Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-12-06

y
judged by the light Of present knowl-
edge. had determined on that course
since she first knew that her former
husband was living.
Suddenly Brand pushed back his
chair from the desk at which he sat
"rhe young dog" he growled. He
had, in fact, followed the exact mental
process which Pyne mapped out for
him. The letter, the drive, Mrs. Shop
pards absence, Ends uneasy wrig-
Cling at the door, were all parts of an
ordered plan. He was to be given an
opportunity of seeing his wife and dis
entanglng the twisted strands Of
twenty years. He rose impatently and
paced the room quietly withal lest the
woman in the next room should hear
him. A decision had been forced on
him. He could shirk it no longer.
"pyne has contrived this" he NUT
tered. He thinks he can see more
clearly into the future than man
twice his age. Enid Is in the plot too.
And Connie! No. not Connie. Dear
heart! She is worn with anxiety, yet
she has never once mentioned her
mother to me since she carried her in
to the house like an ailing child
Back and forth he walked. wrestling
with the problem. Soc his wife he
must and before she quilted Cornwall.
Was It advisable in her present state
Of health to take her by surprise?
Pyne evidently thought SO. And the
doctor! Good heavens! Was the doctor
In the thing too?
At last he t,iggcd Mt the bell
MARY he said. TASK Mrs. Vanst
tart If she feels able to see Mr. Brand"
There; it was done.
Mary, rosy checked and soft Of
speech drcnding only Mrs. Sheppard's
matronly eye, knocked at the door of
the sitting room. He heard her deliver
his message. There was no audible
answer. He was lamenting his folly,
noplng against hope that no i'll results
might he forthcoming to the invalid
thus taken by surprise when he caught
Marys formal "Yes'm," and the girl
came to him.
please, sir" she said, "the lady
says she is anxious to see YOU"
He walked firmly to the door, opened
1t and entered. He had made up his
mind what to say and how to say it.
1t would be best to ask his wife to dis
cuss matters in Il friendly spirit and
for their daughters sake agree to
some arrangement whereby Constance
should see her occasionally. There
need De no tears, no recriminations, no
painful raking through the dust heaps
of the vanished years. The passion, the
agony, Of the old days was dead. Their
secret had been we'll kept. It was
known only to those whom they could
trust. and they might part without
heartburnlngS. while Constance would
be spared the suffering of knowing
that her mother and she were sepa-
rated forever.
These things were we'll ordered in his
brain when he looked at his wife. She
was seated near the window, and her
beautiful eyes, brilliant as ever, were
fixed on his with narrowing intensity.
They shone with the dumb pain Of Il
wounded animal
He walked toward her and held out
his hand. Her illness had brought out
certain rescmblances to Constance.
She l6oked younger. as some women
do look after illness. Surely he could
not even had he harbored the thought,
use cruel words to this wan. stricken
woman, the wife whom he had loved
and for whom he had suffered.
"Nanette." he said, with utmost gen.
| tlenesS, do not be distressed. Indeed
there is no reason why our meeting
should he painful. 1t is better that we
should have Il quiet talk than that we
should part again in anger and bitter
ness"
She caught his hand in both of hers
Still she said nothing. Her large eyes
gazcd up at him AS II she sought to
read in his face the thoughts he might
not utter. the memories he might not
recall. Her lips distendcd. He saw her
mouth twitching at the corners.
"Nanctte," he said again, though his
voice was not WI under control ana
something rose in his throat and stfled
him. II appeal to you not TO give way
toto emotion. You may-become i'll
again--and would never forgive my,
| self"
Still cllngng to his hand, she sank or
her knees by his side. But there was
no wild burst Of tears. Her sorrow
was too deep for such kindly aid.
"Stephen," she whispered family, 81
cannot ask you to forget, but you have
spoken Of forgiveness. Can you for
give"
He bent over and would have raised
her. She chung to him with such en-
ergy that he desisted.
MY poor wife," he murmured, "whC
am l that | should deny that which
hope to obtain from my Creator?"
But" she painted in that unnervine
whisper Il treated you so vilely.
left you to join the man you hat
fought to save me. I deserted my hus
band and my child for the sake of thu
money he bequeathed to me. In thu
lust of wealth l strove to crush y0,
out of my heart. And now that Goo
has humbled me l must humble my
self. Stephen, I am not your wife.
obtained DIVORCE
"Nanette," he cried, 81 cannot beaI
to see you kneeling at my feet. asl
wrong you may have done me full
and freely, as l hope to be forgiven"
She yielded to his pleading and al
lowed him to raise her. For I'm instan
she was clasped to his breast.