Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1904-05-13


a near a window in a fashionable
~ restaurant. waiting.
De Narville, standing at the door.
saw her. He hastened to hek holding
out his hand
Are you here alone?" he questioned,
surprised.
For the moment" she answered. 81
am expecting friend. He was to
meet me here at 81
Glancing up at giant gilt clock,
whose hands moved with annoying
slowness: 1T is not quite that yet"
she reflected, impatiently
De Narville smiled down upon her.
MAY l sit here opposite your" he
comes"
Certainly" she replied and he took
the chair
He observed her admiringly.
You are looking beautiful tonight,
Jessica," he began. How dainty your
white is, and that touch of rose in your
hat. Old-fashiened roses they are,
aren't they? On a new-fashioned wom-
an. And your little fingers glittering
with just enough diamonds, not too
many. Just enough. There are some
who make the mistake of wearing dia-
monds to the knuckles, but you, never!
Dear me! The last time l saw you,
Jessica, you were in tears"
YES" encouragingly.
"You and he had just separated 1t
was very sad. l was not surprised at
your tears. One must weep little for
any husband, worthy or unworthy. 1t
is in the nature Of woman. But l said
to myself, then, In a couple of weeks
or three she will be over it. She will
have entirely recovered And l must
say that my prophecy has been full
filled even sooner than l expected, Jes-
sica. How long has it been2 Three
weeks" After a moment employed
In rapid mental calculation, "Three
weeks! And here you are, beaming
more beautiful than l have ever seen
you, and waiting for friend
Half closing his eyes quizzically, he
bent toward her.
1T is safe to say" he whispered,
that this is not woman friend for
whom you are so impatiently watching
the hands of the clock with whom you
are to dine"
A laugh commenced at Jessica's eyes
and finishad q + har line
Hardly" she replied.
II thought not" declared De Mar
vile. "And why should it be? Why
not go out at once with your friends :?
Must you make recluse of yourself.
while he has all the enjoyment possi-
BILE? He goes where he pleases. am
certain Of that. In fact, | have seen
people who saw him dining here, there
and everywhere, with his acuuaint-
ances, man or woman, as 1t suits him"
Here he paused for an interval, in
order to observe the effect. 1t was
rather disappointing than otherwise,
Jessica sitting under fire, composed as
monument and quite as calm. He by
and by continued:
"As a matter of fact, Jessica, Won
and he were never suited, you were
never intended for one another. Some
unkind fate"
Fate, you call It," repeated Jessica.
Then, delicately defining the differ
ence: When 1t is unkind, it is fate.
When 1t is kind, 1t Is Providence. And
you call 1t fate?"
Some unkind fate" went on De
Narville stolidly, threw you together
You were too much alike in the first
place. Both of intensely nervous tenn
peraments, excitable, high-strung. II
was not In the nature of things that
you could live together longer than n
year. Indeed, many predicted sep
aration ut the end of six months. or. ot
the very least, seven. But it has been
Il year, hasn't it?"
Tonight said Jessica, softly. "is
the anniversary of our wedding.
De Narville laughed.
And here you are" presently. "co,o.
brating 1t by dining out with friend,
You are nothing, Jessica, II not Nm 70
date. You are more. You are unioue
unusual All your friends say that
They say you are quite right in making
the thing final. You are so superior 10
MIN In every way. You have wasted n
year Of your life on him."
Jessica shrugged her shoulders ever
so slightly. ... "
And what do they say of him ~ sbe
question This. That he has wasted
year of his life on mev'
De Narville frowned.
' Il don't know, am sure, what they