The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1903-01-16
Max shook his head and looked

no longer love Hope. Don't Try 10
hide it. Tell me the truth. and let's
face the situation"
.How-did-you know" asked
Max, in a stupefed way. "Ah," he
added, desperately; what am 1 to
do? The situation is hopeless"
Nothing OF the Sort" said Miss
Terry, with vigor. what if you have
ceased tc love your wife? You have
! still yonr life to live and she has
hers. They must be lived apart,
that's all. Tell Hope the truth"
TELL her?" gasped Max, and added,
| with sorrow, "Oh, no, I couldn't hurt
her so. She loves me. 1 couldn't be
such a brute"
ooh, don't be sc considerate, Max.
| You are not the only one who has
been dreaming and is now awake.
Hope does not love you. That's why
she went away, by my advice"
Max left soon after this bombshell,
his eyes a little thoughtful and awe
struck, and Miss Terry looked hard
| at herself in the mirror.
"Was I wiser" she asked. eyes.
| His self-sufiiciency was awful. Now
! for the next move"
This meant sending a letter to
Hope which ended with these words:
So you need not hesitate longer in tell
ing him the truth. He will be glad to
hear it. How good 1t is that neither of
you will suffer. since both are so abso-
lutely Indifferent.
For two weeks there was silence
on the part of the Ponsonbys. When
Miss Terry could stand the suspense
no longer she took the train to Ford
ham, and in the lemon-colored twi-
light glitter entered the Manor gar
den. She had not gone far along
the twisting path before her name
was called, and, turning, she saw
Hope leaning on the rim of a large
fountain.
But was it Hope? The white cloak,
made like a monks robe, could not
hide her fragility, and in the eerie
light her face was worn, her eyes
spiritual and sad.
"Why haven't you written?" re-
preached Miss Terry, as they sat
near the fountain.
II could not. Besides, there
seemed nothing to say"
you've been ILL.,"
"Not exactly-but nothing inter-
ests me I don't sleep at all, and
hate to eat. Lies such a bother,
isn't it?"
"Tell me about Max. Have you
come to an understandings"
Hopes face was hidden by the big
hood. There was a pause.
"We have written-We are-soon-
soon to part"
"Well, that's all right. AS long as
you understand each other and
neither would have it different" said
Miss Terry. cheerily, "why, you'll
both rejoice in your independence
again. Won't you?"
Silence.
IF only all matrimonial mistakes
could be SO easily remedied-' she
began, but was stopped by Hope ris-
ing and frantically pushing back her
hood.
81 can't listen-I can't! It's false.
I do-do love him. I was mistaken.
MY heart is breaking. He'll be glad
he has said so-he made no mis-
take-but I-oh, if I could die and
end it all" and she sank at Miss
Terry's knees, sobbing passionately.
Miss Terry was not so surprised as
might have been expected.
IF you could but see him, per-
haps-"
'see him?" and Hope, her face
proud and stony through her tears,
stood up. 'I'l never see him again.
He'll go his Indifferent way thinking
me just as Indifferent, and if you
betray me, even by a hint, Dora, u
friendship is at an end. Max and-I
r parted forever. I would not
move a hairs breadth to win him
back"
There was no sleep for Miss Terry
that night. At IL o'clock she was
making tea, determined to read and
reflect till dawn. Toward midnight
she laid down "Pere Goriot" and
leaned forward in the East Indian
chair, listening intently. It seemed
as if some one had knocked family
on the door.
She went brusquely over and flung
it open. Max was outside, his yer
coat hanging open and showing his
evening clothes; his eyes haggard,
his hair damp with night dews.
you'll think me mad" he said, as
she grasped his hand and pulled him
vigorously in. 81 saw your light in
the window-I'd been walking in the
payk'
.But it's misting-and that cough
is the result"
She looked concerned, but. could
have struck her plump hands to-
gether for joy. Besides the illness
and misery in his face she saw what
she longed to see-aching, hopeless
human love!
Il couldn't help coming. Give me
some of your cheerful philosophy.
Dora. Teach me how not to are.
C0mo roNrlo - r1.I ME /.