Cañon City record., 1904-01-07

ueS reasserteG themselves, ana lie set
tied down TO his daily routine I'm ig
norance of the fact that he had made
the mistake OF his life. At least that
is what everybody else considered IT,
and what the world pronounces in such
cases usually turns out to be the truth
But he Mt Inst came to notice that his
young wife was dragging her life out
in melancholy and during one of Ben
Lorton's returns from sea discovered
the cause. Going to the well for water
one dark night, he heard voices and.
supposing that some one was on his
premises who had no right to be there
listened. Hn heard his wife tell Lor-
ton that she had always loved him and
would always love him, brt that she
would always do her duty by her hus-
band
1t seemed to the husband as II his
life had suddenly shriveled and there
was nothing left for him except a hol-
low existence. He did not care to hear
any morc-indeed II he had known he
was to spy on his wife he would have
scorned 10 do so-but turned and wept
into the house. So self controlled was
he that until he was ready that his
wife should know OF his discovery she
did not even suspect It.
Birnlc kept his knowledge to him
self until he had found out all about
his having stepped In between the two
lovers: then he arranged to step out
from between them. He procured
divorce. II Myra had been his dnugh-
ter he could not have acted with more
tender care for her. II happened that
Lorton was TO sail from his ships port
In the city few days after the grant
Ing OF the decree OF divorce BfrnIe
sent Myrn from his home In his own
carriage TO the church where she was
to marry Lorton. whence she was TO 20
with him TO the city. When he said
goodby TO her at his door and saw her
driving away he watched her till she
was out of sight, then went back into
the house aud. sitting down before q
table, let his head fall on his arms
The light OF his life had gone out. II
did not matter that that light wns
mere chip OF n girl who made an idol OF
coarse sailor Nature, which ar-
ranges such matters had dccreed that
the strong Ssan should be biighted by
this weak woman. There was not n
sound In the mouse. and Blrnic did not
care to hear n sound unless II could be
once more her soft football. He thought
Of the future. the long. lonely days In
store for him. and wondered how he
could drag himself through them. But
the fullness OF his agony came when he
thought of Myrn In possession of an
other.
When Birnie started up conscious OF
his surroundings It was night. A full
moon shone directly In at his window.
fIlIng the room with Its mellow light.
The chamber door was open. and there
could he believe his senses standing
on the threshold arrayed I'm the dress
In which she had gone to her second
bridal stood Myra. A thrill Of Joy
shot through him, only to be followed
BY an abyss Of disappointment as he re-
allied that the vision must be either
4 hallucinntion or, II II were indeed
Myra. she could not be in the flesh.
Slowly, hnltingly, the figure, its out
line softened by the light that revealed
II, advanced. Birnie sat staring at II
as one In a dream. 1t was indeed
Myra. and yet he was sure II was not
Nyra. Then when near him the nppa-
rition sank at his feet and clasped his
knees.
"Myraw
There was no reply.
''Myra, I feel your warm hands. Do
you really live or il your ghost so like
yourselfw
Edgar, I have passed out Of child
hood. I am woman. It came to me
today, fortunately In time, n renliza-
ton of what I was about to do. I turn
ed from what I have pincd for. but
pine for no longer, and have come back
to you. Don't send me away. I will do
all can TO correct my mistake. though
know can never be worthy of you.-
And so It was that Edgar Birnie
when he had thought he was welded
was not welded, except Icgnlly, and
when he was not welded was welded.
The law had united him to child and
had divorced him from woman.
Myra never left Edgar Birnie's house
again. and that which had been q
dream BECAME, after all. a reality.