The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-05-01
The MISSING MAN ' "A. y!
CONTINUED from last Sundays News. }

fContinued from last Sundays News.)
CHAPTER XVII.-Continued
what, Constance! alone and with
no light?'
He spoke tenderly, though his words
were matter of-fact enough; but her
purpose seemed to be to Ignore every
thing like tenderness.
1T is not late, and the children are
finishing Rheir tennis game in the yard
behind the house."
He said nothing, but sank down in
a chair as if in deep thought.
"A strange gentleman called at the
house to see you to-day said Mrs.
Hamilton, after few moments.
What sort of looking man was
he?"
Not pleasant person to me. but
he seemed to know you," she answer
ed, crisply.
short, dark-haired, middle-aged
MANI"
Yes"
He came to the mill, but did not
speak of having come here
"A business acquaintance"
Yes"
Constance did not pursue the CONVEX
sation. Evidently it bore no
special interest for her, but her hus-
band 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, chow
long must this go on?"
go on? 1 do not understand you"
This wearing anxiety on my part.
this seeming indifference on yours"
Seeming" she repeated, haughtily.
Yes seeming. No woman could be
really Indifferent to the fact of her
husbands presence, as you seem to be.
Why are you so changed to me? What
have / done?'
You know best"
You distrust me?"
Have 1 ever told you so?"
NO; but 1 feel it. No one else
distrusts me, Constance All treat me
kindly but you. What is the reason?
Has any one come between us?'
who could come between us?'
II don't know, Constance" he said
rapidly, coming to her side and clasp
ing her cold hand in his. II think
understand you. I went away and did
not return when you expected me. You
thought something had happened to
me-that I was dead, perhaps. You
mourned for me truly. You had the
monument chiselled, you wore black
for me, you stored in your heart memo
ries of our past love, and as time wore
on your own true, living love died, as
it was not strange il should. Then I
came back. 1t was like one coming
from the dead to claim you. You
thought you could not resurrect your
dead love and cause it to blossom
afresh. Do not try, Constance-do not
try any more"
She looked at him wonderingly.
Let us begin afresh. Let us be mar
ried again, put the past behind us and
be happy
why put the past behind us?"
Because it will be best. You can
never love me again if you try to re-
call your old affection. Let us begin
anew, be married again, secretly, if
you will, but throw off the old bond
and begin a new life with all the shad-
ow of past distrust and suffering left
behind us. VIII you, Constance, will
You?"
His voice was low and pleading, his
hand still clasping hers. But she drew
it away.
"You talk absurdly," she said. "As
if old married people could not do bet
ter than to cover themselves with ridi-
Guile by a second wedding! Never
mention the matter to me again"
1T was for you 1 mentioned it. I
know you better than you know your
self, and say again that if you would
consent to marry me anew your olden
love would return to YOU
Say no more. I distrust you 1
feel that there is something false about
you. | have from the first"
DO you doubt my love for your"
Not that, perhaps" she said, falter-
ing, for she could not doubt it. look
ing into his face so full of loves
emotion; but 1 do not fell at ease in
your presence. What of Lenora?" she
asked, suddenly, wheeling about and
facing him again.
''Lenora,' he feebly repeated.
Yes, Lenora."
There is no Lenora."
rs she dead?"
She may be, for aught know Con-
stance, as Heaven is my witness, she
is nothing to me. Your husband has
been true to you always, in word.
thought, and deed. Look at yourself -
pointing to the mirror set between two
panels, and reaching from floor to
ceiling; do you think I could
ever forget you for any other
woman? Is there any other half so
beautiful or good in the wide world?
If there is, I never saw her"
If this passionate assertion moved