The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1906-10-23

at least not in rne Dcglnnlng Duly
she wondered why her townsfolk would
not understand she had come back to
them because her interest lay among
them and had been eager to help in all
good works if only she had been per-
mitted.
But she held up her head and laughed
and TESTED till the latest Of her callers
took himself away Then silently she
held out her hand to Billy. He under
stood and announced an early we'd
ding day.
1t was a church wedding, with the
house jammed to the last inch. After it
the newly married settled back into
their old ways, going pace that kept
them the talk of the town
They were very gay and desperately
unhappy. Edith could not get away
from sense that Billy had married
her wholly out of chivalry. Billy? Billy
was old enough to know better, but he
was proving the adage that love, which
may make fool wise man, may like
wise make wise man a fool. He tor
mented himself with the thought that
he had taken advantage of Edith's ex-
tremity. She must know he had loved
her from their very first meeting, but
she was shy and proud and high with
him, Notwithstanding she was his duti-
full wife
He left her much to herself and took
pains to make her know that she was
as free as ever. Edith resented the
freedom Billy ought to understand
that she wanted to obey him-make
him at least that poor recompense for
his sacrifice
Thus they ate out their hearts in
cross purposes, cross miScomprehen-
sions, until Ashbel Clare came to visit
them. Ashbel was reputed danger.
GUS person-tall and slight and hand
some, with deep seeing eyes. A glamour
Of romance hung about him. After the
first day Billy wondered, with catching
breath, if he had been quite wise to
fling a man like Ashbel across Edith's
path.
She was clearly fascinated by him,
They were forever walking about the
big, scrubby garden or along the strip
of lawn in full sight of passersby and
all the while absorbed in talk. Edith
was brighter, tOo-quite her old, win
some self. Ashbel seemed equally cap.
tivated. He reused himself as Billy
had not seen him since they were lads
together.
So the days went by, mounting into
n Ioc or inf nd
was in torment. He had made a grim
and mannerly third for the most part
of the time Still he was sure the two
had some secret understanding. He
had made up his mind to endure to the
end There was no danger of dishonor
Dishonor and Edith could not come to-
gether in his mind But when he was
quite sure-if he were quite sure-he
would find a way out of 1t. His ia
Their had died of heart disease. There
were ways of ending yourself without
making a scandal. He would make an
end Of himself gladly if only that was
lay Edith's happiness.
The first thing was to make his will
Ashbel Clare surprised him at it. Billy
was glad. He wanted Ashbel to know,
to understand how entirely he had
trusted his wife and his friend. So he
thrust the paper into Clare's hand, say
ing gruffly:
Read that! You see I've some de-
cent instincts if am half a savage"
81 see. Everything, great or small,
to your wife," Ashbel said, then. with
Il whimsical, half dreamy smile. "Do
you know that she's the most fascinat-
ing creature aliveT
"Just what she says of your Billy
growled, signing his name with a
blurred flourish.
Ashbel bent over him, laughing
softly.
''The perception does credit to her
mind he said. "As for her heart,
Billy, you brute, that knows no better
than to belong to you wholly, and you
won't see it, you blind, blind batw
A soft, stifled sob, the patter of swift,
light feet, sounded at the door. Billy
followed them, caught hisiNyife in his
arms and said. with his lips on her
forehead: Darling! Darling! If you
really do love me-
Hush Edith said, with her hand
over his lips. you were a blind bat
Even Jealousy could not make you
see."