Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-28

What cause had you for to think that.
and what call had you for to care?" asked
he, angrily. It's some one else as you care
for. some one else as has all your thoughts
and your kindness And it's only playing
with me to come here, with your sugary
words and your sweet looks when-when-
when all the while you know as how you're
going to be another mans wifel'
Another mans wife!' faltered Piety,
hoarsely. ''Who-who told you that?'
Never mind who told me-" roared Nigel.
whose dulled eyes had now become ablaze,
as he leaned forward on his hands across
the table and flashed at her looks as terri
BILE in their way as the tigerish glances Of
his mother had been. Isn't 1t enough as I
know? And to what? man what's worthy
of you; man as prize you like the core
of his own heart? No; but to q Teller a.
thinks he's doing you mighty great kind
ness as you can't never do enough to pay
with his everlasting jaw about himself,
himself! No: you may think as how you'n
be happy with him, Piety, cause he's got q
house and money in the bank! But you
for you to be married to him-as well an
hell for me;''
And, suddenly breaking up. he fell for
ward on his face on the table. and sobbed
his heart out in convulsve heavings that
seemed If they would rend his being.
Piety was aghast. Was this man the man
who had just committed deed for which II
discovered his life would be the forfeitf
Surely surely it was not possible? Or had
he, drinking to drown his grief and his re-
morse, already lost all consciousness of his
crime, his peril brought thus suddenly face
to face with the older sorrow? And in tho
meantime while these thoughts chased each
other through her mind. her heart was torn
with compassion with tender pity for this
man who loved her, as no other man ever
would could do, as he lay stretched out
before her, abandoned to his misery, his
amusement his despair
With sudden impulse she drew near
to him, and laying one hand gently on his
black hair. said, in a low voice:
Nigel. 1t isn't true that I'm going to
marry John Mercer-or anybody. 1t isn't
true, / say"
The voice, the touch thrilled him In every
nerve. Starting up at once. with a strange.
lurid light in his black eyes. with chest
heaving, hands twitching, the man, half
frenzied between the liquor he bad drunk
and the passion which surged within him,
leapt off the table and sprang toward her
with a bound like that of wild animal ex-
cited to madness by pursuit.
Don't touch me and don't tell me no lies.
I can bear anything but that, anything.
For I don't want your pity nor yet your
soft words. II can't have you, you your
self, what I've loved. what I've worshiped,
why don't want for to see your face nor
to hear your voice. l don't want to,
daren't daren't."
AS he spoke he came near her with his
eyes alame. Piety, frightened, struggling
and back away from him as he approached
AS she did so. stepping backward In the
direction of the fireplace, she trod with her
injured foot upon the edge OF stool The
foot slipped OF. twisting her ankle again.
and causing her pain SO acute that cry
broke from her lips. At the same time, be-
tween the physical agony she was enduring
and the acute mental stress Of the scene
she had just gone through her senses
seemed suddenly to grow numb. and with
one little Easping sob she sank Imply to
the floor.
Go bs continued.)