The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1904-09-17

l
that he must have had pretty bad time
| Of It In this world. Married young
| too young, l reckon, as lots Of US do
and his pretty young wife Chats what
he called her) led him regular dogs
life, % 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 to
thinking that perhaps. after all. she had
not been entirely to blame; tried to ex-
tenuate neutrality-suspicious. &C
lions of hers and all that. but"
The woman was so close now that the
warm breath coming quickly through
her parted lips famed his cheek. Her
eyes sparkled strangely from their pail
| 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"
"She may have acted unwisely-even
foolishly," Mrs. Drexel suggested, with
a sudden revelation of feeling. andre
pented. She may not have been alto
gether-hopeless."
Allison shook his head. women OF
her stripe don't change" he observed.
with conviction.
Mrs. Drexel stared at him mutely for
the half of a minute. you believe
thaf?' she asked. slowly, the light dying
her eyes curiously. 1T Is really re-
freshing," she went on, in little burst
Of bitterness, ito hear mems opinions
on the sex, sometimes"
Il happen, think, to know women
pretty WELL" returned Allison. with O
slight uplifting of his brows, "and
know that kind better than any"
so 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 go 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
swift gesture Of dissent. For Heav-
ems sake, let's not fall into platitudes
to back up our arguments" che cut In,
shortly. After second she laughed
In q 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 q word.
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 III" He reached forth again.
and tried to take her hand. but she flung
on 4is touch sharply and buried her face
In her hands.
After little she looked up, white and
moveless as statue. but with all fur
tber TRACES a. emotion vanished from her
sace sTs ne dead--nov,n she ssked
co,dlv.
AIi,son sfared A her IN sudAen alarm
'I'm sorry l ever told you of that A.
fair" he broke ont, In self-vexatioD.
Had dreamed that you would take II
20 to heart"
sIs he dead ,. she reiterated calmIv
.T4a died vhile was WIN him.
Mrs nrexel drew 81 her bresth v,th /.
,crv cu,vsrirg ss,h Au.r . s.ccr ~
ss,e,ce .he drew ~. zinc src,s 80 a,
.sr ma hsld u ons !. Mn ~ -. - -.
v,ss . che e.,d amy
ssMflicenti"
ssv.. :. !. ,,,.. a.. ...-,A,.. x
learned only vssterdav thai ~ vos st;,,
alive several ve.rs aco No. -
tbo,vht hadLreJ,.h,. 1nsorn.t,c. -
his desth sent for VIM III. wcr-,r :.
that Y0{Uhf Ia the first hYomk 40