The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-12-29

said oracularly.
Edith looked at him doubtfully g
minute. "I know. They try even
to scratch you," she said. And ther
quickly, her eyes flaming. "They
actually came here, three of them, tc
tell me about your past"
"They did 7" Billy's voice was
deadly quiet. "And you?"
"I said it did not interest me to
know about it; all 1 was concerned
with was your future" Edith answer
ed, her voice trembling a little, al
though her eyes were brave.
Billy got up and stretched himself.
"That settles it," he said. ''Name
the day, right Of, SO i can go order
wedding cards.
Edith did name the day, but not
until she had stood out against him a
week. She might not have given in
even then but for the ordeal at church.
Not only was she cut right and left
the minister preached at her mot by
name, of course, but in a fashion
more than unmistakable.
Billy was there, across the aisle,
glum and furious. After service he
half led her out, and walked away
with her, his head high. But even
that did not hurt like the furtive yet
staggering airs of the three men who
called in the evening. There was
further something of patronage about
them.
Altogether they made Edith hate
them, but not as she hated herself.
She was full of quick kindness and
had not meant hurt or affront to any
body-at least not in the beginning.
Duly she wondered why her towns
folk would not understand she had
come back to them because her inter
est lay among them and had been
eager to help in all good works if only
she had been permitted.
But she held up her head and
laughed and jested till the latest of
her callers took himself away. Then
silently she held out her hand to
Billy. He understood and announced
an early wedding day.
1t was 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
49, 49,, %I,a %o11~ ~f %11a +<,xx,.,
They were very gay and desperately
unhappy. Edith could not get away
from a 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 a fool wise
man, may likewise make wise man
a fool. He tormented himself with
the thought that he had taken advan-
tagelof Edith's extremity. She must
know he had loved her from their
very first meeting, but she was shy
and proud and high with him, not
withstanding she was his dutiful 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 under
stand that she wanted to obey him
make him at least that poor recon-
pense 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 a
dangerous person-tall and slight and
handsome, 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 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, winsome self. Ashbel seemed
equally captivated. He reused him
self as Billy had not seen him since
they were lads together.
So the days went by, mounting
into weeks, at last into month, and
Billy 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 under
standing. He had made UP his mind
to endure to the end. There was no
danger of dishonor. Dishonor and
Edith could not come together in his
mind. But when he was quite sure
if he were quite sure-he would
find way out of it. His father had
died of heart disease. There were
ways of ending yourself without max
ing scandal. He would make an
end of himself gladly if only that way
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, saying gruffly
"Read that You see I've some
decent instinct if am half savage" "
''Isee. Everything. great or small,
to your wife" Ashbel said, then,
with whimsical, half dreamy smile.
"Do you know that she's the most
fascinating creature alivei"
"Just what she says of you |" 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 bet
ter than to belong to you wholly, and
you won't see it, you blind, blind bat -
A soft, stifed sob, the patter of
swift, light feet, sounded at the door.
Billy followed them, caught his wife
in his arms and said, with his lips on