The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-05-27
HIS
MAGNANIMITY
By NELLIE cRAvEY GILMORE
(oopyrisht. issS. by Daily story Pub. Col

IT CERTAINLY seemed a very long
j distance to the branch. and the
night was very black-a veritable ink
blot over the face Of the earth
Several different times Constantine
paused. hesitated. started to go back:
thsn finally pursued her way in trepi-
dation- The excitement which had
buoyed her up since morning threat
ened to ooze suddenly In a burst Of
nervous tears. Still. she persevered.
When but few yards from the tryst.
she sat down weakly on the edge of q
stump and fumbled fretfully amopg
the laces at her bosom for the hidden
paper. She drew II out with unsteady
fingers. and as best she could. by the
pale road-light in the distance.
giimpsed for the hundredth time the
words written inside:
IF possible. meet me at the branch
tonight at nine. Must. see you.
&C"
The writing was a scrawling disguise.
but to Constantine a solution was not
the most difficult thing In the world.
Her husbands open admiration Of Cary
Fleming: their habitual absence from
the house together; lastly. the palpable
unease that had marked the actions of
both through the whole Of the past day
well, that much was sufficient, per
Sc.
She consulted her watch and found
that there still remained ten minutes
haS he dro
horribly; a thousand curious noises
made her start and tremble, while in
Vulnerable grotesque shadows danced
eerie-like In and about the thick
shrubbed woods
Finally, she Strengthened herself
tucked the slip OF paper hastily in her
belt and rose. picking her way eau
tiously through the bushes to the shell
ter OF o dense clump Of trees that stood
q little back from the branch.
She had not long TO walt. A moment
only. and she recognized the quick
swinging stride that couid not belong
to anyone in the world but her hus.
band She shrank back involutarily
overcome by a wild sense Of terror lest
he should discover her there In the
role OF eavesdropper: lest-but no
She strained her eyes tensely through
the dark. but no Cary Fleming wal
there. Surely She shifted her posi-
ton q trifie. her foot faltered uncer
tainly. then came down with an omi
nous crash on a heap OF dead twigs.
silence OF fearful eonstraint followed
Constantine grew rigid. She turnet
| with a sudden mad desire to escape
however. wherever But q strong arm
intercepted her.
so Il is you,"
Eyes. T." She faced him coldly.
81 thought as much: saw you leav,
the house. and-I followed you here.
Constantine flushed furiously unde
cover OF the darkness. Her hand wen
to her belt In a gesture of swift indig
nation. The paper was gone.
This. then. is the meaning Of Il all.
He thrust the folded bit of paper TO
ward her.
Il lost IT," she said. dazedly.
And LUCKILY no one else-foun,
Il. down there" He pointed sternl,
toward the stump on which she ha,
sat.
But tit isn't mine." she insisted
trying to extricate herself from hi
grasp.
Don't" he commanded harshly
you are to come home-now. and wit
me. Whatever Is to be said can be sal
afterwards" He looked down at he
with wrath-black eyes. His face Dor
a white, set look
Constantine was shaking like leat
Oh. what a fool she had been; what
consummate. unthinking fool Eve
supposing he were guilty. and perhaps
after all. hewas not. but even supposin
he were. she might have knowp this
the woman-the wife-must inevitabl
suffer the brunt in the case OF deteS
tion.
! Perhaps. after all. he was not guilty
The words recurred again and agai
to her bewildered brain as they trudge
in silence through the black dark an
brambles.