The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-05-27
BY W. B. BARRETT.
The Wife and the Mistress.

6f w. E. BANhETI. It was so dark and stfIl In the woods that not a sound, save thescanty. ai- most noiselecsss pl1sh. of rain. sconld Dc the SuSsy. Ss T The x wcmsn @ wsS Hoidinx Sis one ne hand out to feel the dr6p6: heit ears were sharpened until even the breaking of 2 twis made her start.
 eve could hear s horses hoofs two miles of"
 The hoarse reply came from the man. The woman held the reins. and with . tightening of them she urged the horse forward. up the steep, winding noun tain road. There was silence for a mo- noisily; then she said:
 "You'u not forget that you're taking the Sname of John Whiting? 1 marked all your clothes with it this morning hanokerchiefs that were fathers with the, same initials embroidered on them;
 Her conapanion broke in with dis
 T guess the old man would rise up in his grave if he knew u. He never took much stock in me anyway"
 The woman shivered slightly. :. without %t' repiyins d to s1s Sis remark. @ anst watch. It was never used you know. Your gold. one I've put away" s' grows up. And say. Annie. are you going -to let the children knowT'
 Not more than I can help. Robert: The little ones need hardly hear of, 1t Eieanor will Nobody can keep the papers from them"
 Its rather rough on them." mutt tered the man. I'm sorry for Elean-
 "she will bear as woman knows how to do and has to do. But. oh, Rob ert. why didn't you think of that be- fersnts TSa " lived S0 my If fife, o. Fs thass all al and now I'm ready to drop out of 1t. Jackson was to blame, curse him. for winding me up so ,,,aa. soon. It was ,h;s ne mpnth: He's had his evil eye on me ail winter. Stop. will your heard
 She checked the horse.
 voss ss'h he Vha: Mh:per.d wsT sxeissaly as 1e hold the reins. if they come;. I'll jump ai d cut" But it was the scream of a distant locomotive. followed by the sound was s. .audisie in the silent woods save the soft falling rain.
 : we can't be-" the woman replied. ss9 Isa sSsn to ass tss Sess Come man sank back with . relieved sigh. : T should like ito. ask you one thing SefoTs s. s ssd s ws tens soh n sometimes feature of intense men tel pressure. How did you come ito ali this? Were you an honest man in the Beginning srss hssn yos sS in you all these many years!
 n,I1 why do yOS a' the d other Sa rs si i s ;siSss <; iors aon's' know no" I came
 T am asking as much for Bob's sake as my own. He Is much like you and voar s te%pta91nst n .ns1 st,sn may be his Tell
 What other?'-but he faltered over the interrogatiye lie. 'oh. well, if you know about her'-careiessiy-"I sup.
 it may nay hsys sssn man the csa sa ary of bank clerk. But you can't say I didn't provide for my family. Annie. Did you or the children ever want for anythingT.
 She drew in quick breath. VI
 Not for material comforts, no; you kept us we'll housed and clothed and fed. But what you took the money -S Why, if you want it in plain, terms, lows. I guess" He laughed uncom- question will be, how did I come to fancy anybody so different from you, eh? Well, I may as we'll have it out with you. I don't mean any offense. you lsnow. and l appreciate your, being find ever breathed a word against you to anybody. But you were too strict in your ideas from the start. that was the trouble. You couldn't expect a fellow to live up to 'en. By loVeii one gets enough of the serious side of life in his business without having to tackle it when he's at homo. Yes. nkow what you'll say; but it's so. II go on being a respectable fam ilv man all my life. and after I met Kate I had some diversion. You were all right enough. and you know I was affectionate you can't complain of