Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1901-03-21
| An End to All Things



OF her dress. How ridiculous a dem
onstration it appeared to him to-day,
and yet he dreaded TO meet her again.
She had treated him atrociously,. he
had considered at the time. Eng
lished, she had amused herself with
him, and then given him his congo.
She was married woman ana he had
oeen a boy.
He recalled every incident OF the
farewell A youthful passion it may
have been, but--he could not dispute
it even now--it was passion that left
it's mark.
There had been a conservatory
opening out OF the rooms she occu-
pied. 1t was In the conservatory that
he had made himself the most abb
surd-there, and for moment at the
piano. at which she had seated her
self indifrerently, and where he had
knelt TO her like lover in "The Lon
don Journals" She had strollcd
along, shifting at the flowers, saying
cruel things 10 him in her new and
careless voice, and he had followed
her wistfully like a whipped dog,
pleading to be readmitted to favor.
A spray OF fern that she had dropped
had beeh captured by him passion
ately-she had touched it in their
last moments together. She shrugged
her shoulders with a sneer, and his
eyes filled at her cruelty.
4 fhara in
n boy IKE you TO hold q woman like
me?" she had asked.
II was the harshest thing she could
have said, and he remembered that at
that he had broken down altogether.
Good heavens, how preposterous he
had been-how wrongly he had gone
to work, always being pathetic and
reproachfull
However, II was over. He had not
"found balm for his wounds in six
months" as she had prophesied. but
IN nine years he had married, aud for
gotten her existence entirely until II
was recalled to him oy the sight OF
her name in the visitors list.
Now the recolections rushed back
at him, and while he laughed at his
former self as fool, he was conscious
OF strange tremor Mt the prospect
OF seeing her once more.
He loved his wife sincerely Twelve
months ago he could have contem-
plated meeting Mrs Jernyngham
without misgiving. But he had been
married ~ months The time had
not lesscned his love, but II Ind nat
urally dispclled the romance. After
all, to be "in love" with woman Is
a greater safeguard against others
than TO "loye her" He was bound TO
acknowledge to himself that he was
frightened at the thought OF seeing
Mrs Jernyngham again. He had, as
a matter OF fact, avoided the Casino
since he knew she was in Dleppe.
lie put down his paper an~ looked
across AT Nellie reading Tauchniiz
novel. How pretty she was, and how
trustfull What would she say, could
she divine his present moodY Sinless
as II was, It would cut her to the
heart. Bah, hs was fool. Why
should that make him afraid 10 ven
ture out OF doorsl lie was not fond
OF her stilI--of course he was not.
The Tauchnitz novel dropped TO
Mrs. Maxwelrs lap.
"what are you thinking about. dar-
lng2" she asked.
II was thinking how charming you
look In that frock, my dear he an
swered He preserved the habit OF
making graceful speeches to his wife.
Cynical bachelor friends said he for
rot who she wus-that 1t was the
force of habit.
"There was n nasty black wrinkle
between your eyebrows, Jack. and
you were tugging your mustache, as
you always do when you're put out
do look charming In this frock, |
admit it--but you weren't thinking
TO-"
Nellie, come here, Do you remem-
her, soon after we were married, you
nsked me n question. You asked me
II | had ever cared deeply for another
girl than yourself"
81 remember" said Nellie. "IesY
IL told you what an Internal idiot |
had once made OF myself over mar
ricd woman. asked you, too, never
TO use certain scent because II re-
minded me OF her. You know all
that?"
81 know; know; 90 onl'
"Well. she's here, that's all, and
confound tim rather sorry"
"ohl" said Nellie And then there
was pause betweena them. She was
the one to break IT,
"It-it's quite all over, Jack7 She
couldn't, she dnren't attempt to-
You're mnrried-you would simply
have to bow and pass on, Besides, by
your own account she was-well, she
didn't care for you any more, Why
should you mind seeing her9"
~ don't know" he muttered, ir-
resolutely; I'D rather not, that's ALL
Anyhow. let's talk OF something else
We are leaving Dleppc the end OF the
week; MS u matter OF fact, | dare say
shall never come across herl"
Mrs. Maxwell, however, was not sat
isGed, For one thing, she wanted to
remain longer in Dieppe than they
had at first proposed, and for another,
she objected ON principle 20 her hus.
band being nervous OF rencontre
with any woman in the wide, wide
world.
"Come for walk" she said. "and
don't be such u stupid boy. One would
think you were in love with her now,
TO hear you talk Noull make me
jealousl" And she made a mirthless
pretense at a laugh which would have
deceived no living sou! but a husband.
Get ready, I'm going To- put on my
hat-and II you're very good you shall
rome and watch me lose all our money
n The Casino"
Tf.auo