El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-01-18

old world atmosphere. In the time tina,
might have been ant: ia rot
He closed his sketchbook, with q
sigh, and turned to the white robed
loneliness of his wife with q murmur
ed apology for having kept her wait
ing, and then together they passed
! down the avenue that leads to the road
again.
| But he was very silent, and his wife
felt tired and just little cross. She
liked to be petted and coaxed and fat
tered. and latterly wilfred had been
too serious to suit her gay fancies and
too absorbed in new ideas for his book
to pay her the attentions she loved SO
dearly to exact from every man and es-
pecially from her husband.
LET us go home to town." she said
suddenly Il am so tired Of roaming
in this out of the way place, Wilfred,
and there is still so much going on, I
hear. You must have got lots of ideas
now. / am sure" She laughed glee-
fully as she spoke. The uurmur of the
streets seemed already in her ears. and
the fash of silks and Jewels came over
the sunlight on the grass.
come on little farther?" he asked
kindly, yet little wistfully. There
are some lovely places in the dale, and
you would he interested In them,
think"
But she shook her head until the dia-
monds in her little ears twinkled like
dewdrops. You know 1 am not inter-
ested,'' she said petulantly. Il hate
those old people who perched castles
on the tops of hills and expect you to
climb up to see them. Do let us go
back
They had reached the lych gate now,
and a girl was entering it from the 9th
er side. where their carriage-his wife's
carriage-with its beautiful bays, stood
waiting. The sunlight fell on her quiet
black gown and her soft hair as she
passed under the quaint oaken struc-
ture. and then she lifted her eyes, and
a sudden light flashed into them and
then died very gently again.
The mans face grew white in the
shadow of the leafy elms, but his wife
chartered on in her high. pretty voice
and noticed nothing of his pallor. And
then. as they met, he advanced quietly
to meet the girl as quietly as If they
had never parted i'm bitter. bitter sor-
row. the one brave and ready to sacri-
fee herself for his sake, the other, as
he said to himself bitterly enough, a
coward and a craven. And now they
met again in the soft sunshine of the
autumn day. with the first few leaves
falling. golden tinted, from the trees
around. with the blue. bright sky over
head and the purling of a little stream |
near, under the old gate
way that leads to the house of prayer.
She spoke to him very calmly and |
quietly. and he introduced her to his |
lovely wife. and she told the stranger |
at once in her pretty. petulant voice Of |
her wish to go back to town and it's /
yayeties, only Wilfred wouldn't he 1
was so cross.
But the GIL smiled so gently and |
spoke so soothingiy that the little Ia |
iy's wrath melted away. and she laugh |
I'd like a merry child and straightway
invited her new friend to pay them a
visit in town.
I'VE will go tomorrow. won't we,
Wilfred:" she said laughinGly, and the
grave faced man answered that her
Will was law.
1
when the girl bad answered that she
lever wenr to town now. Her father
vas old and needed her care, and she
till countryside.
Il have him, and he has me-" she
aid. with her peaceful smile. and the
woman before her could not
:uess and would never have realized
hat this gentle faced girl had lovef
he man beside her with all her hear.
md soul and had passed through the
eep waters alone with her sorrow to
axe up her life again bravely and
veil. |.
And tnen one of the beautiful horses
laimed the pretty wife's attention.
nd she went hurriedly on, leaving the
wo together for brief moment in the
unshine of the old gate. Il
Forgive me- Enidr' he said broken
'. All. l have wronged you so. and /
deserve your hatred. but forgive me II
Won cam @
His face was haggard. and his lips
-hitened and trembled as he spoke the
.w strained words.
But she laid her hand in his very gen.
Y. as If to say goodby to a dear. dear
lend forever. 81 have forgiven you.
ear" she said. II may call you that
,r this one last time? 1 have forgiven
OH everything. and God keep you,
eep you safely and lead you aright"
he paused. and the great tears rose in
er calm eyes and rolled down the pale
leeks. She loved him so well STILL
nd the meeting and tine parting were
cry hard to bear.
And then. with one last look she
assed on into the loneliness of the