Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1904-09-15

unually curing MIS- ulnesS.
Mrs Drexel was sitting still and
| white in the moonlight, her breath com
ing and going in a little jerl.y way.
"Drexel, poor devil-by the way, hi
has the same name as yourself-couldnt
be any connection, could he? Well
from everything he told me, conclude
| that he must have had pretty bad time
Of it in this world. Married young
too young, I reckon, as lots of US do
and his pretty young wife Chats what
he called herr led him regular dogs
life, as the saying goes."'
Mrs. Drexel bent forward suddenly
her interest appearing to expand with
an almost absurd abruptness. "Well?'
she said, "well?"
well, when he was dying, he got tc
thinking that perhaps, af:er all, she had
not been entirely to blame; tried to ex-
tenuate certain-er-reprehensible &C.
lions of hers ant all that, but"
The woman was so close now that the
warm breath coming quickly through
her parted f:ps famed his cheek. Her
eyes sparkled strangely from their pal
lid background. But what?" she de-
manded, sharply.
I'm inclined to think, from what went
beforehand after-that she really
couldn't have been much"
1"She may have acted unwisely-even
foolishly," Mrs. Drexel suggested, with
sudden revelation of feeling, "and re-
pented. She may not have been alto
gether-hopeless." r.,-
Allison shook his head. "Women Of
her stripe don't change" he observed,
with conviction. e.
Mrs. Drexel stared at him mutely for
tue half of a minute. "You believe
that?" she asked, slowly, the light dying
her. eyes curiously. 1T is really re-
'treshing,'' she went on, in little burst
OF bitterness, Ito hear mems opinions
on the sex, sometimes"
II happen, I think, to know women
pretty WE'LL" returned Allison, with a
slight uplifting of his brows, "and l
know that kind better than any,"
80 you don't concede that women are
capable of reforming-even when there
is no actual harm to be undone-"
"Outwardly, most anyone can reform.
People may even 60 so far as to deceive
themselves in regard to their own feel
ings and actions, but your are familiar
enough with the saying about Loop
ards"
Mrs. Drexel interrupted him with a
swift gesture of dissent. For Heav-
ems sake, let's not fall into platitudes
to back up our arguments" she cut in,
shortly. After a second she laughed
in a half-mocking little fashion that
struck oddly on Allison's ears. Now,
for the first time, he noticed her emotion,
and an unnamable pang shot through
him. He bent toward her impulsively,
in the old familiar way, and tried to draw
her hands into his. But she shrank away
from him quickly and, rising, walked
to the opposite end of the veranda with
out word. So.
Allison watched her with bewildered
eyes, and after little, got up and fol-
lowed her. Dear" he said, gently,
what is it? Tell me-surely you can
tell me- Is there anything wrong-any
trouble that you are hiding from me?
Are you ill?" He reached forth again,
and tried to take her hand, but she flung
off his touch sharply and buried her face
in her hands. 49,
After little she looked up, white and
moveless as a statue, but with all fur
Their traces of emotion vanished from her
face. "Is he dead-now?"' she asked,
coldly.
Allison stared at her in sudden alarm.
"I'm sorry ever told you Of that af-
fair" he broke out, in self-vexation.
Had I dreamed that you would take it
so to heart"
us he dead?" she reiterated, calmly.
HE died while was with him."
Mrs. Drexel drew in her breath with q
long, quivering sigh. After seconds
silence, she drew the ring from her fin
ger and held it out to him. Il was his
wife," she said. DULY.
"Millicent!"
eyes, it is quite too terribly true.
learned only yesterday that he was still
alive. Several years ago I had-or
thought I Marketable information of
his death. sent for you this morning
that / might be the first to break it to
you-to-''
Allison stood as though frozen, hts
eyes fixed in a sort of dazed fascination
on the glittering bauble she had thrust
into his fingers.
But, sweetheart" he said, his voice
a little hoarse and trembling, 'I-you
don't understand. The man is dead"
The woman looked at him with dull
eyes. II know" she said.
"This thing has unnerved, unsettled
you. After awhile you will be better.
Try to remember, dear, that I saw him
dead with my own eyes. Every barrier
to our happiness is removed now. There
is no barrier, Millicent."
Mrs. Drexel stood motionless for an
instant; the next, she shook from head
to foot. half staggering as she put out
one hand to the banister rail to steady
herself.
"No barrier!" she cried. Dick! oh.
my God, you yourself have erected bar.