The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1905-03-10

| appointed him-she who had done eve1Y-
| thing she could to make him happy
| while he
Il have 20 wish to begin again." She
answered. eve have tried to be happy,
| l suppose; we have been miserable. l.
you say, have disappointed you; you
| have disappointed me. I would rather
| not talk any more. will tell the serv-
ants l am going on journey. don't
want to make things disagreeable for
you. And l shall go to-day"
He dropped her hands; he looked at
her for amoment-at her white, set face.
| her eyes that did not soften in the least
as his glance met hers. Then proud,
could go, if she could leave him, then,
! indeed, she did not, never had, loved
| him.
"You will please yourself, OF COURSE
he answered, "but whether you remain
| with me or leave me, you are still my
wife-you are still boundto me; be good
enough not to forget that"
He scarcely saw his way as he crossed
the room and left her-left her with a
great anger in his heart against her.
"She never loved me-" he said to him
self, never, never; let her go!"
He found his way to his study, sat
down, staring blankly before him for
awhile, and scattered his papers heed
lessly on the floor. Then his head
dropped upon his hands, and his eyes
were wet.
AS the door closed after him Mary
trembled. So he had accepted the situa-
ton! Then, indeed, he did not love
her. She had expected pleading, pro-
testations; she had meant to forgive
him; she had thought, indeed, they
might begin again.
He never loved me-" she said to her
self. Il did not mean to leave him.
shall go now; owe it to my pride
to go now"
She dragged her steps to her room );
she must put her things together. Where
she should go she did not know-and
did it matter? II she was not with him
she did not care where she was There
was plenty of hotels, but how lonely she
would be!
She opened the wardrobe and flung
dress after dress upon the floor. She
must take something with her; it didn t
matter what. Wherever she was he
| would not be there to see her.
The light was growing gray outside;
I'D =
what he was doing. He had not gone
from the house; he was waiting to see
her off, MISUNDERSTANDING why she
was so long. Could she have looked at
him then she would have seen him sit
ting with a miniature in his hand, look
ing at the pretty face with tear dimmed
! eyes-would have heard his words: My
little wife!'-seen him lift it to his
lips.
She had taken out all the dresses now,
There was still something at the back
! OF the Notwithstanding soft. She
took it down, drew it out, and a swift
rush of color swept her face
In her hands she held an old velvet
smoking coat; but the sight of it brought
back food Of memories She remem-
bered SO we'll he had strolled over to her
fathers house wearing it,; he had found
her in the conservatory, tending the
plants; he had told her then that he
loved her, had taken her for the first
time in his arms, kissed her, gained her
promise that she would be his wife.
AS she stood with the coat in her han(!
she remembered she had been so happy:
she could recall each word he had said,
each kiss he had given; and his arms,
his dear arms, how 1enderly, how close
ly, how fondly they had held her!
She sank into chair the coat pressed
now close against her breast A little
sob rose in her throat, tears came into
her eyes. 1t was all overall over!
His arms would never hold her again, his
lips would never kiss her more!
Outside is growing darker still. She
felt sad, lonely, and she must 90 soon.
She had cut the ground under her feet.
| burned her boats behind her; he would
be wondering why shedid not go.
If only he would come to her! After
all he did love her; she knew that well.
They had been foolish-proud II only
he would come!
She lifted the coat Then, while in
the semidarkness the color burned in
her face. she threw it around her-drew
the arms right across her. A faint smell
of smoke chung to it yet. She could al
most fancy she was in his arms, that
their quarrel was dream, that she was
not leaving his home and hers for
ever.
He had laughed at her often for keep
ing the old coat, for loving it almost as
though it were something human. She
would take it away with ner; he would