The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-09-17
tn + WO m An
OF 1T
by GRACE BURTON.


There are two periods in a mans
life," says George Horace Lorrimer, |
when he doesn't understand women
One is before he is married and the
other after"
Dauncey Stanton had often smiled
over this saying, but the truth OF 1t
never really came home to him until
he met I'll fortune. and this was not
until he had been married nearly 20
years.
Then-it was the old story. The
dullness Of approaching middle age,
the forbidden witchery Of an uncon'
ventional charmer. increased desire 10
be rich. since now he would spend ike
water, speculation. disaster All his
world was swept away in moment
He would have shot himself but for
the innate manliness that forbade any
thing like running away from trouble,
especially trouble OF his own causing
He sat himself down in his lonely, de-
serted Office to ponder what should be
done.
From Alice. his wife. he naturally
had become estranged during the year
or so of the unconventional eharmer's
reign and sway. The proud, sad WON
an who bore his name had uttered no
word of reproach or even knowledge
of his wrongdoing, but he had seen
and noted. even through the veil of
his growing selfishness. the change
wrought by his cruel coldness. OF
late their intercourse had not been
| formal. indeed. The other woman.
naturally, had small use for him now
that his pockets were empty. He had
not really believed in her love, Of
course, but the fact that she had gone
| out of town without farewell. though
/ knowing his distress and financial dan
| ger, yet gave him bitter pang.
He opened his watch and looked at
the two pictures fastened. respective
| lY. in the back and front of the case.
| The portrait of Alice had been taken
| on their wedding tour and had looked,
with grave sweetness, out at MIN ever
since. The other portrait, gay, in
souciant. smiling, the unconventional
charmer had given him a year ago.
After a moment or two he clicked the
back portrait out of sight and sat gaz-
/ ing, with shamed mournfulness, at
| that of Alice. He was so engaged
/ when the door boy. who alone of all
the once large Office force remained
on duty, told him that woman wait
! ed outside
SHOW her i'm he commanded, his
heart softening at the thought that
perhaps the other woman had relent-
ed, came to offer him sympathy and
aid. But it was Alice paying her first
office visit in years, who slipped
through the outer door
''Dauncey!" she cried. weeping, and
put her arms about him on the in
slant The man, after a brave effort
at self-control, wept also, wept out the
bitterness of desertion by all-saye
one-who had once loved him. And
the woman hushed and soothed him as
she might have done child.
The latent manliness that had held
back thoughts of suicide swayed him
at last and he found himself telling
her many things about which he had
intended to keep silent, and the love
and tenderness with which she re-
ceived the lame. hating explanations
further shamed him. BY and by. when
his trembling voice sank to silence,
she lifted his chin until the tired eyes
met her own.
''Dauncey. DEAR, she told him,
you've nearly broken my heart, but il
doesn't matter now that I've got YOU
back again. AS to being poor, we
were happy enough once as poor PEG
pie, and we can be so again, if need
be. But during the years of our pros
perity / saved quite a little from the
money you pressed upon me, and |
think that will give you start in a
new business. And if motif you
can't make enough money to please
you alone, why, I'll go into business
with you. and together l know it will
be all right"
She went home soon after to ar
range for the little trip away that was
to celebrate their reunion, to give him
new life and strength for the fresh,
victorious battle with fate and finance
opening out before him. and Stanton.
lefI alone. looked long at the sweet
face gazing out from the front of his
watch case.
Deai Cod" he exclaimed, as he la
boriously pried out and destroyed its
unworthy neighbor, Ito think that for
20 years I've lived with an angel and
never even dreamed it till now."