The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-01

tot ao 1T you were dotng me Q tavoY to E one here st Ill" ~ soIdiy.i 'HystericsT'
 .No.* said the woman in . voice that was almost inaudible with in-. teusity. while her hand upon the back oR the chair grew blue at the fin- gess from the pressure put upon 1t: T an demanding that you acknowledge ma,"
 Isrrabss. shruggsd his shoulders. I'm afraid it's too late. Etta." he said calmly.
 words came breathlessiy. 'Etta." ssid Larrabee. suavely. avoiding her eyes. T have realized lately how uncongsnial your life here tin New York must be. understand how lonely you are. Now. of courss. as you can comprehend. I really can't make your existence known to my friends just now. It would be my ruin"
 lly.s is how much happier you and the children would be, in the country. to make the sacrifice. dear. for your ! sake. How should you like to go back to vsrmontf Your, father is alone now in the old house and really needs you. I shall generously pro-
 The chair that the woman srasped fcrashed sharply upon the floor. She stared sf Larrabee. Send me awayr' tshe gasped. gtupidly.
 Why yes" said Larrabee. with an easy gesture. don't you see. darling, | aw much better 1t would ber' l. Etta passed her hand slowly across her eyes. Then she turned away and leaned flor . moment. weakly upon the dining table. staring abssntly down at the dishes.
 | lou'n think 1t over won't you, dearT said Larrabee. persuasiveIy, "of course. I'll often come up to see you"
 "Yes. yes. of course" said Dtta. has, lilly. nervousiy lingering a plate. Tt would be 60 much better. too, | "Yes." said the woman. abstracted- | iy, picking up . knife. and tapping the table with it.
 | 'of course" continued Larrabee, with . gentle smile. you need not SO lat once--"
 Etta wheeled about with the swift ness of lightning. "Ah. you brute.'' she cried. her voice low. sharp and quick. do you think you can do this thing7 Do you saink that shall l stand It."
 Now. Etta. don't let's have . scene, D | interrupted the man impatiently. | The woman gave . cry--a wild. dis cordant. passion torn cry. With the strength of abandoned fury, her fin- gers closed over the knife in her hand. With a move that was like the dart of m arrow she flung herself
 recklesly upon Larrabee and buried
 the blade deep in his shoulder. | The man fell heavily forward. Dropping the knife. the woman turned from him. walked bIindly to the door.
 and dropped. unconscious, upon the | threshold. As
 | The attack made by Etta Larrabee
 upon her husband did not prove fatal | to his life. But 1t turned out to be | the death-b blow of his career.
 During the weeks that he lay III at
 q Bardane Street the world learned
 his story. in detail. and its sympathy l went to Etta Larrabee.
 Etta Larrahee. silent and heart- l broken. watched beside her husband | through the first days of his illness. When the doctors and nurses told her that he was past all danger. she
 thanked them quietly. The following day she and the two little girls left
 1T Bardane Street. and did not re. turn.
 l When Larrabee recovered. it did not
 take him long to find out that she
 had gone back to the old home in Yer
 mont He hastened after hev.
 Tn vain he besought her to return
 to New York with him He pointed
 out to her. pathetically. that public | opinion was bitterly against him,
 and that she, by coming back to him,
 was the only means of winning back
 his friends and admirers.
 Etta was steadfast in her refusal
 Calmly. quietly, but implacably she
 told him that their union was at an end.
 Wilkes Larrabes. never e great
 painter. took up his work again. weak in spirit. The daring touch and orig inality in subject with which, for a time. he had caught the popular fancy, failed him. He sank rapidly into me- diocrity.
 | Sometimes. when in a bitter and de- spondent mood. he hinted to his asso- ciates that his life was a tragedy. | Wherein lay the cause he did not spe- cify.