Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1906-02-21

ing gave way taking them both with it,
and leaving him on the broken edge,
safe"
She covered her face with her hands.
"Oh!" she murmured. | didn't know.
What have I done?''
"He told me once" he went on, that
it had left him with the feeling that
fire would never touch him, but that
| to think Of anyone he cared for being
in a fire made HIm-well, what you
saws
They were silent for an instant.
'Hullo!" he said suddenly, they've
got the curtain down"
The two stood up. Firemen and po'
| Iicemen were everywhere.
mo danger! No danger!"
The words passed from mouth to
mouth. and though they were not strict
| 1y true, the effect of the lowered cur.
tain was magical. The crowd was pre-.
ceptib1y thinner, notieeabiy calmer, but
round each exit were gruesome proofs
Of the violence Of the panic.
"eEIizabeth!'
They looked at each other. @Tt's
John,' she said family.
YES ne said, and his smile was
bitter, '3Tt's John. Goodbye. Forget
it all, Elizabeth. Do you know''---he
looked at his wa1c1l--tfiitts all hap
pened in less than ten minutes?'
Really" she said. cit can't be pos
sib1e.'' But her eyes were searching
for her husband,
The Other Man noticed it. ''Eliza-
beth!" he said, half ahamefaced1y.
Eyes she answered, her eyes search
ing the crowd.
"You are going to make up to him
somehow for-for saying that to
him?"
Her eyes softened and she held out
her hand. F'That was nice of you,'' she
said gently. Eyes, am going to make
up to him. I pray God, he will never
know what I thought
Elizabeth" He had found her at
last. The Other Man slipped away.
fI've found a way" he exclaimed
breathlessly. "Come along
"Oh," she cried, you've hurt your
hand; it's bleeding"
He held out the other to her. ''No,
no; it's nothing. I had rather bother
with the doors and windows. That's
why I've been so long"
She followed him silently.
When they were in their carriage and
on their way home there was an awk-
ward silence. Elizabeth had just
finished bandaging his hand with the
aid of both their handkerchiefs-
Dear" he said at last, would you
mind telling me why you--you asked
me to go away?"
She looked at him a reproachful
pout. "Must you inquire into all your
wife's Weaknesses" she asked
"I only wondered-"
sfOf course she interrupted, "I knew
you would, and I meant to tell you.
But you'll despise me. You've got a
very unheroic wife, John. When [
asked you to go was-she went on
steadily-sI was nearly dead with
fright, and couldn't bear to have you
to see it; so I said the first thing l
thought Of to get rid Of you while |
got over it; What did say?-1
didn't know what I was saying, John.
Butt did get over it.
His face cleared and he bent and
kissed her. His voice was very tender.
Elizabeth, my Wife" he said. do
you know''-he laughed ight-heart-
edIy-''T've been worrying like every
thing about it. I fancied you thought
was IN q IuIh ABOUT AESS4A- -
thought you meant that"
She stared at him, then burst out
laughing Historically and threw her
arms round his neck. "Oh, you dear,
darling old stupid" she cried.
Don't you know yet that women
never mean what they seem to mean?'
He made a mock gesture Of despair.
$50 now that you seem to mean you
are-well, rather fond of me- Eliza
beth. what do you really mean2"
She smiled up at him swiftly. 'fThat
consider you just perfect she Whls-
pered.
Upstairs in their own room, when
he had gone down to give some orders
to the servants, Elizabeth wandered to
the window. Her eyes were troubled.
Suddenly she knelt down and buried
her face in her hands. God grant" "
she supplicated, "that he viii never
know do love him. I have al
ways loved him-but that I should
have thought him afraid" Sketch