The Starkville news. (Starkville, Miss.) 1902-1960, 1903-06-05
traction that had drawn the two to.

gether was now sprung into fierce life.
There was only wild, insatiate desire
to escape from the desperate monot-
ony of her everyday life. To one Of
her temperament. she argued a great
devotion was necessary; not the slav-
ish devotion of bungling husband,
but the consuming love of a nature in
affinity with her own!
When Disbrowe came home the fol-
lowing night the house was in total
darkness. He entered with a dull fore
boding pressing like physical burden
against his heart. He sat down wear
lily to rest, all capacity for thought
seeming to have gone from his over
charged brain. Presently he turned
absently to take up the evening paper.
AS he did so his keen eye singled out
a folded sheet of note paper on the
reading table. There was no address;
he raised it slowly with hands that
shook beyond his control and read:
my Darling: l am compelled to be
| away from home this evening, much to
my regret Forgive what must have
seemed like neglect for the past few
days and believe me, always,
Your loving Violet
When he had finished reading the
note Disbrowe glanced hastily about
him; then with sudden impulse of un.
speakable Joy he lifted the precious
bit of paper and held it fervently to
his lips. After all then he had been
but a blind, unreasoning fool. He
l.. l.. e .
part he had acted, resolving to make
atonement in a thousand different
ways as long as he lived. For an hour
he did not move, unutterably glad Of
life; unuttcrably relieved, which was
more.
Presently the front door opened and
closed softly. He slipped noiselessly
into the corridor and siezed his wife's
hands in his, devouring her face with
his eyes. Dear" he said tremulously,
81 found your note and I've counted the
hours until your return. IL have been
brute to YOU Violet; say that. you
forgive mel
She stared at him,incredulously for
an instant, then swift comprehension
swept over her. He had read the note
she had left for Jack Wetherell. There
was a momentary feeling of terror,
then a sensation of fierce resentment,
followed by one of quick reyulsion.
Her own wrongdong flashed before
her in vivid contrast to this mans
trust At the seeming evidence of one
frail fragment of affection on her part
he had counted as naught all the
sights, neglect, even sneers that had
been heaped upon him for another and
in that others presence.
For a long time she was silent, q
great thankfulness in her heart for
the salvation that had come to her in
time Presently she lifted her hand
and laid it gently on her husbands
head. noticing now for the first time,
the stipples of silver that lay thick
among the heavy masses of hair.
SIT is / who should ask forgiveness,
dear" she whispered. Her lips quiv-
cred painfully and pleading LOOK
came into the blue eyes.
Disbrowe laid one of his big hands
on her brown curls and laughed away
her seriousness. He patted her softly
on the cheek and STOPPING whispered
something in her ear.
She looked at him with startled ex-
clamation. And you did not tell me-"
she cried eproachfully. 80 you are
the wonderful 'incognito,' the rising
star on the literary horizon! Oh,
Dick, have married a great man and
I am just little fool"
Opinions differ" he replied, smiling.