Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1906-01-05

pale with time and blotted with tears.
creased and crumpled out Of all original
shape and smoothness. Half mad with
something terrible which seemed to
stiAe and choke her, Brians wife read
the opening words N the dim, faded ink
that had been dry for years. my darl-
ing" is what she saw-then no more,
for there came a heavy footstep behind
her, rough hand that snatched the pa
per from hers, and hoarse, angry voice
that spoke her name.
How dare your said Brian, in
voice of suppressed fury. He pushed her
back, snatched the case and its contents
away, bundled them all back and sanp-
ped the spring of the box, and thrust it
back into the dressing bag. Then he
turned around to his wife again. Never
had Kitten seen that look of black rage
before upon the face she loved so WELL
She covered and shrank before him,
with white, drawn features and horror
sticken eyes that widened into terror as
they met him.
DNs Sh0 "do DIdNct wv anu BIC hucW
that as his wife she had a right to
know.
Il am sorry" she said, sorry to have
annoyed you. 1t was by accident that l
opened it. But since l have done So
since have seen those things, you must
explain to me the meaning of what
have seen. To whom did they belong?
Who is this other woman, whose hair,
whose glove and handkerchief, whose let
ter you keep so religiously? Who is
she?"
But he gave her no answer; he had
turned away from her and was locking
up his bag. She watched him in silence,
and with an agony which increased at
every moment. When he had put away
the dressing bag he went out of the
room, through her bedroom and into the
sitting room beyond. He leaned against
the window, taking M a newspaper and
making believe to read it. Kitten had
followed him. She stood at a little dis
tance from him, white as death, with
her great, sad eyes fixed upon him. His
face was very dark and bitter. She
could not see the expression of his down
cast eyes, but she saw that the hands
that held the paper shook slightly, and
that he bit his lip under his dark mus
tache, as though struggling with some
strong and painful emotion within him
self.
Then the wife went and laid her soft,
fair head upon her husbands arm, rub
bing her cheek gently against his coat
sleeve, and clinging to him coaxingly
with those small, frail hands he had so
often kissed.
"Brian," she said softly, 81 know l
am only child to you, and l have seen
enough of the world lately to understand
that | cannot be the first whom you have
loved. But am l not your wife, and
why should there be any secret between
us? Tell me who this woman was, and
if you loved her once, and l will speak
of it no more.
"lt will be better that you should
speak of it no more" he answered
hoarsely.
But that is no answer to my ques-
tionu," she said, looking up wistfully
into his face.
There can be no answer to it." he
answered shortly, and then added, with
a little gesture of affection, resting his
hand against her head; II will forgive
you for your indiscretion, Kitten, but do
not speak Of this affair again."
Not after this once, Brian, but I am
your wife. l have a right to know your
past. The happiness of our whole lives
depends upon this. Answer me but this
one question"
my dear little girl, men do not like
to be cross-questioned."
Does that mean that you refuse to
tell me who those things belonged to-"
Exactly, if you like to word 1t so. l
refuse to tell you" He flung down his
paper upon the table, and looked at her
angrily, almost defiantly. And now,"
he said lightly, ''the rain is over Put
on your things and let us go out"
After that, Kitten knew that she did
not possess her husbands heart. All
the sweet illusions, all the dear dreams
of love and happiness, withered up and
dwindled away into emptiness and DESC
lation. She understood, with that
shrewdness which had always been
part of her nature, that had Brian ceas-
ed to love this other woman, of whom
he treasured up those faded mementoes
so tenderly and reigiously, he would
have spoken of her freely and openly,
and would have told her something
even If not all the story of his past. But
his blind anger, his overpowering emo
ton, and his obstinate refusal to answer
her Questionings taught her too surely
n hnr httgh ghon low 60
woman was not dead thing of the post
but living, breathing reality.
(To be continued)