Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1902-06-20

he fetter his life with such useless
creature AZ ann
And Col Aylescroft, the smooth
tongned and plausible Mephlstopheles
OF the modern period. chuckled within
himself 10 see how the little rift with
III the lutte was already beginning 10
mar the household harmony or the
M9rninghams Mildred trembled in
her husbands presence. ana Ja.sis
Nottingham, sensitive to fault.
thought to himself:
fAyleseroft was right She does not
care for me as wife should care for
her husband made fatal mistake,
SO far as we are both concerned. when
| married her. Yet God Is my witness
of how deeply aud dlsinterestedly
love her.
And SO the autumn wove Its wreath
OF brilliant leaves over the last No
| vember days and the winter came.
Once or twice Col. Aylescroft spoke of
going away-but both host and hostess
urged him to remain.
You are u companion for my hus
band" said Mrs. Mornlngham, sadly.
He would be lonely indeed without
you"
You break up the monOtony of our
home circle said Nottingham him
self. with forced laugh. Mildred
would be bored to death II she had
only her grim old husband to talk
to-"
So Aylescroft stayed-and day by
day Mildreds step grew more listless,
and the cloud darkened on Jarvis
Morningham's brow.
Something was wrong-and neither
of them knew what 1t was
Perhaps" Mildred told herself In
the long hours Of solitude that dragged
so heavily over her head, Il had bet
ter return to my aunt and uncle. He
has ceased to care longer for me-nor
Is 1t strange. | am no mate for him,
intellectually and morally"
III she really does not love me-
Nottingham thought. ut would be
kinder TO leave her-to let her compre-
hend that she Is not necessarily tied
to my society through existence. Yet
life without her would be but a
wretched blank to me-"
Jarvis Nottingham had been absent
from home two or three days. and 1t
was evening when he returned, some
what earlier than he had anticipated.
1T would be an agreeable surprise to
some wives" he said, with heavy
sigh. But Mildred is cold and pas
sionless as marble"
The lamps were not yet lighted In
the hall. and he passed on to the IL
brary, where low. ruddy fire cleaned
Oh the walls, casting uncertain shad-
ows in the dusky corners Of the room,
and whence the sound Of voices pro-
ceeded. But he stopped short the
blood In his veins congealed to Ice, as
he heard what Col Aylescroft was say
ing.
Il have loved you, dearest Mildred,
ever since | first saw you. l am not
like that statue of ice who calls him
self your husband. | will give you q
home In luxury on the blue Italian
lakes, or beside the everglades of Flor
ida and such love as Will teach you to
comprehend the true meaning of the
word, If only you Will consent to fly
with me- He does not love you. He
never cared for you.
Pale and breathless, and holding to
the balustrades for support. Jarvis
Nottingham waited TO hear what re-
ply Mildred would make. and she an
swered at last:
How dare you utter such words to
me? How dare you prove thus faith
less TO friend as far above you as the
stars OF heaven are above the feeble
glow worm in the swamps? He may
not love me: lie may not care for me
but. none the less do | love and cher
ish him. am true wife In the sight
OF God and man. and yet you pre-
sumo 10 utter such words to me. Leave
me. and never dare again to enter my
presence"
And as Aylescroft covered beneath
the scathing contempt of her utter
|
absent stood before him with passion
white face and eyes literally blazing
with anger.
do you hear" he shouted. Leave
this house before passion SO far over
masters me that cannot trust my
own words and actions"
And. paralyzcd with terror at the
face of Jarvis Nottingham, the false
friend made the best Of his way out
Of the mansion which had for so long
i been his home.
Mildred, my darling" the husband
exclaimed, casping his wife TO his
heart. then you did love me. after
ALL"
And you," she sobbed, dearest hus
band, that man made me believe 70,
despised ME, because | was but al
, ordinary. ignorant girl"
'"Despise you. my dear one. You