The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-18
CONTINUED FROM YESTERDAY

| that. Mrs. TaylorS hired girls sister, MIS-.
| Green, who lives next door to Mrs. Fry,
says she told Mrs. Fry herself about MI
Hamiton's return when Edes was combing
his hair by the little glass in the kitchen;
| They were so excited at first that they did
not notice him until he started to go up TO ms
room. His face was as white as a sneet,
a corpse than living man. He never came
down that night, she found out by asking
| Mrs. Fry, and the next morning When
he went to his work he looked GUNNER and
stiler than ever. Mrs Fry worships Mrs.
| Hamilton, and she laid it to bilious at
tack-said he was subject to them.
| We'll If | were you. my dear, now tnat
| Mr.. Hamilton has come back and she seems
| to be getting over her silly infatuatlon, L
would discourage all such talk in the
neighborhood.
Il do" said Mrs. Hartwell. complacent-
ly; 81 never say word myself"
"You merely listen" said her husband,
Yes: 1 can't stop my ears-it wouldn't
look WE'LL" she answered. laughing, at
which her husband laughed too.
| So lightly do the tragedies of other hVes
| affect us,
Serious, indeed. was the state of affairs
| to Constance. The relations with her nus
| band were of the most constrained order
| and her interest in Edes unabated-aug-
mented, indeed; for she knew he was miser-
able on her account, and pity was so III,
| grained in her nature that she could feel
| for his woes as though they were her own
They were her own. She had to own it,
| humiliating was the fact. The man mao
| through some occult means, and she was
! still swayed by his mysterious personality,
even now when Mr.. Hamilton was under
| the same roof with her, and trying daily
by every means in his power to win her 10
think kindly and lovingly of himself
She was sure that he knew nothing about
| the workman's interest in herself, TO say
| nothing of her own for him; but she knew
for Mrs. Fry had told her-that Primus
Edes had been deeply moved by the return
One day she CHANGED to meet him face
to face as she was going down the street
and he was returning from the mill. When
he saw her he put out his hand with an
| eloquent gesture to stop her.
"Constance-Mrs. Hamilton. has he come
| back?
Eyes, 1 suppose so.''
| He did not notice the strangeness OF her
| reply, but turned away his head with a
| groan, seemingly wrung from his very
Il thought-it seemed as if you belonged
to me-
| Belonged to you?"
Yes; my heart claimed you from the
first and now-O Godr' His form shook
with emotion and his face was convulsed.
1t is wicked; and you forget where you
are. We have talked too long already.
Good-day." and she walked hastily away,
| hoping no one had seen them.
At her words Edes suddenly stiffened
into his usual immobiity, while the hopeless
expression stole over his face again, a
look strongly at variance with the one of
eager, passionate pleading a moment be-
fore He walked slowly homeward, but
the effect of his interview did not end 1T:
1t was destined to grow and expand and
fructify.
That evening Constance CHANGED to be
standing at dusk by the sitting-room win
dow, looking out into the dim street, up
which Mr.. Hamilton walking toward
the house. Behind him, not far distant,
she saw another man, stealthily, 1t APP
| object? Was it Edes? Why should he fol-
low her husband on public thoroughfare.
| even though deserted as it was now? No
one would think of it but "A strange man
like Edes. He would certainly bring talk
upon himself. if not upon her, by his erratic
actions she told herself, all unknowing that
talk had already begun and was far adj
| vanced.
But Edes did not follow him inside the
gate. Her husband did not see him at all.
But as he came slowly up the walk to the
house Constance saw the man stop an in
slant and shake his fist threateningly in
the air. Just at that moment the electric
| lights blazed up in the lamp at the gate
| and she his face plainly 1t seemed
transformed by hate and jealousy. Her
do harm to her husband? That threaten
ing, uncouth gesture frightened her, II was
| SO instinct with unreasoning fury. With
a dull, heavy dread at her heart she turned
| paler than usual, and his manner some
what shaken.
| What, Constance. alone and with no
light?"
He spoke tenderIy. though his words
were matter-of-fact enough; but her pur-
pose seemed to be to ignore everything like
tenderness.
1T is not late, and the children are
finishing their tennis game in the yard
| behind the house"
He said nothing, but sank down in chair
| as if in deep thought.
"A strange gentleman called at the house
| to you to-day, said Mrs. Hamilton,
/, | after a few moments.
What sort of looking man was hep
| Not a pleasant person to me- but he
seemed to know you." she answered.
short. dark-haired. middle-aged MANI
| yes"
He came to the mill. but did not speak
of having come here.
"A business acquaintance"
| Eyes"
ton. Evidently it bore no special interest
| for her, but her husband sat intently
/ watching her tall, graceful figure as she
still stood by the window a moment after
| drawing the curtain across it.
Constance he said at length. how
long must this so on?'
''Co on? | do not understand you
This wearing anxiety on my part, this
seeming Indifference on yours
Seemingly" she repeated. haughtily.
| YES seeming. No woman could be real
| " Indifferent TO the fact of her husband's
| presence, as you seem TO be. Why are you
so changed TO me? What have 1 done?''
| You know best
"You distrust me?'
Have / ever told YOU SOP"
| NO: but / feel 1T. No one else distrusts
me- Constance. All treat me kindly but
| you Has any one come between us?
| who could come between US -
Il don't know. Constance. he said. rapid
| w. coming TO her side and clasFing her cold
| hand in his. Il think 1 understand YOU
| went away and did not return when you
expected me. You thought something had
| happened to me-that / was dead. perhaps
| You mourned for me truly. You had the
| monument chisseed. you wore black FOL
me YOU stored in your heart memories OF
| our past love. and time OH your
own true living love died, as il was not
strange IL should. Then | came back II
was like coming from the dead TO claim
YOU You thought you could not resurreci
YOUR dead love and cause IL TO blossom
afresh Do not try, Constance-do not Try
any more
She looked AT him wonderingly.
Let us begin afresh. Let be married
{ again, put the past behind us and bs
| happy 80
[ .syVhy put the past behind u.s."
] Because IL will be best. You can nevel