The Columbus journal., 1907-04-03


CHAPTER xxX-co0tinued.
Il have only contempt for . woman
vho tries to hold . man when he
wishes to CO." said Anita, with quiet
but energetic bitterness. "Bestdes-
she hesitated an instant before going
on-'Gladys deserves her fate. She
doesn't really care for him., She's
only jealous of him. She never did
love him."
How do you know" said l sharp
", trying to persuade myself 1t was
not an ugly suspicion in me that
lifted its head and shot out that Ques-
ton.
Because he never loved her. she
replied. THE feeling . woman has
for q man or man for . woman,
without any response, isn't love. isn't
worthy the name of love. It's . sort
of baMed covetousness. Love means
generosity. not greediness. Then
Why do you not ask me whether
what she said is true?"
The change in her tone with the
last sentence, the strange, omtnous
note in it, startled me.
Because, replied ]. as l saad 10
her, to ask my wife such . question
would be to insult her. II you were
riding with him. 1t was an accident.
As II my rude repuise OF her over
lures and my keeping away from ner
ever since would not have Just1ned ner
in almost anything.
She flushed the dark red OF sname'
but her gaze held steady ana unhncn-
ing upon mine. 1T was not aitOeetner
by accident, sne sald. ana l tn'nA
SIZE expected me 10 kiA ner.
When q man sdmI's anu feSpe'o
a womans rlents wnere ne Is n'm-
sell concerned ne eltner 's no 'onsei
interested IN ner or mas oeeun 70 Dse
ner SO wei tnat ne can con'Io' '"e
savage ana se'hsn insenc's Q. pas
SION. II Moworay Lansaon "ao ""
tnere' l mlsh' nave Aii'eo 'ne" oo."'
OUT ne was not there' anu sne' i@ei"s
me witnout Iear' was not sne "o"an
10 Oe suspec'eo VI '"e S'eo''"S """
traitorous.
1t was ne tnat you meant "nen
you warned me you cared ior anotner
man! sald l. SO quletiy tnAt ! Won
dered at mysei1; wondered "hat hao
become OF the BLACK Matt VINO nad
used MS nsts almost as mucn as n's
brains In nshung ms way up.
yes, sne sald, ner nead oo"n
now.
A long pause.
You wish to be free?' l asked, and
my tone must have been gentle.
wish to free you, sne rephed
slowly and deliberately.
There was q long silence. Then
I said: Il must think 1t all out.
once told y0u how I felt about these
matters. I've greatly changed my
mind since our talk that night in the
Willoughby; but my prejudices. are
still with me. Perhaps you will not
be surprised at that-you whose pre-
JUDGES have cost me 50 dear.
thought she was going to speak.
Instead she turned away. SO that
could NO longer see her face.
Our marriage was q miserable
mistake" went on, struggling to be
just and judicial, and to seem calm
Il admit 1t now. Fortunately, We are
both still young-you very young
Mistakes in youth are never fatal
But. Anita. do not blunder out of one
mistake into another. You are NO
longer a child. as you were when
| married you. You will be careful not
to let judgments formed of him lone
ago decide you for him as they de
cided you against me-"
Il wish to be free" she said, each
word coming with an effort, ''as much
on your account as ON my own. u
Then. and 1t seemed to me merely q
truly feminine attempt to shirk re
sponsfbility. she added, Il am glad
my gong Will be q reiief to you.
Yes. it will be q relief" l con
fessed. Our situation has become
fntOlerable. l had reached my limit
of self-control. l put out my hand
"GoodIb BY" l said.
II she had wept 1t might have modi
fed my conviction that everything
was at an end between us. But she
did not weep. Can you ever forgive
me-" she asked.
Let's not taik OF forgiveness. said
l, ana l lear my voice ana manner
were sruH. AZ l strove not 10 0reas
oo"n' Ae's Try 70 forget. ana
'oucneu ner nano anu nastened away
men Two human 0einss SET out te
misundefstand eacn otner, now tas'
ana lar tney go! now snutin We