Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-06-02
I Loves
Awakening


Copyright isoa, BY Daily Story Pub. co.b
THE two had long sat silent. tn
/ husband holding a folded news
paper, the wife toying with . costly
fan. The light from the single lamI
hardly penetrated to the corners o.
the large room, and the fire In thu
CRATE had burned SO low that 1t wal
all but out.
YES" the wife said. "it is time 9
change took place We cannot agree
There Is no comfort for either Of Ut
here"
Z Constance Harcourt rose from her
seat, cast the fan carelessly upon the
table, took up a book that was lying
there, and left the room. o.
Arthur Harcourt did not move until
he heard footsteps in the room above;
then he reused himself and thought
over what his wife had said. His
brow was furrowed at first, his breast
heaved. Then he laughed. 1t really
was such q huge Joke. Constance go
ing to leave him! Constance going
to-. He laughed again. But his
levity was suddenly cut short. for he
heard a swish of skirts in the hall
way, and few hurried words spoken
in an undertone. A momert later
Chalmers, the butler, came into the
room, placed upon the table tray
holding bottle and q single glass,
and was about to withdraw when Har-
court asked: 4
ITO whom were you Just speak
ing?"
MRS, Harcourt, sir" he replied.
"And what was the conversation
about?"
"She asked me would I please carry
some parcels for her." said Chalmers.
"Is she dressed for the street?'
Eyes, SIR" "a
tell Mrs. Harcourt l desire to see
her at once"
Eyes. SIR" said Chalmers, leaving
the room.
Arthur Harcourt was walking up
and down when his wife entered. She
came in noiselessly, and he was not
aware of her presence until he heard
her "Well?" In a high. clear voice.
"You are carrying this farce too
'ar, Constance" he began.
you forget" she said. I'VE have
llready gone beyond the bounds Of
'arce. We have entered the realm Of
lrama."
"Be careful that the end Of 1t will |
lot be tragedy" he said coldly. where
ire you going?"
"And II refuse to answer your
luestion?"
where are you golng?" he asked
gain.
Constance said nothing II
"Are you going to your father"
Perhaps, and perhaps not"
"Say yes or no." Harcourt demand
d.
II shall do neither"
Arthur Harcourt stood still. For
ne awful moment his eyes were fierce
? upon her. Then he stretched forth
is hands to clutch at her white throat,
ut she quickly withdrew. closing the
DOR behind her and locking 1t from
he outside. Then she motioned to
halmers, and led the way to an un-
sed wing Of the large house. Here she
smoved her gloves hat and wraps.
i'd turning up the lamp, addressed
10 bewildered butler:
you are to tell no one Of my pres
nee here. When the opportunity
-esents itself bring my meals to me.
/ case cook questions you, tell her
mind what I have told her. She'll
lderstand Should my husband ask
here you went with me, tell him l
tered cab at the corner, and dis
Used you. You are positively not to
II him I am here. Do you under
and, Chalmers?"
Eyes, Mrs. Harcourt, I understand"
J replied.
For the next two or three days Ar
ur Harcourt was in q daze. He
unned his friends, acted Queerly
hen at his business, and when even
g came sat alone in the great room
at had been the scene of his last In =
rview with his wife. He could not =
Id, he could not sleep. The mem Z
ID, he could not sleep. The memory
that evening chung to him like leech. \
ere were times when Chalmers felt ex- 0
,mely sorry for his master. especial 2
when he found him sitting alone y
the evening. And It was because y
felt this way that he one night ad. q
tied Sam Truxton into Harcourt's .
ssence. Chalmers had strict orders n
state that his master was at home y
no one. On this occasion, however, u
saw at TO disobey, reasoning that =
juliet little chat with a friend would
Of great benefit to his master. n
Upon entering the room Truxton u
rted az sight Of the detected figure 81
the large armchair. Harcourt looked IN
enough in the daytime, but at
ut, in the yellow glow Of the lamp, III
looked positively CHASTITY. Va
This II never DO. Arthur" Trux. y
began. "And I'm going to be 81
nh with you. This story about your
e's being away is all bosh. She's -
Q IN the very city. She's" a.