The Grit-advocate., 1904-11-11
lICHARD TREGONNING

IA home-had left his wife in
{S& ri wrath and indignation, and
had vowed that he would
Aevermorc see her. True, he had made
provision for ner future. and believed
he was oppressed with a haunting
sense that his conduct had really been
marked by reconsideration, was mis-
taken, was petulcnt and overheariug.
Grace had only married him for the
sake of her child. This was the height
Of her oifcnse. But had he rot known
this at the time? She had accepted
him gravely, kindly, gratefully-that
was all.
Grace! AS her name rose to his lips
memories OF his wife presented them
selves to his mind-memories of a
matronhood-that wrung him now to
tenser emotion.
How wistfu she looked in those days
of her irl-widowhood-how childishly
eedate in the garb of woe! What n
wealth Of affection she had bestowed
upon the child of Harry Sylvester, his
one heritage to her! How sympathetic
to him she had been in the few months
of their marriage-how chcery in his
joys, how solicitous in his troubles.
A groan escaped the man as he wan
dered aimlessly up and down the long
= lane. He had vowed to leave the coun-
try; and here, after but weeks mis-
cry in the metropolis, he was in the
very neighborhood of her fathers
quainty-gabled old house, whence he
had taken her.
He ought to have gone elsewhere, the
man assured himself. His visit had
but served to revive and deepen his
wretchedncss.
What had been the cause of this
quarrel?
Richard Tregonning had always
loved Grace Arthur-loved her even
when Harry Sylvester led her to the
altar. He had not then told her SO,
but when poor Harry had been in his
grave year he had told her of his
love.
He knew she lad given Harry Syl-
vester a great love, and that now he
held holy place in her memory. He
did not, in those days. dream that she
would give him the same wealth of
affection, but of late he had hungered
for it, and believed that she had yield
ed 1t to him. He had been chivalrous
in his exaction. He had not envied
her sweet. matronly pride in her boy
in HarTy's boy. Nay, he had sought
to perform Harry's part toward the
little fellow.
And now he was striding to and fro,
fnpetuous, half distraught, half hug
ging to himself the belief that he had
been cozened and deceived, and yet
half rejecting it.
Who had played the traitors part
to him and to her? Even as the mem
ories crowded in upon him this thought
would intrude itself. only to remain
unanswered.
1t had been well and insduously
done. Upon returning from his honey
moon he had received the first warn
ing Of what he now bitterly described
as "Grace's treacheryv'
e Ai's eiooC ARMY AlouS eplSlleS Iu-
dressed to him at his office had con-
tained little more than gibes and
sneers-had dubbed him little more
than an infatuated fool. But each
gibe and each sneer had also warned
him that the day of disillusion was
near.
He had at first disregarded these ma
Hgnant letters-he had kept them care
fully from Grace. Why should he
trouble her? Besides, he did not be-
heve them. He had even laughed at
the futillty of her enemies.
But at last their very persistence had
made an impression upon him. They
had become more definite in their char
acter. They spoke Of Grace Sylvester
having he'd other suitors. They limited
at passages between her and Malcolm
Barrett. They suggested that he was
accepted because he possessed money,
and thus could give her hoy q better
nome and 4 more expensive training
than Malcolm Barrett.
Unconsciously the man became
brusque in his manner at home. He
sometimes sat silently glowering at the
\ fire for hours. At times he would
avoid seeing his sterson for days. Once
he would prattls with him for m en-.