Evening journal., 1904-07-23

yes said johns motner, a scorn
creeping over her handsome face. which
was the counterpart of her sons. Il
cannot imagine why you want to know.
But John Is finely established in New
York. We have many friends and rela-
tivcs there, and he is very happy"
ooh. no. now breathed the girl, tears
streaming slowly down her face.
$50 he writes,' pursued the mother
mcrcilessly.
"Ten him." Brenda said presently.
with an her couragc-"tcll him that
-glad-that he is happy" Then
her crushed pride gave great recoil,
and without intending the words or
fairly knowing that she was uttering
them she added, Tell him that IL am
going TO be married"
Somehow she emerged from the house
and made her way home. She felt that
everything was gone, and IL did not
make any difference now what became
Of her She might as well please her
father and mother and do what she
could 70 make their lives easier She
broke into the quiet living room at
home as though she were crazy.
Mother" she said. you may tell
Martin Mears that l win marry him."
"When| nsped the startled mother.
Tomorrow And it was done.
Five years passed, aud Brenda was
the mother of two children They
were girls with al of her blond beau
ty Martin had been a devoted hus-
band lie had put Brenda's brother
Digby in the way Of earning well, and
an the comfort which the family had
anticipated from the marriage had been
realized
one day Brenda was in her store
room, when in moving a small box OF
her husbands, which he always kept
locked. it fell to the floor The lock
broke, and a package of unopened let
ters dropped out Brenda's blood froze
i'm her veins as she looked at them.
They were addressed TO her in the
handwriting of John Masters She
tore them open feyerishy and read
thom-lctters full Of love at first, of ag-
onlzed doubt and fear later. then of
despair one letter had been written
after her marriage "Oh, how could
you leave me, my darlingY Could you
not wait for me? Have l not done all
that / could for you? You have strip
ped life forever of all brightness for
me. Oh, If could only know what has
come between u.s."
She wept in great gusts Of passion as
she read on And her husband had
kept these letters from her. She hated
him.
When he came TO his dinner the let
tcrs lay beside his plate. lie recog-
nizod them instantly. one of the chill
dren was taking its MONDAY nap He
sent the other to be fed by the negro
woman i'm the kitchen. Brenda was sit
ting in her place colorless and her eyes
fixed ON him and burning with re-
proach Ike gazcd at her moment
Then he dropped upon the floor and
groycled at her feet, ana she spoke for
the first time.
"IIow could you Martin; how could
youT
ooh, know It wasn't right, Brendar'
he said hoarsoly. but loved you so! You
don't know how ] loved you! Nobody
ever loved anybody So had to have
you, and so | got Digby TO get the let
ters, and paid him not to LET you have
them. Oh Il wasn't right But It was
the only way that I saw TO get you.
And haven't | been good 10 you. Bren-
da? Haven't l done everything for
youw
She rose and left him. His touch
seemed TO poison her.
A week followed of horrible. silent
suffering for them both Then came a
scene which she had pictured TO herself
for many years. Even since her mar
riage she could not help sometimes i'm
nginng it, though she had tried TO he a
good and faithful wife to the one who
as she now knew. had robbed her of the
only man whom she had ever loved
John Masters came back TO Bermuda.
She knew nothing of it until he ap-
peared before her. though her husband
/ had piloted i'm the steamer which had
/ brought the exile into harbor on the
previous day and had seen him among
/ the passengers He came to Brenda's 3
home in the sweet twilight Of a May
evening. She was playing with her
children under the blooming oleanders.
lie entered the gate almost like an
old man, though he was scarcely thir-
ty. His face was strongly marked and
his hair was streaked with gray. She
had grown more beautiful than ever
with motherhood. He turned pale as
she came forward and took his hand.
There We're no formaliues between
them. She spoke as though they had
been parted only a short time
4 Il never got your letters until last
week John" she said simply. 81 am
married, as you know These are my
/. children, but ! married I'm fit OF
wounded pride and despair because ]
!. N8I