The leader., 1904-08-06

All, they were humping against the
same old ice foe, but Jim determined not
to see IT.
What sort of essays?" he persisted.
Why er- ethical, principally"
How do You go about writing an es.
say, Helen?"
why, don't know. Pretty much as
anyone else does, suppose"
There was pause; them:
That's good work you've been doing
on the Meridian"
Thank you"
Jim got up desperately, and began
looking around for. his hat. He wished
with all his heart just then that 1t was
not against the rule for her to ask where
he was going, it would have been such
satisfaction to his soul to tell her he
was going in search Of some one who
wasn't clam.
AS the weeks wore to months, Jim
failed to understand that he was as
angry as hurt schoolboy over his re-
pulse. He fancied that mysterious
forces were at work within him-and
perhaps they were. That the deeper
instincts Of his nature were awakening
and crying for companionship-a cry to
which his wife could not respond. 1t
was as though he had CROPPED in the dark
for the touch Of human hand and
grasped the cold clay of dethroned idol.
He seemed to be looking forward into
long years of loneliness-the unuttera-
BILE loneliness of a mismated soul; the
conviction of failure, of incompleteness
grew upon him. The story of his life
spelled tragedy. He told himself Bit
terly that while he dreamed of affinity
he had drifted upon affectation. And
being young and vigorous, he flung out
savagely against his fate. Other men
roamed at will in their wives gardens;
he might enter only when she chose to
let down the bars. To stand waiting
without-always. This was not mar
riage-this was not even common COM
| partnership. 1t was not long before dis.
content ran up its evil seed. when
tie becomes a farce, the sooner it is
broken the better"
So it happened that while onlookers
were still commenting admiringly up-
| on the beautiful success of the experi-
ment, one of the experimenters was in
his heart face to face with the thought
/ of divorce and the other was spending
long hours with her head in her hands,
thinking. thinking. Why had it failed?
1t had been carefully planned and faith.
| fully executed. 1t looked reasonable
1t was reasonable, And yet-and yet
there was not drudge in the street that
did not get more happiness. II sup
pose happiness is not very reasonable
sort of something" she murmured, visit
fully, and rose to stand before the fire.
While she stood there, twisting the
rings on her fingers, Jim came in. He
had resolved to tell her plainly what he
thought. That this death in life was no
longer endurable.
Helen" he began, abruptly, lido you
think we get as much out of matrimony
as might be gotten?"
Helen smiled mirthlessly.
I'VE don't seem to get very much, -
she admitted.
Jim started. He had forgotten-rath-
er it had never occurred to him that she
might also be-well, disappointed. She
looked very fair standing there in the
freight, and-she was his wife. Allthe
manhood in him rallied at that thought.
\ Checked, embarrassed, he took up the
book she had been reading, and asked,
awkwardly::
"Shall read aloud?"
eff you think you will enjoy Ruslsin. %
! She dropped into chair and sunk her
cheek against her knuckles. Jim began
to read mechanically. He was playing
for time, and he knew it. If only there
was some other way. But there was
none-he knew that, too. Without an
idea of what he was reading. he fell to
marking time by pages, one more page
and yet one more, then at last-to the
bottom of this one and no more. His
hands were cold, his voice husky, but he
was conscious of it. Conscious only OF
that haunting question: why had il
failed?" Suddenly the words he was
reading rang like an answer to it in his
/ ears: 1--WE are all sunk in the sin OF
| Ananias; we want to keep back part OF
the price" He paused and read them
again with swift comprehension: eve
want to keep back part of the price"
"Helen," he said, in low, eager
voice; "Helen?"
The hand that propped her cheek had
slipped to her temple, and he could moi
see her face He leaned forward, the
/ hand that held the book dropped be-
! tween his knees, while his other hand
clenched hard on the arm of the chair,
Helen" he repeated. Look at me-"
| She obeyed, and started up hurriedly
to lean against the mantle.
/ "Oh, know" she said, incoherently.
Jim crossed the rug and took her into
his arms with swift tenderness
"Tried to keep back part of the price
! DEAR he whispered. kissing her with
the slow, caressing kisses men keep for
women who are highly priced. Think
| of it, dear. We dared to grudge love his
sweet monopoly"
Her surrender was the surrender of a
strong woman, instant and complete.
II know" she said, again. "Oh, we
deserve death more than Ananias ever
did,
"My wife, . he told her, grayely, death
itself is not more CHASTITY than life as we
have been trying to live it. My wife!
| rrrs coon rrNrr