The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1904-02-27

unapproachable woman. awakene
the lurking devil within him. A
first Lillian had smiled to herself
HE is a firt I suppose, she mur
INJURED to herself. II never firted il
my life, and I must have missed
great DEAL" she mused as the pleas
urable sensation again crept over he
at the remembrance of those daring
eyes.
"A poor way to repay Jackson,
Edwin's conscience whispered
Hang it all, he is too absorbed il
his work to appreciate his wife. Som
one ought to if he doesn't.
Edwin was hard hit even for him
and evening after evening his eye
talked love while his lips spoke Of th'
future newspaper and its decrease o
sensational news.
When their hands met in the for
NAL handclasp,' the slightest Of pres
sures gave the parting decided tingt
of informality.
Lillian grew cross and irritable
care you homesick, dear?" her hus
band asked. "Would you like to &c
back to Boston 7"
mo, no, no p she cried. &c
away from all that makes life worth
living" she sobbed to herself.
Business called Edward away over
night, and he told Edwin to drop in
to see Lillian for awhile. "She will
be lonely and I fear she is not we'll. "
She was sitting alone when the
door opened. She wore a simple
white evening dress and her head
rested in WEAKNESS on her hand.
Before she realized it, two strong
arms lifted her up and shower of
passionate kisses was rained on her
lips, her eyes, her neck her bare arms.
She was too startled to speak or re-
sist, and when she saw the magnetic
eyes filled with sweet forbidden love,
she did not care. She felt no shame,
only glorious happiness. She allow
ed herself to drift as ship does upon
storm-t tossed waves.
Again and again Lillian wound her
supple arms around Edwin's neck,
and raised her head to meet the full,
red clinging lips above her. "You
are rightly named," he whispered, a
willowry, rounded lily, but with the
heart of red, red rose" He pushed
back the stray 1oosened locks that
fell over the broad, marble brow. "A
red rose,'' he repeated.
She wished he would not talk, it
Jared on her, and his powerful pres
ence lost some of its magnetism. He
was so light-hearted in his intensity,
and she wondered at it, resented it
somehow. She did not know that to
him the situation was not altogether
new or uOvel.
"You seem sad, my darling, why
is it?" he asked. 1--WE should be
happy, for do we not love each 9th
err" His arms held her tighter and
tighter, and she felt a smothering
sensation.
"How sweet to die now!" she
murmured. The strong arms lost
none of their power. ''But how
much sweeter to live, not exist, but
to drink deep from the fountain of
life ITSELF"
His perfect assurance was the first
discordant note in her Joy. "You
are mine, all mine," he said.
His words sounded long ways off.
Again she wished he would not talk.
She did not answer, and he looked
questioning at her. "Speak to me,
Lillian" he urged, "surely you are
not hesitating after going this far
She started, a death-like pallor
spread over her face. "Going this
far" she repeated dumbly. Then
she sprang to her feet. "You dare
to faunt that to my face" she cried,
"you coward -
She stood before him, tall and
statue-like, her long hair falling in
ropes of shining gold.
He reached out and tried to pull
her down beside him.
"Oh, my God !" she sobbed stretch
ing out her arms helplessly.
Edwin was too stunned to fully
comprehend the situation. Hers was
type of character unlike the aver
age woman's of his acquaintance.
She cannot be acting" he thought,
mo woman could feign suck loath-
ing"
He looked anxiously towards the
door. "Go now, I beg of you,
Lillian said. Forget this if you
can. must have been crazy, mad.
Go, do not blame you, you are only
man, but II was pure woman.
Edwin could not take his eyes from
her; he gazed fascinated.
"You arc a pure woman now," he
exclaimed. "You can trust me
God bless you p
With that he was goDe. He paus
ed one moment in the doorway, ther
went out into the night, not like
beaten cur, but with his b -ad held
high, and a mighty resolution in his
heart.
For hours Lillian sat motionless
but in the early morning hours she
fell asleep. She was awakened BY
her husbands cool hand being laic
on her feverish face. Lillian, dear
you went to sleep in your chair" ht
said smiling. "You were lonely
weren't your"
"You home? ?" she asked, bewil
dered.
Eyes, dear, 1 caught the midnight
train. I was anxious to get back X
my wife" I"
"Wife." How beautiful that wort
sounded. IT am glad, so glad," sh'
cried, throwing herself in his arms
"Never leave me again, Edward
promise me, promise me"
Blaming himself for leaving he
Il