Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-09-27
OR MISTAKEN?
nGAPTER TI.-<Ccntinued,)


srew the address. The girl made no op-
.ostion to his following her to her rooms
-she could not make a scene in the
street. She braced herself up, and as
Se closed the door turned round and
looked at him coolly.
"Now. Mr.. Essilgton," she began, be-
Pore he could speak. ''yeu have tried to
befriend me-in your way. Perhaps now
Won will kindly leave me to my own way.
Whatever my past life, it is mine. What
ever nay secrets, they are mlne."
az shall not take that dismissal" said
Essington. His lips were white with the
strain he forced on himself. You are
shielding someone, honica-
"a man, I suppose"
s'God knowsi But, man or weman, you
are making yourself martyr"
"Wheu a woman shields a man, as yeu
think I am doing" said Monica quietly,
"a wise man will put her out of his life.
I won't pretend to misunderstood you
bat it's quite impossible you can trust
sGNot impossible" be said hearseiy. al
doubts Wal not deny them-I cannot
hold when / am face TO face with you.
In my heart don't believe have ever
doubted you"
Then you are net wise man." she
said dryly.
@Eyill You stand there and dare to tell
me you ore a theft" said Essingten.
1--WE have been friends. remember. at the
beast"
incriminate myself. You can leave me
where the law leaves me"
Even so, Monica, you shall not be an
outcast from me. love you'll will
shelter you,-listen! you shall listenr'
lie was at her feet, with his hands grip
t men away from him. "Even if YOU
were guilty, what then? Some dire
temptation--'
"Springing from WHAT" said Monica
coldly. You do not know what you
II will not believe even you against
yourself. Give me the right to stand by
you-now,. while you are under disgrace
and scorn"
She drew her hand away with q
wrench. He started up.
gasp-"suppose IL told you-I to be
your wife! 1t is not to be thought OF!
You would regret your madness in q
week! You-a wrfter-struggling for
placeLYou can't get a place unless the
world helps you! And then you ask q
woman branded as a thief to be your
wife-and drag you down! No-no-be-
sides-what of me2"
"Yove me If you can-or love me not at
all-it is you | want to make happy!'
She put her hand up to her throat, then
laughed.
Very one-sided! Go home and think
it over. Mr.. Essington, you'll be glad
in four and twenty hours that / don't
see where the happiness is to come from"
The hot blood rushed to his face.
"You don't trust meg' he said "You
only fling scorn at me, though | lay my
heart at your feet! Why have you avoid
ed me? Why from the first moment did
you shrink from me-refuse advice, help,
even sympathy? Are you afraid of me- r
Not In the least. l should be sorry
for you If thought you were not swayed
by emotion. and-well, q kind of folly.
Take my advice. Possibly you are doing
generous thing, but I'd rather not take
the risk. You will be grateful to me-"
He made step towards her as if he
would have caught her in his arms and
compelled some other answer; but, with a
swift movement, she threw open the door
to an inner room, and he heard it locked.
How could he hear the anguished cry of
her heart
What have done? How could l
know he would love me like that? But
its too late now. And how could l tell
himt'
He went homo and flung himself into
his neglected work--there was always
that TO fall back on. AS for Monica, he
scarcely knew whether he wanted to cast
her out of his life or keen her there for
ever. His mother looked. and Iavished
ON INN a deepened tenderness, but she
said nothing.
CHAPTER III.
IN THE COUNTRY.
Monica changed her name, and got a
poorly-paid situation in a rather dingy
city typeWrlting Office She went back
wards and forwards, in a dull round for
bread, and wondered who worked for
Ernest Essington now, and tried not to
remember so keenly those happy, golden
hours in his house. She heard of him.
read OF him, saw his new stories at a
public library, and fancied she traced a
new tone in them.
Ernest, working by fits and starts
now in a fever of energy, now with
Ianguid interest-wondered how Monica
was living; he came out of his hard
thoughts of her, his throbbing pain. with
that question. And then he grew rest
sess, and the love he had tried to put
from him took deeper hold, and burned
into his life, and wasted it. Then his
prain tagged, and the, mother love he
had treasured seemed losing its power.
1t did not so0the the gnawing pain he
carried day and night.
You work too hard his mother said.
must work harder if | don't want to
go pack" he answered rather YEARLY.
Aou OlSuI 10 nave d ETHCSL-
Then you will be yourself again. Come.
think of it. my boy--you are getting
quite tagged and i'll. Suppose we go to
that charming old village your friend
Temple was talking about the other
evening" perfect haven of rest. You
viii get fresh inspiration there
He smiled family, but shook his head.
You think it is no use" she said.
My dear, you are surely not fretting
over that unfortunate typist girl: l
ton"
When forget to breathe-when ]
forget to tell the day from the night.
said Essington, getting up abruptly. Il
know as well as you do what fool L
anl-'
Nay, did not say that"
Well l nm, whether you meant it or
no. But I'll go away-anywhere you
like. | suppose I can get over Il folly
with time"
That's well spoken. dearest. 1t
breaks my heart to see you falling
The village in question was not more
than twenty miles from London. but as
old 49, 4 8 -