The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1903-01-20

Within the room all was sofrness. high
and color-it was not Dse the Chambe
Of Death. She lay 50 easily. As II SO
we're sleeping, on the couch. with IL
lights shining warmly on her and ol
the wealth OF red roses that lay al
around her. There were no whit
overs in The room-none Of the Con
finental embiems OF death These wer
the flowers shF had loved and she ha'
been 80 soft 50 warm and sweet. an'
yet. Wlthal 50 passionate. that these
with their richness OF color. their vel
Fety hearts. and their wealth Of per
fume. seemed the only flowers 10 plac'
around her.
This was the end Of their love-idyllr-
that through four years had retalnel
ali its freshness and poetry. He darel
not think OF the loYeless years be hat
wasted before they met-of the long
cold. weary stretch that lay before him
with the icy propriety Of his wife in.
stead Of the others clinging compan.
ionship. He sat down by her side an
took out a packet Of her letters. turn
ing them over and reading the words
that came uppermOst, and that WerE
ike stray sentences from the lips curv-
ed so peacefully there before him
Dear Heart, I am SO lonely-twa
whole days since ! saw you-i [ Is q
week thrown away. Oh. Dear Heart
come soon"
Your photo IS frowning. dear Love
because l have been naughty But
viii never be naughty any more-there
| have kissed il and promised il, ana II
Is smiling again-and 80 goodnight
dear goodnight"
What happened before we met,
Sweetheart 1 do not know for / did
not live before knew you. Now live
always. and as SO glad to be alive. be-
cause il means that l am here TO love
you and Tor you to love. look In the
glass every day 10 see II am as pretty
As ever-only FOR you. Sweetheart
only for you. l love my eyes-they
grow 50 soft when l think Of you. ana
the lashes come close together-as 4
know you like to see them ] love my
mouth. too-f0r when ! think OF you Il
looks as il it wanted to be kissed. You
sec, / love the Me that you know ana
love Would you love the other Me.
wonder? All, Sweetheart no one but
cd wand knows the other Me--and /
often wish that He were not in the
secret"
Il must write today. dear. though
only saw you last night how horrid OF
you TO he SO far away when there Is a
little bird in me singing all day-songs
80 foolish and happy that II is a shame
! must hear them alone"
The papers rlstled softly. and q big
heavy-hearted rose fell to the grounn.
But another sound made Carmichael
turn and spring 10 his feet, with some
thing between a cry and an aath-for
bis wife stood in the doorway.
She came forward as composed as
ever and made a slight, disdainful ges-
ture to deprecate his anger
Don't distress yourself she said
quietly. Il have not come here to make
& scene. You know hate Il worse
than anything. II | had not done 50,
do you suppose this pretty love-story
would have gone on uninterrupted fer
four years7"
"You--you knew2s he stsmmered.
"Of course knew II was pretty
little aaffir while It lasted-it's a pity
Death spoilt the story. wasn't It; Just
at the most interesting chapter, toog
She spoke in a musing tone, as though
the subject lay far outside her active
personal interest
"Lucyl for Gods sake-stopl" But
she went on. unheeding-
II learned the story from a man
whom she Drofessed to love. He was
complimentary enough to prefer me-
and. to win my favor, brought me the
whole tale. ! wasn't pleased--it was
rather a cad's trick. I think. You
showed yourself far more OF gentle.
man, for you were courteous and kind
to me, and the world thought you
| faithful--for that ! must give you
thanks"
She paused. Carmichael had sunk
into chair and his facet was bidder
IN his hands. She looked at him long
almost pityingly.
Il did not think" she went on, that
Death would take from me the full
sweetness OF my triumph wanted ii
all-every bit Of it-for I loved you
Harry, and 1t was bitter to think she
took you from me. But l brought yog
1 her letters to him--the other man.
thought that here, beside her, you
might like to read them-and compare
them with yours
She laid them on the table beside hin
anu tututu d"o]s ao ehAdh " htf
/ feet.
Its a lle-a cursed lie. Lucy! Some
one has forged them-she never loved
anyone but me-"
Lucy Carmichael drew her long cloal
round her.
Probably not" ahe said. calmly
''but her letters had war Of counter.
feiting that might have imposed or
anyone less confident than you. But
remember, Harry, when your read them
don't blame her, You were faithless tc
me, and do not reproach you--do moi
cry out II you find that you were treat.
ed as / have been"
She turned and left him, and mechan.
ically he picked up the letters and
looked at them, turning them restlessl5
in his hands, and reading the sentences
before him.
Sweetheart why do you not come tc
Gee me9 ! only count the days when
you are here-one day week is SO lit.
tie to live--I grow old waiting for my
day Of life, Sweetheart
Yes. am just as pretty as ever.
have looked in the glass 70 assure my
self Of the fact, and am glad, becaus
/ want you to love me-oh. ever *
much."
Carmichael crushed the letters an
flung them on the floor. Then he wen
out Of the room without a glance al
where lay she whom he had loved 81
well. But She had been faithless; ans