Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-04-23
Continued.

looking at you, at everything, through
a veil But the last few days that has
passed off, and l see things. l see that
you are unhappy. Oh, don't tell me
you are not, for | know. If you have
ever been so unhappy as l have you
can always tell. Well, and | am so
sorry, I can't help thinking it would
do you good if you knew how sorry
am. For | see that you would never
have chosen that things should be as
they are between us. It's not pos
sible Nobody chooses to live miser-
ably, and when you used to come and
see me at Kensington, and rest your
head upon my shoulder and look into
my eyes, and implOre me to marry you
soon, soon, you never meant to make
age miserable then"
whats the good Of looking back?
Marriages are just as often failures as
not, with nobody to blame. I'm not
blaming you. Only for goodness
sake don't be sentimental Marriage
is like tOothache When you are
once in for it there you are, and it's
got to be borne"
But, Ned, there's always a best or
worst to be made of it, and we're
not making the best-nOw, are WEI"
81 don't see my way to making any
thing better of it,
Don't you? Won't you try?"
what do you want? What do you
expect me to do?" he asked, with an
impatient movement "To spend my
evenings sitting looking at you while
you make crochet, as Uncle Hugh was
contented to do? Or to do crochet my
self"
Although he spoke roughly, he was
not yet unllind. Alma was encouraged
to answer steadily, though in the low,
pleading tones she had used through
out the interview:
II want you to look me in the face
not only when you wish to compel
me to do things but always. Then
you will presently see in my eyes
something besides fear [ want you
to speak to me as to a woman, and
not to a dog, and then presently you
will see in me more than the dumb
obedience of dog. 1 want you to eat
two meals during the day with me,
and you will presently find that a face
which is the brighter for seeing you
is sauce that goes we'll with every
thing. That is all [ want at first, Ned;
in a few weeks it will be for you to
ask more"
Ned, half turning, stole a look at
her, and he was not too insensible to
the charms of her delicate beauty,
and the sweet, modest pleading of
her face, to think that perhaps she
was right.
Twill you dine with me this even
ing?" she asked, venturing to place
one hand upon his arm. "You are
not busy today. You might easily be
home in time"
But these words made him start
violently, for they recalled him to the
facts of his nights journey and the
promise it involved. 1t cost him an
effort at first to resume his toughest,
most brutal manner, but the next mo-
ment this very fact served TO increase
MS savagery, and Almas pale face,
drawn and contorted in an instant
with the old horror, irritated him al
most to frenzy.
That's enough of this sentimental
ISM" he said, with black scowl, as
he shook her hand roughly from his
arm. you're excited, that's what it
is. This precious DR.. Armathwaite's
prescriptions don't agree with you.
I'm a better doctor than he any day.
Come here"
Alma had shrunk back, and was re-
treating towards the door. At his
imperative command, she turned
slowly with a stony face, but did not
come nearer to him. She was strug-
Cling against the power he had ex-
ercised over her for so long.
Come here!" he repeated.
She hesitated, fighting against the
benumbing force of his will for mo-
ment longer, clenChing her hands,
forcing her eyes to look down, away,
anywhere but at him, and crying out
in her heart to be delivered from the
tyranny which was tightening over
her again. But she had been in sub
lection too long and too recently for
her weak efforts to be of any avail;
against her wish. against her will,
the heavy eyelids were slowly raised,
and the long sweet brown eyes, now
wide with despair, met those of her
husband, and remained fixed. with d.
lated pupils, in a fascinated gaze
Hitherto her fall into the heavy
hypnotic sleep had been managed so
neatly by Crosmont, with such an
adroit preparation of placing her on
sofa and reading to her. that it had
been easy enough to deceive her into
doubling whether there was anything
unnatural in her slumber. But now,
for the first time he was reckless,
while she. with her faculties the keen
er for the rest and kindness of the
past fortnight, saw, dimly and stupid
ly indeed, but none the less with dog
ged certainty, that the stupor which
was coming over her like a suffocat-
ing pail, creeping up her limbs, dim
ming her sight, and forcing a crowd of
confused sights and sounds in upon
her dulled brain, was not swoon. but
was the strange undreamt-of result of
the steady gaze into hers of eyes
which seemed to grow large, lurid,
and blurred even as she looked and
felt her senses failing her.
She shivered as his hands touched