The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-31
The Return Of an G>xpatriate.
BY GRACE S. COFFIN.

| ever. The queer, hafl-lawless laws of
| the country being complied with, and the
nearest Cadi literally fed, the ceremony
| took place in the hotel parlor. The nihi-
| list gave the bride away, and the red
haired murderesS cried copiously SO
| Florence Warren, nee DeVoe, became
| Mrs. Spencer-Norton. There was no
| change in the relations between her and
her CHASTITY husband, save that she occu-
pied a room with him and gave him med
icines at stated hours of the night as we'll
as of the day.
He had no money at ALL fact of
which she was aware when she agreed to
take his name, and she charged herself
with his care and maintenance She
led the life of a slave, and this gave her
some relief. Then, young and healthy
and strong, longing for the old scenes
came over her. 1t had been her misfor-
tune in the past that a half-formed de-
sire was cause for instant action. She
examined her funds and saw that she
had enough to take them to her home.
"Home.' She laughed when the word
formed itself in her mind. They left
Africa byAthe next outgoing steamer.
Arrived at Chicago, an interview with
her fathers attorney gave her food for
thought. The old man who handled her
fathers affairs for years shook hands
with her cordially enough, motioned her
to seat, showed no surprise when he
learned her new name and plunged into
business 1t took him fifteen minutes
to tell her that she had not a dollar of
patrimOny. DeVoe's death disclosed that
his firm was bankrupt, his stocks worth
less and his bonds sold. Every square
foot had been seized to satisfy his cred
itors. The old lawyer said finally:
Il paid for his burial from my own
pocket
That closed the interview, She thank
ed him, rose and walked rapidly out in
the sunshine. In her purse was 500, her
sole capital. From the hotel to a cheap
boarding house was matter of course.
Her husbands violent cough disturbed
other boarders. From the cheap board
ing house to cheaper rooms was another
matter of course. Here for a week she
was still while her little hoard melted.
To obtain some sort of employment was
a necessity, yet what could she do?
Looking into herself she found that not
one of her accomplishments was worth
cent in the market. Nevertheless she
bought the morning paper, though she
grudged the two pennies it cost, and
went through the advertisements. SO
| reading. while the steady cough went
on In the other little ROOM with now
and then an impatient whine for more
medicine, she saw In staring headlines:
MILLION CLEARED IN WHEAT.
| Pile of Golden Dollars Amassed by Brain
and Nerve-Chief Raider Has
Dropped Out.
Alexander Patton. Napoleon of the Board,
Forces a Settlement With" Shorts"
Collects Ten Hundred Thou
sand and RetireS Rich
and Smiling.
Alexander Patton. The name woke
memories. The man had loved her
| hnnacflU jnc
could close her eyes and see his white
face as he pleaded; she could hear, too.
the laugh with which she answered him.
Yet she liked him well-better, in fact,
than any man she had met before or
since-infinitely better than the fasny
scoundrel she had used as weapon
| with which to strike her father dead:
more eonsumingly than the wreck for
| whom she was immolating herself. Why
had she refused him? Pride. of course;
an idiotic, stiff-necked pride! There had
been in her, too, desire to run coun-
ter to her fathers wishes, for she
knew that the speculator liked the re-
| sourceful, strong employee whom he had
| introduced to his home. Five years had
| passed since he went from her-flve
| years, long, leaden and full of misery.
And now he was at the top of fortunes
| wheel, rich, powerful, courted, and she
| at the bottom, poor, unrecognized, al
most in hiding. Try as she would, how
| ever, she could not fancy him in. high
| estate To her minds eye he was st.n
| young, obscure and pleading thickly but
| passionately. A warm blush stole from
| throat to cheek and from cheek to fore
| head. From the room beyond sounded
the cough and querulous call:
Florence, Florence!''
| She rose and went to him. still
! youthful, still strong, still healthfnl She
| looked down upon his fallen jaw, his
! black lips, the hectic flush on his face,
! into his eyes burning. Under the sheet
| his knees showed sharply. His narrow
chest, with dreadful hollow at the base
| of the throat, rose and fell pantingIy.
Florence! My Cod / must have fresh
air; / must have nourishing food
| physician should be called; why am 1
| suffered to lie here without the serv-
| ices of trained nurse? You are willing
| enough admit it-but unskilled With
| proper care should be well in week
| You are killing me!''
81 have no money john
"But you have friends, acquaintance.
You were born here! Your father was
rich. Surely"
Her hands, hanging loosely at her sides,
| closed tightly. She half turned from him.
then stopped over him and shifted his
pillow.
Il have no friends she said gently;