes. There was Harry Todhunter.
but that was only a schoolboy and
schoolgirl affair. He was a sophomore
At Harvard, and l was a senior at Vas
,ar."
Go on! Go on" said Louis wrath
July. "You had better make clean
breast of it. How do you know but one
If them may turn up like this Van Ripper
some time? How long were you en-
Jagged to him."
Just one season."
"And why did you break with him?"
Because l got to know him better.
lis putting that inscription on that pres
mt shows the kind of fellow he was"
And it is just because he was that
lind of fellow that it makes me sore
0 think that you were ever engaged to
lin. And he must have kissed you
ometimes. Oh"
Emma went off into a storm of peni-
ent weeping at this, and Louis was
lied with more disgust and jealous
wrath than he could we'll express.
IF you had only told me at first and
ad not deceived me, l might have been
BILE to forgive you, but now
Don't say you won't forgive me,
1ouis!" Emma cried as she stumbled to-
yard him and chung to him wildly.
Remember that you deceived me too"
But not after we were married. You
eceived me both before and after we
'ere married and were always jealous
t me, even though you had been Just as
ed and were still worse than me be-
ause you were blaming me for the very
nlngs you had done yourself"
Emma saw that she had made a mis-
AXE in trying to justify herself and so,
18th the instinct of a true woman, she |
lrew herself on his mercy. And it was
OF mere subterfuge either. She |
cant every word she said.
Il know | did wrong. l treated YOU
But was foolish. l should |
ave told you everything when you so
obly confessed to me, but didn't have
ne courage as you had"
Louis nobility in making the confess
ION was of piece with that Of a small |
oy who has been fairly cornered in some
and follows the example of
he Father of His Country from sheer
ecesslty, but it did not appear to him
that way as Emma stated the case so
He felt q consciousness Of hin