The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1905-11-03
A RISKY ACT
OF FRIENDSHIP
b. BERTRAM VERAY

IL lege chumS, and hive years after
graduating he departed suddenly for
Europe, and caused great wonder
ment and gossip among his friends
and associates.
Nobody seemed to know why he had
gone. and his LADY friends, especially,
were extremely perplexed. Now, after
an a bsence of year or more, he had
returned to his home. in New Lon
don, Conn.,, and his friendly intimacy
with me was renewed.
On warm day in June we were
out boating on tne Thames, near New
London, and duting resting spell l
noticed his deep abstraction.
"A penny for Jour thoughts, old fel-
low" said.
Rex started, aad looked at me curl
ously.
do you really want to know what
was thinking" he asked. There
was ring Of earnestness in his tone
"Certainly-if you care to tell me, -
I replied.
For moment he paused, and pulled
industriously at his cigar. Then he
said, abruptly:
Jack, did you hear any rumor-any
reason as to why I went off to Eu-
rope so suddenly :"
"Well. old fellow" I said, hesitating-
~, II did hear some yarn or other,
but, Of course, knew it was all rot"
What was it you heard?"
ooh, nothing much, old fellow.
Something I'd rather not tell you
something I didn't believe, anyway"
But want to know. Jack, what
did you hear?"
He put the question almost flercely.
well, since you're bent on know
ing, Rex" I answered, ut was said
that your sudden departure was
caused-er-had something to do with
-er-Mrs. Verne"
"Ah! So it leaked out, then! Con-
found it," and he frowned.
turned my gaze from his face, and
carefully examined the ash on the end
Of my cigarette. I didn't want Rex
to think I was anxious to pry into
his private affairs.
For few moments neither of us
spoke. Then Rex said, in low voice:
Jack, what you heard was true.
1t was on account of-of Mrs. Verne
that left New Haven so.hurriedly"
1T was true?" echoed in astonish-
ment, for the story I had heard had
not sounded altogether pleasant.
eyes, Jack Reynolds, quite true.
And, look here, old fellow, I don't
care much what the rest think of me,
but you-well, you understand-we've
been chums so long now, and perhaps
I owe it to myself as well as to you
to explain matters. I want you to
know why did something which nine
ty-nine men out of hundred would
characterize as 'caddish.'"
II should find it difficult to believe
you capable of anything caddish, Rex"
I said, warmly.
Rex took his cigar from his lips, and
looked at it thoughtfully.
II think" he said, at length, that
you knew Mrs. Verne, before she was
married-when she was Violet Wray."
nodded.
"And you knew that II loved herr"
he asked, in low voice.
II guessed it, old fellow" said,
quietly.
and Verne loved her too-in his
way. His love was returned-mine
was not" Once more his cigar under
went critical survey. Then he con-
hMrod:
LESS than six months after they
were married, that which I had feared
badly feared-happened. The nov
city, the glamour-call it what you will
began to wear off, Not with her
she loved him as devotedly as ever, as
only a wife can love; but he-he went
back to his b.,,ks-his literary
work, from which her beauty and love
had lured him for a time, and she
was fast becoming that saddest of all
sad women-a neglected wtfe!"
1T was rough treatment" OBJ
served, as Rex paused.
Every time I called" he wet:t on,
speaking more rapidly, II saw he1 Eet-
ting paler and thinner. Not that she
ever comprehensive was too loyal.
too proud for that. But 1 read the
truth from her eyes, and noticed that
he was rarely with her. Day after day
he would retire to his study, giving
orders that he was not to be disturbed,
and frequently, know, his meals
were taken to him there His ambi-
ton to take high place in the world
OF literature was slowly but surely kill
ing his love for her, and far worse"
his voice dropped to little more than
a '"hisper-"I saw it was slowly but
surely killing her."
Il suppose it wasn't Necessary for
Verne to work like that?" I said, in
ferToSatively.