The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1905-08-25

r D. On ber knees went Constance,
at the thought. and she prayed Ter
yently to be set right, to have .ahenl
from her all that interfered WIN h1
husbands memory! But even whiioH
she prayed sweet strains seemed 10
importune her to listen, ana the Sau'
haunting eyes of Primus Edes 10 DO
looking into her very soul.
The facts of Mrs. Hamilton's pres
ents to him had just become Known
in the neighborhood, and even reacn-
ed to the ears of the Rev. Arthur
Hammerly, who had lately been ven
turing to speculate how soon ne mlghC
approach Mrs. Hamilton with some
little attention whose gentle once 1t
might be to fix her regard upon him-
SELF
He heard of the strange fnfatuation
said to exist in the mind Of Mrs. Ham
ilton for a humble workman at ner
uncles mill. Mr.. Hammerly remem-
bered him. A man of downcast,
brooding habit, quiet and orderly OF
demeanor, but with nothing, 1t would
seem, to- attract the regard OF wom-
an like Constance Hamilton.
Stay! Did he not resemble her hus-
band slightly? Certainly he did. Mr..
Hammerly could see it if nobody else
did. II Mrs. Hamilton noticed him In
any way it was because of this.
Mr.. Hammerly called to see her
that day, and left her with warmer
pressure of the hand than usual. But
her thoughts were otherwise occupied
and she did not notice it.
Thus matters stood Constance
swayed by strong emotion; TWO
men, by dreams of love and its fulfil
ment; towering monument some
times glistening meath the grudging
winter sunlight, but oftener merely
cleaning purely, frostily white, wi-W
its full inscription now, Vane Hamil-
ton, and ready for the cemetery when
spring should open; a carping, prosaic'
village, with buying and selling and
eating and sleeping going on as it
will to the end, while just outside it's
limits and that of the present an as
founding event was walking straight
toward it in the person of a tall, hand
some, light-haired man who alighted,
unnoticed, from the train one after
noon in February.
He was passing by the marble es-
tablishment of Lisle G. Allen when Mr..
Allen was in the act of courteously
opening the door for lady to pass
out, and saying:
81 am glad it pleases you, Mrs.
Hamilton"
Yes, it pleases me very well" said
the lady, in sweetly modulated
voice.
The gentleman in the street had
stopped and was staring past them
both at the cleaning marble at which
they we're looking. A curious, slightly
humorous glance, followed by a grav-
err one, came into his face as he no.
ticed the black-clad woman. A slight
hesitation was manifest in his man.
ner. He took step forward and then
halted. The marble cutter was look
ing at him now curiously, and the
lady's glance followed his for an Inc
slant. Then a Shrek was wrung
from her white lips and her voice rang
out in the wild cry, "Vane Hamilton,
my husband" and she fell, or would
have done so If Mr.. Allen had not
caught her and placed her in a large
armchair. And still he stood there,
though terribly moved, as could be
plainly seen, until Mr.. Allen, whose
mind grasped the situation, said as
quietly as he could, Your wife has
tainted, Mr. Hamilton for | presume
you are that gentleman"
81 am" but his eyes turned toward
the name on the monument rather
than to his wife's face.
Your wife thought by your long.
absence that you we're dead, and this
was to have been erected in the
spring." explained Mr. Allen.
Eyes, A supposed so. My absence
was unavoidable" replied Mr.. Hamil-
ton briefly, and then he looked fully
at his wife for the first time since
entering. But he did not now ap-