The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-10-25
"Do not. Oh do not" she implored.

DO not, OQ uO nOl, sue luploFeu%
"try to be funny" But he did not hear.
His eyes were streaming now, and his
handkerchief in play, as he rocked
himself and roared with helpless
laughter over new trouvaille.
"'The Magic Skirt-Hanger? You
bought that patent for eight hundred
of the inventor. Do you-do you hang
your skirts on 1t? The Patent Gull
lotine Mousetrap,' you bought that in
vention, too. Five hundred for a
patent mousetrap-. Here are more
mines-all wildcat. The Bermuda
Platinum Syndicate The North
Kerry Gold Prospecting Company.
The Great Sahara Electric Railway
Company Great Scott! An electric
railway on tine desert! The Carpathian
Coal Mines, Limited the Bosnia Oil
Pumping Association I'm at the bot
tom Of the box, and" hepaused over
rapid mental calculation-"you've in
vested-and lost-exactly sos. 900, some
odd dollars over the rottenest specula-
tons that ever were doomed by a
bucket-shop. You've had the best ad-
visers-but you might have had the
worst-and the whole thing is wonder
fully puzZling."
There was a new tone Of seriousness
in his voice, his eyes were brighter,
and the fold between his eyebrows
had been pressed out by some in.
visible fairy ironer. The sullenness,
the moodiness, the depression were
gone.
"Please give me a cigarette" His
wife took one from the case he held
to her, and as he gave her light her
little finger stole out and timidly rested
on the tip of his. Eyes, as you say,
have had the best advisers"
"And you've managed to muddle
away all your money without getting
anything out Of it."
"Your pardonw She blew ring OF
perfumed smoke, and watched it spiral
upward. growing paler. "The money
did bring me something. First OF all.
it brought about-our quarrel, If you
remember"
81 do not forget-but these worth
less investments"
"They will not prove worthless IN
the end. They are going to bring me
In g. hundred times the value. ex-
changed for them" The hand holding
the cigarette shook a little, the ropes
Of pearls swayed.
"They will make me-rich-as you
have said; a wealthy woman, in the
way in which a woman would be
wealthy. 'Countermarks,' Reefs,
.'Airship General. Omnibusses,' Jump
ing Cats Magic Skirt!Hangers,' and
the other things are genuine invest
ments, I assure you. would buy
them again tomorrow If I had any
money left Unfortunately"-she was
watching the face opposite with des-
perate eagerness, though her tone was
calm and level, and her dropped eye
lashes were languid-"unfortunately l
am a pauper-dependent upon my hus-
band" ..n g.
...."If it were not beyond the bounds Of
probability. should suspect you OF
being" .
."Glad", .~.'. = -,. :.
"Perhaps not quite glad, but GER
tainIy not sorry" ,...
"Yes? Some husbands would mourn"
"I am not one Of them. Were you
going into the drawing room?"
Eyes"
"I'Il come, If I may. You used to
sing to me-a year age. Will you
give me some of the old songs to.
night?"
"I am so out of practice" she muir
INJURED, but she went to the piano and
sang Loves Coronation" Her voice
throbbed across the gulf Of a years
esrangement with message OF love,
of longing, Of peace.
He received 1t, standing very erect
and stiff upon the hearth rug, calm,
cool and composed, the model. to all
appearances of an ordinary husband
of the superior class, but his. collar
seemed to strangle him, and the heart
beneath his formal shirt front beat
madly.
"Thapk you," he said, as she fn-
ished the song. 81 always liked that"
"It is certainly appropriate to the
OCCASION" she returned, "and would
be more so If little altered. For
.haven't,even half a crown to give you.
if you wanted one, I believe:
"You take your losses very. coouy"
he observed. -;
GAS had the honor to mention be-
FORE" she returned, II don't consider
that have lost. It will be a winning
in the end-for mew - ..
His back was turned, his elbow rest
ing on the mantel shelf. She knew
that he was intently studying her re-
Election in the mirror above.
"What," he asked, "do you expect
to win?"
Her arms went out to him. With q
long, tremulous cry, she uttered one
| word:
"Youm-Lady's Pictorial.