The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-11-14
Copyright BY Lee 8 shepard. Boston. Mass.

1 day, and left her with a warmer pres
sure of the hand than usual. But her
/ thoughts We're otherwise occupied and
| she did not notice it.
4 was struggling with a disease which
4 had lately crossed the ocean, and
Swan. coaxed into an alliance with
! Bruce's plans and theories. was in his
| turn struggling with certain written
disclosures and directions far from
/ plain or reasonable, because set down
/ when Bruce was i'll and his mind UNI
4 settled by the vagaries of illness.
/ These causes combined to prolong
matter which but for this might have
earlier found the light. perhaps. AT
all events. Bruce was sure that he was
on the right track now. Sand sought
1 to make it known to Swan, who, how
ever, was doubtful.
Thus matters stood. Constance
| swayed by a strong emotion; two men,
I by dreams of love and it's fulf1llment;
towering monument sometimes
! glistening meath the grudging winter
! sunlight, but oftener merely gleam-
ing purely, frostily white, with its full
inscription now, Vane Hamilton, and
ready for the cemetery when spring
| should open; carping, prosaic viii
lage with buying and selling and eat
ing and sleeping going on as it will to
i the end, while just outside it's limits
! civ tiAe1I VI tlAC pISScllI Ill
event was walking straight toward it
IN the person Of a tall, handsome,
l1ght-ha1red man who alghted, I'M
noticed, from the train one afternoon
in February.
He was passing by the marble estab-
llshment Of Lisle & Allen when Mr..
Allen was In the act of courteously
opening the door for lady to pass out,
and saying:
II am glad 1t pleases you, Mrs.
Hamilton"
Yes. it pleases me very WELL" said
! the lady, in a, sweetly modulated
voice.
The gentleman In the street had
! stopped and was staring past them
! both at the cleaning. marble at which
they were looking. A curious,
slightly humorous glance, followed by
a graver one. came into his face as he
noticed the black-clad woman. A
slight hesitation was manifest in his
manner. He took a step forward and
then halted. The marble cutter was
looking at him now curiously, and
the lady's glance followed his for an
instant. Then a shrek was wrung
from her white lips and her voice rang
out in the void cry: "Vane Hamilton,
my husband and she fell, or would
have done so if Mr.. Allen had not lot
! caught her and placed her in large
armchair. And still he stood there.
tho terribly moved, as could be plain
ly seen, until Mr.. Allen, whose mind
grasped the situation, said as quietly
as he could, Your wife has tainted,
that gentleman
the name on the monument rather
than to his wife's face.
Your wife thought by your long alb
sence that you were dead, and this
was to have been erected in the
spring, explained Mr.. Allen.
was unavoidable, replied Mr.. Ham
ilton, briefly, and then he looked fully
at MS wife. for the first time since
entering, But he did not now ap-
proach her. Instead, he suffered his
gaze to rest on the beautifully chiselled
race as white as his own monument
the gracious curves of her tall, slen-
der form, the white hand fallen to the
moor, until 1t travelled the whole dis
lance of womanly charms It was an
intent, intense, adoring gaze, like that
OF lover rather than the masterful
one of a husband. -"
The man looking at him wondered .
put ne d1d not know Mr.. Hamilton, so
he wondered less. Presently. how
ever, as a culver went thru her eve
lbs, her husband dropped on his knees
beside her and clasped her hand in one
Of his but timidly. the watcher
thought, and said in a low, hesitatins
voice:
Constance, my wife!"
And she opened her eyes and looked
at him, vaguely at first, then with q
: questioning. half-frightened manner.
The man gazed into her face as ii
ne would drink his fill Of its swee'
ltneaments. There was no doubt ~
his feelings for her. thought the mar
who stood watching him, and yet, he
recollected. he had thought the hus.
panos manner colder at the outse
than the Wife's. Now 1t was the re.
verse. The eager gaze did not seen
to please her, and she drew away he,
hand.
There is much to explain" she said
grayely, for she was now quite recoy.
cred. -
. You are right. Constance, and thi.
glanced at the monument.
Casual as was the look, 1t brough,
the color to her face, and she arose
and drew down her veil.
My wife was premature" he said
to Mr.. Allen. 1--WE. will make 1t right
, with you
"Oh, yes. certainly. Glad to know
there is no use for it,
Mr.. Hamilton and his wife passed
out together up the street to theil
. home, both silent, both evidently con.
, strained by deep emotions of which
: they did not speak the one to The
other till they reached the Hamilton
> grounds.
Mr.. Hamilton held open the gate
, for his wife to enter, and it reacted
, with a bang that made her heart star
nervously.
You are not WELL" said her nus
, band, and no wonder
mo, I am not well, and, as 70,
say, it is no wonder
They were soon at the door. ant
they entered the house together, bu
: Constance with a hesitating step. Fl
, nally as they stood side by side in thu
sitting room, she whirled suddenl,
about and cried historically:
Why did you leave me? Why die
| you leave me?"
| abandonment, and he took a ste1
nearer, as If he would have taken he1
. into his arms. But he refrained
whether from something he saw il
her face, or other cause was not ap.
: parent. Instead, he took her hand
and carried it to his lips, as he said:
Constance, can you believe I would
/ leave you willingly? BY heavens! yot
| are the most beautiful woman I eyel
J saw" walking away from her in grea,
> agitation. But you are tired. Your
uncle will be here tonight. I vii
} explain all then. Meanwhile you mus
d rest. Go to your room and I will si1
, here "a
, She looked at him gratefully. Their
, as If a sudden recollection seized her
she murmured something about the
, children.
!, yes, they will be home from schoo