Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1906-05-19
CHAPTER XIV.

Via EN- AAN.
81 tell you your presence here Is an
unwarrantable intrusionl If you do not
leave my apartment of your own free
will, l shall be compelled to have you
ejectedw
1t was the third day since Polling left
Ethel, and this was his wife's greetingl
He had had a long battle with himself;
but duty had been triumphant and his
mind once made up he was not to be dis
couraged by a few bitter words.
THAT is not necessary. OF course l
will leave you; but you will not refuse
to answer me one or two questions
frst?'
ASK your questions then, and, II l
choose to answer them, l will. II don't
choose, I will not. But, for heavens
sake. get over them quickly!"
"Will you tell me something of our
child, Pauline?' he asked.
She sprung up with a look of desper-
ate fright on her face.
How dare you come here to brow
beat me like this7' she exclaimed. We
hemently; and then she sank back on the
couch again. But, after pause. she
said quietly enough: you have touched
my one weak point OF course you have
to hear what there is to tell. My baby
was born a weakly little thing | had
hard work to keep body and soul together
in those first days after my fathers
death. | knew from the first she could
not live long. She died when she was
three months old"
II wish she had lived"
"Why do you wish such a mad thing
as that?"
Because. If it had not been for see
ing her grave, l should have gone on
searching for you until | found you"
"Ahl And If you had found me then.
IL you had come to Mallingford quietly
and said. Pauline, you are my wife;
come with me- do you know what
would have done2 | would have killed
you! l would kill you even now, If your
death would undo any of the harm you
have worked me! But it Is all over. and
the next thing you will hear is that l
have killed myselfP
why do you hate me so bitterly.
Pauline?" he asked; and he studied her
nttentively while she answered:
Because you have been by evil
genius ever since l became your wife.
II had not married you, my life might
have been as happy and pleasant as
other women's lives are. No sooner did
hupW Audl was uuCAc utitSS lndu
my happiness was destroyed by hearing
that l was to inherit only on the condi-
ton that | did not marry without my
guardians consent. Thanks to you, this
condition was already broken; ard my
six years of possession have been EN-
Filtered by the certainty in my owl
mind that you were alive somewher,
and would surely find me some day
and deprive me of all that l had risket
so much to obtain"
Polling sighed heavily and took up hii
hat.
"You will let me come and see yor
againT"
why? You do not care for me II
the least. Why should you take so mucl
trouble to be civil to meT
you are my wife. No amount Of dis
like or shortcomings on your part alter
that fact. We have been very unfortu
nate in the past. l can see you are un
happy; and. in an indirect way, l an
the cause of your unhappiness. l woul,
give a great deal to make things brighte
for you. if you would let me-"
She was touched by the earnestnes
Of his manner and tone.
you are very good" she said; "an'
I am sorry | behaved so badly TO you.
cne STOOD silent Tor n rev moments
Polling watching her quietly; while the
so stood the clock on the mantelpiec
struck IL.
You must go now" she told hir
hurriedly. Il have an appointment I
ride with some friends Come again a
this time tomorrow"
He did not attempt any outward dis
play Of affection, but passed down tn
stairs. He met Babette half way dowr
with whom does your mistress rid
to-dayT' he asked.
with the Baroness de Belette"-
woman well known for the pertinacit
with which she had chung TO the extrem
edge Of respectable society for the las
five years. They have a wager as I
, who will ride the greatest distance on
horse belonging to Monsieur Crew.
which has always refused to carry
, lady"
Polling went on with a little una'
: knowisdged anxiety In his heart II