The daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 190?-1908, 1907-06-14


shake off it's influence He was absent.
" scrawling on the linen cloth with
the prongs of his fork, his food scarce
~ touched.
Dallas watched him narrowly. She
knew when she married Tharpe that
she had undertaken tremendous
proposition. She loved him, and that
bridged every prospective mental
hardship she would probably be called
upon to endure. So-notwithstanding
her thorough knowledge of his former
career, and her keen insight into his
present character and inevitable TEN.
perament-she slipped quite willingly
into the yoke.
Presently he looked up from his
plate and encountered her eyes with a
curious, ironical glance.
Il am going away, Dallas" he said;
you know why
"Going-away!" She dropped her
knife and fork and stared at him In
hurt silence.
when shall we start, Douglass she
asked.
"We! I said that was going4'
"But l thought, naturally" she in
terpolated swiftly, and broke off, a
disappointed look creeping into her
eyes
Tharpc shook his head, his eyes
averted stubbornly from her pleading
gaze. After a little, he ventured to
look up.
1T is just this, Dallas The devils
got his claws in me again, and-and
I've got TO do something. I've got to
get away, by myself. and fight him
down-strangle him for good and all
If can. You've put up with this sort
of thing long enough, and I'm seter-
mined-don't try to dissuade me. dear.
lin in earnest. fearful earnest"
Dallas said nothing, though her eyes
filed with tears.
Would you wish me to have your
things packed or would you rather at
tend to it yourself? l hope you will
not be long away dear"
"I'n see about packing. Are you
going 20 miss me?" he demanded
abruptly.
Am /? Oh, Douglas!" She rose
and went up to him, laying one of her
hands, cool and slender as a white
lily. on his shoulder.
He took her suddenly in his arms
and crushed her against him.
God knows | wish" he stopped
half way the sentence held her of
from nim, searching her eyes deeply,
jealously.
"Dsllas!" he cried, after moment,
tell rse; II ! should stay for-say
years. and then come back-would 1t
be just the same between us?" He
was trembling visibly.
His wife paled, but controlled her
self by an effort.
Always" she said. Her heart con.
tracted.
"By the way be remarked, present
ly, in a changed tone, whatever be.
came of the man. Ashton Villiers?"
Dallas caught her breath sharply.
When they were first married. she had
made a clean breast of her affair with
Villiers, and the subject, by tacit con.
sent, had been closed forever. II was
IL had forgotten that such a person
existed"
He regarded her quizzically for an
instant.
Il am afraid II is a pity you did not
choose him-instead of me-" he pur-
sued, tentatively. II suppose ne would
have made you happier.
when you talk in that fashion,
Douglas, there is really no answer
can make. Anything | might say
would tend only to make matters
worse" she said YEARLY.
A sudden revulsion of feeling seized
| him.
Forgive me, sweetheart. am a
miserable brute. That is just why I
want to get away-to beat 1t to death.
the flend that is eating up my very
vitals."
Dallas lifted her head and looked at
him btavely
you trust me, Douglas?" she ques.
| toned wistfully.
"You know It," But even as he
spoke, she caught his tell-tale flush,
his shifting eye.
A few words more and they separ.
ated for the day. At six, Thorpe came
home with the announcement that he
would be going on the midnight train.
He might return in a month-more
likely, 1t would be twelve.
Mrs. Tharpe had been out the great.
er part Of the day. She came in at
| tMlllrhf with q nngpirr hnadnchn