Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-03
CHAPTER VIII.
An interrupted Honeymoon.

Richard Strong forgot about the attack
on his stocks of which he had just learned;
he forgot even the covert and seurrilous
charges against himself. The telegram, so
important a moment before, fell unheeded
from his hand. He, who usually knew his
ground with moral gertrude and stood
on that ground with characteristic positive
ness. unexpectedly found himself adrft,
out of his reckoning. Certainly Elinor had
prepared for him a great surprise - the
greatest surprise he had ever experienced.
At first he doubted the reality of it and
looked at her with almost pathetic wonder
ment, but the sight of her figure, her aban-
donment, brought the poignant truth home
to him.
Get at the facts-the bare, unsentimental
facts!' he had always said to his clerks.
Now he seemed to be saying It to HIM
self as he stood there at fault. The bare.
unsentimental facts! He had been used to
hard blows and hard thrusts all his days.
but nothing to the pain of this; he had
been accustomed to giving as well as TAX
ing in the rude buffetings Of life, but here
suddenly he found himself oowerless and
unarmed.
II do not love you'll cannot,"
These were her words. What did they
mean? The meaning seemed transparent
enough Yet she was with him here-she
had not said no to him that night when
he had told her of his love The ceremony
had been performed yesterday-that. too,
was real-stamped on his heart. inefface
ably! For Richard Strong the rite and
service was no mere mummery: no patter
of sentences; no dead and forgotten Ian
guage, for all observance of its literal pur-
port! Every passage Of the lymeneal bond
had been fraught with holy, solemn sigrifi-
cancel! He regarded her now almost me-
chanically.
Why" he said, did you marry me?"
She did not stir, nor did she reply. After
her outburst her words seemed to fail. She
felt confused incomprehensible even to
herself.
when you knew you did not-care for
me?''
''That is It," she said. IF I had
KNOWN" Her voice died into indefinite
ness.
and now-you know?'
Again she did not answer and his face
darkened; flash came into his eyes He
touched her arm.
Wont you-sit up?"
His touch and the change in his voice
aroused her. 1t was not a request he
uttered. but a command.
She dashed her hand across her eyes.
and raising her head quickly, met his
look.
"Why-did you marry me?'
His glance probed her. 1t was no longer
the lovers gaze, but that of Richard
Strong, the man of affairs, bent upon ar
irving at the truth--the disastrous truth.
perhapS-but the truth.
Once more rebellion stirred within her;
his bearing was that of the master; he
made her feel like child.
''I-don't know" she said defiantly.
Anger mingled with Impotence on his
face. He had always known his own mind;
he had no understanding of a person who
did not know his or hers And to have en-
tered into such a bargain blindly light
ly! He had never in his life assumed an
obligation he intended to waive: he had
never put his name to a pact, the condi
tons of which he did not mean honestly
to fulfill. ave
He laughed now-very harshly is that
the best answer you can maker"
For moment he continued to regard
her, his jaw set, his face wearing. that
expression that earlier had awakened her
hostile response, then turning abruptly he
walked toward the window.
His foot touched the telegram-he started
picked it up. His enemies had suddenly
become figures Of straw; their onslaught
as nothing! Contemptuously he tore the
message into little bits and threw them
into the waste basket; then stood near the
window with head down-bent and knitted
brows Since she would not answer him he
strove In his straightforward way to find
the answer for himself.
Without moving Elinor watched him
her gaze very fixed and bright her whole
attitude one of defiance. Suddenly she
started; his face had changed and its stern
pallor smote her. Her eyes fell; he did
seemed all at once to overpower her; a
sense OF shame for herself; the desire to
check the trend of his thoughts; to re-
tract her words
At that moment he turned and again
stood before her.
when you smiled at me that day in
the window. had anything happened to In
fiuence your life?''
She looked UP with uncomprehending
eyes, striving to collect herself.
Anything of 2-practical nature?"
He was thinking of Mr.. Rossiter's visit
to him now; the unstable southern So Uri-
ties that gentleman had asked him about;
Mrs. Rossiter's uncompromising worldi-
ness.
'Of practical nature?" she repeated. Il
don't understand
All at once the purport of his meaning
struck her and the blood rushed to her
face; her eyes dilated.
'Oh, nor she cried, II did not" and
stopped
why, then?"
Her hands frightened on the arm of the
chair; her color receded. What could she
answer? How could she explain? She felt
sure of nothing now save her own abase-
ment.
moment he waited, then turned away.