The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1905-11-01

husky-"she said she'd never cared for
me-" He swallowed hard again. "Nev-
er-is that true"
The woman was frightened. She felt
the sudden iron Of his will and was
speechless.
Answer me. Is it?" His command
rang out like pistol shot, and dan
gerous CLEAN lay level in his eyes.
EYES," she admitted, utterly thrown
off her guard.
cat least" he said finally, and his
voice sounded miles and miles away,
1--WE have the truth at last. Now we
may understand each other"
From that time on Greta was as
completely ignored as If she had been
the bsque shepherdess Oh the drawing
room cabinet. From being everything
In the house she and her mother had
suddenly become nothing. 1t was al
most as if they were remaining there
like the maids on two weeks notice.
One morning they told him that his
wife was calling for him. They led him
into cool, dim room. When he be-
came accustomed to the half light he
saw that Greta, the pink rose, had
turned to an exquisite white lily. He
spoke to her gently, considerably, as
the physician had babe him, but as to
feeling-had not she herself killed It?
But all the damned up love in the
mans nature went Immediately out to
the human trife in blue ribbons and
lace which the nurse held on pillow
for his inspection.
Johns son and heir grew and thrived
daily. Life for the first time since his
marriage again became invested with
a meaning for John. and God existed
after ALL The father directed his
household with the power and the su-
perb indifference Of king. and the
women folk were treated almost as ci-
pliers. Mr.. John Selwyn, man Of at
fairs to be reckoned with, we'll dressed.
well hammered, polished in speech,
went TO his offices every morning. In
the Afternoons he drove out with his son
and his sons nurse in his sons landau
behind his sons magnificent horses.
From the moment Of her child's birth
Greta had felt tenderness toward
John-the tenderness of wife who
has borne a man a son. Now she was
beginning to feel other things. She
smiled as she remembered her irrita-
ton at his social derelictions, his old
time lack of etiquette which had SEEM
ed to her hopeless stumbling block
In the way of mutual happiness. But
now-even If he hadn't mastered those
deficiencies, which obviously be had
what were such small matters compar-
ed with the power to face the realities
Of existence? And how big he was in
all big things!
One day she came to him, dumb.
pathetic question in each purple eye.
"What is it?'' he asked generously.
Her short upper lip trembled, and with
out warning she burst into tears.
I'll want you to love me again"
che sobbed.
Love you? As the woman who
bears my name, as the mother of my
son-why. could scarcely help but do
that"
mo, not she cried. as one who really
suffers. Il don't mean that way. l
want you to love me as you used to.
I'm just longing to have you come and
kiss me-when you don't have to, you
know"
He stood precisely where he was,
gaugfng the sObbinp little fipnre for n
long, long while in utter silence First
he measured her severely, then ques-
tioningly. Last of all. sudden soft
ness stole over him and swept him of
his. feet.
Without a word, but with eyes that
were wet, he crossed the room and
took her protectingly in his big arms.
Just then the nurse fetched their small
son in, Growing with delight.