The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-10-10

she was asking herself with anxious face tonight.
 Surely she had given him plenty of warning and ample opportunity to make an effort had he deemed 1t worth | the while. But he had not made an effort He had only told her in his quizzical way:
 Can you change gazelle into a polar bear '' And when she had reproached him with considerable spirit and told him flatly that he could expect no self-re- specting woman to interest herself in a man who persisted in such a fatalist attitude and refused even to make the effort to become worthy of her. he had replied gravely:
 No woman who likes me as am would like me or respect me if I pre- tended or tried to be something I was not. No, no. Lulu, what you like in me would not be there if I tried to become the sort of a man you put up as a model-or, indeed, If I attempted to follow the pattern of any other man whatsoever. What I am I am, for good or bad, for happiness or misery"
 And so she had broken off with him in passion of disappointment and contempt And long after she had met and married MT. Mills, who was every thing that Wilbur Drake was not. And tonight she was thinking that after all. perhaps, the sobor, staid. reliable qualities of her husband included a sort of stupidity. mad she was wonder ing if, after all, she would not have been happier with the brilliant, sym pathetic lover of her youth than with the dignified and-yes. commonplace man she had married. even If she had incurred some heart burnings and de- rft-af tAn rxfifl are dangerous thoughts for a young wife. but Lulu's pretty head was full of them tonight. for Drake had come to the city where she resided recently and had called on her several times, but she had not seen him. Tn fact the last time his card had been brought to her she had sent word to him that she was not at home to him at any time His presence. however. had set her to thinking and her thoughts were not very good thoughts or very safe thoughts for Mrs. Mills.
 A slight sound disturbed her and she raised her head. She started vio- lently for there. standing just within the long French window was Wilbur Drake. hat in hand. Before she could collect her senses he spoke:
 Do not scream he said in the old easy, confident voice, "I will not harm you and If you raise row you may compromise yourself"
 How did you come here?" she said rising from her chair like a tragedy queen. How dare you!"
 Tn as much as you refused me en- trance by the door. I came by the bal cony." he replied coolly removing his gloves. T dare do anything-as you ought to know
 What do you want?" she asked.
 'I want to see you one moment be- fore I go out of your life forever" he replied. "I start for the Transvaal to- morrow and l expect never to return. Before I go I want to hear from your own lips the truth about your mar riage. l want to know if you chose wisely and if the facts of life. con form with your theories and those of your friends. I want to know If meth odical business talent. dignity, wealth and conventional success fill the meas ure of a woman's love. I have lost the only thing in life I highly prized I want to know from your lips if lost on the truth or on a lie
 She looked at him fully appreciat- ing the enormity of his offence. but strangely unable to feel the resentment she knew she should feel.
 'Is it a manifestation of your feel ing-to compromise the person whom you assume to prize so highly?" she asked as strenly as she could.