The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-01-10
Our Daily Sbort Story

own hands" as he explained his ac- ton. He knew that she would say. A year of work amid eongeniaI surround ings, possibly few conventional meet ings in the distant city to which she had gone, 8 divorce, everything regu- lar and legal, and eyen Myra Knowl- ton could not blame lfim If he asked her to take up the thread of life where the law had broken it. This was the plan which he out lined to himself and which sustained him during the first few months of his new freedom" He worked as he had never worked before. His spirit rejoiced in the exhilaration of liber- ty. About him were only those who ministered to his vanity or his selffish- ness There was nothing of the sor- did and the unappreciative. He fam cied that he was at last happy.
 But often and often there came be- tween him and his easel the face of a patient little woman who had placed her hand in his and promised to do her duty, Der whole duty and nothing but her duty so long as life should last She was common, perhaps; she couldn't paint picture or write beau tiful poems or understand all the arr tistic niceties of other peoples pie lures and poems. But she had done nothing to warrant the sacrilege of be- l ing put away.
 | And oftener even than the picture of this womau's face came before him | did the vision of a golden haired little girl rise out of the figures that grew upon his canvas and more times than he would have confessed were the col ors on his palette mixed with tears. It was at such times that he painted badly.
 He had preached the subject of di- l yorce to his wife and she had shown him an unsuspected side of her char acter in her reply
 If your happiness depends upon 1t, Howard" she had said. T shall not oppose if. But for my own protection and that of our little one. it would be | better if took the first step" He thought he was generous in making the concession It saved him the task
 He had met Myra Knowlton at art gatherings on number of occasions. but he had behaved with what he re- garded as oommendable circumspec- ton. But when his wife filed her pa pers he considered that the last link | had been broken. He made an ample | financial arrangement and regarded | himself as free from all other obliga- tions. I again at an exhibition of his pic lures.
 You ought to be very proud to- night" she remarked, as they sat or a divan in a secluded corner. If you wife could only be here to enjoy you triumph"
 The effort to misunderstahd was [ failure and both knew it.
 Let us be honest for once. Myra, he said. You know that 1t was no for her that I have worked all thes' months. It was for you; for the Jol of knowing that you understood: ol the happiness of a freedom whici made it right for me to come to vol and tell you that you have been th' goal of all my efforts. that I love
 Her face grew pale so suddenly tha' he stopped.
 That time can never come. How ard she said. in a low voice. collect. ing herself by an effort No happi. ness is worth while that is purchased at the price of duty disregarded Do not make it harder for me to say but you must bury your dreams-as- I-have--done."
 Her voice faltered and he would have taken her in his arms. but she rose to her feet
 But I shall be ftee in a month.' he exclaimed. The law will make mt free. The first step has already beer taken"
 By you?" she asked,
 No, by her" he replied. with [ touch of suIlenness,
 Myra KnowltOn gazed long and ear, lnestly into his face Is she resumed hel
 You have no right to accept this