Canyon City news. (Canyon City, Tex.) 1903-1908, 1905-03-03
WHY NOT E?
By p. y. PATTISSOn

Ile HaIHoT Ol liOllSkOnS was
looking its loyclicst on this mellow
October afternoon as the big p. and
o. steamer slowly glided from her
moorings amid the crowd of ship
ping that filled the harbor.
There were not many passengers
on board. the Parramatta, for this
was not time of the year that
many people Travelled from the east
homeward, but amid the stir and
hustle attendant on the departure
of a big mail steamer and the set
ting down Of newly joined passen-
gers two people, both passengers,
formed a tranquil contrast.
Major Walton, although his eyes
rested on the gold tipped hills they
were SO swiftly passing, saw them
not at ALL, His thoughts were all
inward, too much occupied with a
bitter past to take much heed of the
surroundings Of the present. 1t was
the old, old story his mind was
dwelling on--that of woman's
frailty and mans villainy-and,
although the events which had well
nigh wrecked his life had all hap
pened more than a year ago now,
they were brought but too freshly
to his mind by this journey home.
"Home! And what home COM
ing" he said to himself bitterly.
The story was one perhaps only
too common. lie and his wife, the
latter beautiful, spoiled, vain, had
been staying in the south Of France
and had gone on to Monte Carlo for
a week or two. Here they had met
Sir Lionel Hippcsley, a handsome,
shallow young Englishman, who was
doing his best, without success, to
ruin himself at the tables, although
the money he so freely squandered
was not his, but his young wife's,
and, as Il rumor averred, he had mar
ried the pretty Scotch heircss only
for her fortune.
He was staying at Monte Carlo
very much en- garcon, his wife being
i'll at home and unable to travel.
lie and the Waltons became ac-
quainted, and he appeared much
struck by Mrs Walton's beauty,
while she was both pleased and flat
tered by his admiration and atten-
tions, and her husband, glad that she
should be amused, thought or sus-
pectcd no wrong. Under Hippesley's
guidance Mrs. Walton became an
ardent gambler, and a good many
bank notes tluttered away, but Wal
ton was rich man and could afford
to indulge her every whim.
Then had come the war in South
Africa, and Walton's regiment was
among the first ordered to the front,
and he departed, leaving his wife
more or less her own mistress and
with the command of plenty Of mon
ey.
During her husbands absence she
again met Sir Lionel Hippesley, this
time at home, and he, more than
ever fired by her excessive beauty,
persuaded her, too willing victim,
to run away with him to Paris.
From there she wrote to her hus-
band and told him she had never
really cared for him and that now
she loved only one man on earth,
and that man was Sir Lionel Ilippes-
ley.
The blow almost stunned Walton.
Then he was wounded and invalidcd
home, when he obtained. his di-
vorce. Iippesley's wife he'd already
divorced her husband. Immediately
after the trial Walton had started
on voyage to Japan and was now,
after year spent in the east, once
more returning to England.
With short, impatient sigh Wal
ton reused himself and turned to
70 to the smoking room. As he did
so the lady near him turned to go
below at the same moment, and they
came face TO face. Such a beauti-
full, pathetic face, out of which
shone pair of dark blush gray
ewes. Walton, as for an instant his
n,,ns mnt hnrs- fnlt 4 sudden thrill