Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1905-11-24
CHAPTER XIV.

Il tell you your presence here is an
| unwarrantable intrusion, If you do not
| leave my apartment of your own free
will, | shall be compelled to have you
| ejected"'
1t was the third day since Polling left
Ethel, and this was his wifes greeting!
He had had long battle with himself;
but duty had been triumphant, and his
mind once made up he was not to be dis
couraged by few bitter words
That is not necessary. Of course l
will leave you; but you will not refuse
to answer me one or two questions
frst?"
ASK your. questions then, and. if I
choose to answer them, [ will. If [ don't
choose, l will not. for heavens
sake, get over them .lyr'
"Will you tell me something of our
child, Pauline?' he asked
She sprung up with look of desper-
ate fright on her face.
How dare you come here to brow
beat me like ths?" she exclaimed. We
hemently; and then she sank back on the
couch again. But, after a pause. she
said quietly enough; You have touched
my one weak point OF course you have
to hear what there is to tell Ny baby
was born a weakly little thing. [ had
hard work to keep body and soul together
in those first days after my fathers
death. l knew from the first she could
not live long. She died when she was
three months old"
Il wish she had lived"
why do you wish such a mad thing
as thatY
Because, if it had not been for see
ing her grave, l should have gone on
searching for you until l found you"
"Ah! And If you had found me then,
if you had come to Mallingford quietly
and said, Pauline, you are my wife;
come with me- do you know what |
would have done? l would have killed
you! l would kill you even now, if your
death would undo any Of the harm you
have worked me! But it is all over, and
the next thing you will hear is that I
have killed myself
"Why do you hate me so bitterly.
Pauline?' he asked; and he studied her
attentively while she answered:
Because you have been by evil
genius ever since l became your wife.
If l had not married you my life might
have been as happy and pleasant as
other women's lives are. No sooner did |
know that l was my uncle's heiress than
my happiness was destroyed by hearing
that | was to inherit only on the condi-
ton that l did not marry without nv
guardians consent. Thanks to you, this
condition was already broken; and my
six years of possession have been en-
Filtered by the certainty in my own
mind that you were alive somewhere
and would surely find me some day.
and deprive me of all that l had risked
so much to obtain"
Polling sighed heavily and took I'D his
hat.
You will let me come and see you
again?'
Why? You do not care for me in
the least. Why should you take so much
trouble to be civil to me?"
You are my wife. No amount of dis
like or shortcomings on your part alters
that fact. We have been very unfortu-
nate in the past. l can see you are un-
happy; and, in an indirect way, I am
the cause of your unhappiness. l would
give great deal to make things brighter
for you, if you would let me-"
She was touched by the earnestness
OF his manner and tone.
You are very good,' she said; ''and
am sorry l behaved so badly to You"
She stood silent for 4 few moments.
Polling watching her quietly; while they
so stood the clock on the mantelpiece
struck H.
You must go now" she told him
hurriedly. 4 have an appointment TO
ride with some friends. Come again at
this time tomorrow"
He did not attempt any outward dis
Play of affection, but passed down the
stairs. He met Babette half way down.
with whom does your mistress ride |
to-day?" he asked.
with the Baroness de Belette''-a
woman we'll known for the pertinacity
with which she had chung to the extreme
edge of respectable society for the last
five years. They have a wager as to |
who will ride the greatest distance on a |
horse belonging to Monsieur Crevin
which has always refused to carry a
lady
Polling went on with a little unac-
knoWledged anxiety in his heart He