New-York tribune., 1903-05-10
II Pdrdonable Deception.
BN LADY GILBERT.

him not to think about money as / was a capi-
tai manager and knew how to make little go d
long way. l was exceedingly happy, knowing
all that l was able to do for him, yet / found
myself in a serious dilemma. The question was,
How could / break the news that 1 had de-
Ceived him?
I had been humored to the top of my bent in
marrying man who loved me for myself, in
ignorance that possessed a fortune. He must
he a strange man. indeed, l thought, if later on,
when the truth came to his knowledge he were
to prove diSpleased or disappointed. But the
fact remained that 1 had married him under
false pretences, and felt ashamed of it.
I felt also unwilling to hasten the inevitable
moment which should see me even in seeming
lose the enviable position of woman who has
been sought by the man she loves for love and
love alone; and so the long voyage that seemed
all too snort passed without my having s''lC
one word 10 enlighten him to the future OF
ease and luxury which had provided for hlm.
While he took his convalescent nap on deck
in the afternoons I paced up and down thlnk-
ing out my difficulty. The time was coflns
when / must have my mind made up as 10
what steps i was to take. for l had resolved
not to allow my Whlm or mistake 10 COST MN
day of less comfort than l was able 10
bestow On him. At last 1 hit on plan You
know Beatrix. She is my dearest frlend, SO
much so that she might have kept me from the
hospital experience if only she had not always
been so bent on marrying me to some one OF hef
acquaintance. l wrote to her and posted the
letter at q convenient moment TO travel by d
faster going vessel than our own. The letter
ran somewhat like this:
NV Dear Beatrix: ! am travelling to Eng
land with my husband. distinguished and
at present invalid soldier. who is under the
impression that he has married penmiess
| nurse, You can help me 10 break the truth 10
him gracefully. 1 know your husband is
spending the summer in his yacht. VIII you
take possession of my house and invite me and
my husband to spend some weeks Win you
/ shall rely on you to act we'll the hostess and
| when l see you l will tell you the sequel
The result of this stroke of genius an in
| vitation from Beatrix. which awaited US Wheh
we arrived at our hotel.
He was a little unwilling al first but 1 over
] hlt
/ We were established as the guests Of BeatrlX
! here in our own comfortable home
! of course found my way to my WARDROBE
! and IL was sweet to see my husbands surprise
when he saw me dressed for dinner had put
/ On the first pretty gown found. II happened 10
! he a white satin. and naturally it made change
| N my appearance
/ This is charming Mary he said. but, my
! dear
/ &C my old frocks in charge l said. You kno"
! am a lady
That always knew he said graveiy but
] saw by the slight cloud on his face that ne
/ feared had taste for expensive things which
ne could not give me
Us I said Beatrix at table. Max is hardly
/ ready for society yet
u guessed you would not care for a house
party at present she said, 'or else l should
have gratified some friends who are anxious to
see you
quiet happy went past 1t de-
lightful TO Max enjoy his comforts. TO hear
him admiring our surroundings of park and
/ woodland commencing the good taste OF
Beatrix in the arrangements of her house.
once l ventured to say to him. Wouldn't it
be nice if you and ] had home like this, ali
70 ourselves, every bit our own?
Don't let covet our neighborS goods,
he answered playfully.
We had been here six weeks and the time had
flown. Every morning when l arose made
half resolution to tell him the truth before that
Cav wore out, and yet somehow a nice oppor-
tunity never seemed to offer itself. Dear Bea-
trix was very patient, and knew that her sense
of hurnor enabled her to enjoy situation which
many would have thought bore. Still, she
warned me that her yachting husband would
soon be on the return wave and that her own
home would claim her AS the leaves began to
turn yellow the trees pondered my dilemma
and acknowledged that had only deepened my
difficulties by my cunning plot.
'It had come TO this that I feared nothing
except lowering myself in my husbands estima
ton by confessing that had deliberately de-
ceived him
Meanwhile I was recklessly airing variety
Of pretty frocks and even some OF the old fam
iy jewelry. Max said:
Mary you look charming in all these pretty
decorations yet sometimes l think regretfully
OF nv white coifed maiden. That was both
hard and sweet to bear. He also said:
Z begin to think you must have belonged to
people who were once exceedingly well TO do
And I fear-'
a. That 1 am one of those rich women whom
YOU dislike who left their luXuries for the hos
pitaL"
"I did not mean to say that he said, but he
hogan TO appear troubled and restless at making
so long a stay in the hOspitable house of another
7 felt that matters were coming to a Crisis, ana
vat 7 do not know how I should have acted, for