West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-10-04

/
! oracularly.
Edith looked az him dli'.. JET.
ute. 81 know They try e,.
YOU" she said. And tier
eyes flaming, "They aci l.
here, three OF them to a.. ll,. ..
your past
"They dldT' Blly's yol.g v.H.4l!
quiet. "And your
u said II did not Co.. u.e q,
know about Il; all was coac.-. tN.ta
was your future" Edith o., .vcr.G. ..,-
voice trembling n little. %. ua.h los
eyes were brave.
Billy got up and strctoa, t'..srit
THAT settles IT," he said ',, m, GO
day right on, 20 can go .rlsr wcl.
ding cards"
Edith ala name the day. tut u4t mUI
she had stood out against h,u week.
She might not have given i:i I then
| but for the ordeal at church Nol only
was she cut right ana lcrt thc minister
preached at her-pot Ly name. OF
course, but In fashion more trau ru
| mistat8blc
Billy was there. across Tie aisle
| glum and furious. After .rticc he
half led her out, aud walked away
with her, his head high But even that
did not hurt like the furtiyc vet swng.
gering airs of the three men who
called in the evening There was FUR
ther something Of patronage about
| them.
Altogether they made Edith hate
| thern. but not as she hated herself Size
was full Of quick kindness and had
not meant hurt or anront 10 anybody
at lcast uct In the beginning. Duly
she wondered why her townsfolk would
not understand she had como back to
Thorn because her interest lly among
them and had been eager 10 help In all
good works II only she Lad been per.
mitted.
But she held mp her head and laughed
and Tested TIL the latest OF her callers
took himself away Then silently she
held out her hand 90 Billy lie under.
STOOD ana announced au early wed
ding day
IL was church wedding. with the
house damned to the last inch After II
the newly married settled back Into
their old ways, going pace that kept
iutln the tUlk or the town.
They We're very gay ana desperately
unhappy. Edith could not Get away
from sense that Billy had married
her wholly ont OF chivalry. Billy? Billy
was old enough to know better. but he
was proving the adnge that love, which
may make fool wise man. may like
wise make a wise man fool He tor
mented himself with the thought that
he had taken advantage Of Edlth'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 dut-
ful wife
He left her much 10 herself and took
pains to make her know that she was
as free Ak ever Edith resented the
freedom. Billy ought 10 understand
that she wanted TO obey him-make
him at least that poor rccompense for
his sacrifice.
Thus they ate out their hearts In
cross purposes. cross miscomprehen-
slons, until Asllbel Clare came to visit
them. Ashbcl was reputed a danger
Gus person-tnll and slight and hand |
some. with deep seeing eyes. \ glamour |
OF romance hung about him. After the
first day Billy wondered. with catching
| breath, ~ 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 OF along the strip |
Of lawn IN fun sight Of passersby and |
all the while absorbed i'm talk Edith |
was Brighter too quite her old. win
some salt Ashbel seemed equally cap
tivated. lie reused himself as Billy
had not seen him since they were lads
together.
So the days went by, mounting into |
weeks, az last into a month, and Billy |
was In torment. lie 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 10 endure TO the
end. There was no danger of dishonor.
Dishonor and Edith could not come to-
gcther I'm his mind But when he was
quite sure-if he We're quite sure-he
would find q way out OF It, His IA
Their had died OF heart disease There
were ways OF ending yourself without
making scandal lie would make an
end of himself gladly II only that way
lay Edith's happiness
The first thing was 20 make hls Will.
Ashbel Glare surprised him att Billy
was glad lie wanted Ashbel 90 know.
20 understand how entirely De had
trusted hls wife and hls fr I'D SO ne
thrust the paper into Cnre's hand. say
lug grumy.
Read that You see I've some de-
cent instincts 10 7 am half "a savage"
n see Everything. great or small. |
| 40 your wife" Ashbei said. then. with
d whimsical half dreamy smile. do
you know that she's the most fascinat-
.Hg creature allveT"
Just what she says Of you" Billy
growled signing his name with
blurred flourish
Ashbel bent over him, laughing
softly
"The perception does credit TO her
mind Doe said "As for her heart
Billy. SOU brute. that knows mo- better
thll ~ belong TO- you wholly and YOU
won't gee e. you blind blind batr'
a soft stlded sob. the potter Of SWIFT.
llaht feet, sounded nt the door Billy
followed them. caught hls wife iu his
arms oud said with hls lips ON her
forehead Darling Darling, n YOU
/ really l1 love me"-
'Uwh.' Edith said with her hand
over i's bps you were o. blind bat.
Even jealousy could not make Won