The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-04-04

N "Poh oeASrif wv iat'
to enable him TO reach hel
WON that night.
Adhousand times during the lon,
Journey from the South American Stat,
in which he had spent his exile, Mans
field had read her letter. He not onl,
knew the wording backwards. but Ii.
had fully succeeded IN shaping ths
rather prim phrases to the white heat
of his own ideals.
She recorded the death OF her hus
band; and how could he expect Sc
noble a woman Ms CoralIe to regard
that event MS he did? The late Mr.
Brooke ought to have died ten years
earlier; indeed. he ought never to have
lived No doubt. he had treated her
kindly, although he could never have
understood her.
Worldly parents had persuaded her
TO marry the fellow. Mansfield had
long ago accepted the inevitable,
though at the time life had been
robbed Of all sweetness for him and the
future without her had seemed entirely
void.
He had never reproached her. He
had replied in simple. manly words to
her hysterical letter announcing the
parental decision. True. he had urged
her to defy conventions and 10 face
possible poverty with him. CoralIe re-
piled that such was her overmastering
desire. but that her sense OF duty held
her bound as In chains.
Thus they had drfted apart-she
marrying Brooke, he seeking disfrac-
fion In South America. starting life
anew, shaking the dust of civilization
from his feet. A very ordinary afraIr,
you will perceive.
But the death Of Brooke had changed
Tor Mansfield the gray hue OF life. In
these ten years Of strenuous work he
lad grown moderately rich. No other
woman had ever attracted him for an
hour. except one or two who recalled
some memory OF Coralie.
Then the craze for motoring set IN.
and Brooke obligingly broke his neck
on dangerous hill. Mansfield read Of
the accident In an old newspaper. but
exactly twelve months elapsed before
Coralie wrote TO him herself.
She wrote guardedly. but be read be-
tween the lines OF her conventionality
--or fancled that he did. Leaving his
affairs In the hands of friend. Mans
iield at once started for England
Next morning the early train from
Southampton brought him to the near
est town by o'clock, and thence he
drove to Eggbottle in fly. He had
shaved of his beard on the previous
night. Also he had sent her tele-
gram. About $50 a. m. the fiy entered
the village. Mansteld's heart beat
fast.
The village was wholly strange to
him. but he knew that she lived in 4
house called THE Laurels,'' and
thlther the cabman had been directed !
to drive. 1t may have been S.45 when |
the cab stopped at the door of prIm
cottage drive, fianked at mathematic. |
nliy exact intervals BY prim shrubs.
A solszlA butler. looking unaffectedly
hostileSApened the door.
Mfrs. Brooke at home?" gasped |
Mrs. Brooke does not breakfast tilll
D.30." was the chilling reply.
'I-l'm an old friend said Mans
field. "rll wait.s
Il will take your card up IL the bus.-
ness Is urgent" said the butler.
Mansfield affected to search for his
rard. He had long ceased to use such
things, but the butler. he felt, would
not have ccndoned such breach OF
fashion.
II have no card with me-" he ex-
planned. Say Herbert Mansfield"
"The mistress never receives IN the
objected tile butler.
"The at home days are the second
md fourth Tuesdays. between A aud
J p. M"
Mansfield took a half crown piece
rom bis pocket and the butler yielded.
well. sir, II you'iI walt in the cab
or few minutes, III send your name
Ip," he said.
After a long delay the butler re-
urned.
THE mistress viii see you. sir. in
ialf an hour, unless you prefer 10 re-
urn TO luncheon.
The message chilled him, but to post
'one the meeting till luncheon time
vas unthinkable. He followed the
'utIer to a large drawing room, and
vas left alone with yesterdays paper
nd a view Of the prim front garden.
The room was crowded with furnI-
ure, nick-nacks. framed photographs.
rail tables, footstools and fully draped \
tatuettes. Some anaemie water color