Los Angeles herald., 1907-02-17
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kkfkSitD his senses had left him. He had not
meant to open it, he had not noticed
this one letter to his wife which Calvert's momen-
tary carelessness had brought in mistake to his
desk instead OF to that spinde-legged absurdity
IN tue mauve boudoir at which Lady Everleigh
was wont to wreste faithfully with CORE
spondence which had long seemed to him frivolous
and entirely unmportant
Her whole existence, indeed. struck him. when
he thought of it, az a piece of exquisite fri.
VoutN. Her dresses, her dances her dinners
P'hN' plue or green, according to the whim of the
hour-her bridge parties her race parties her
endless, unmeaning little engagements of pleas.
ure or what she considered peasure her beauty,
"'. 'n"rh' tne very infections of her clear, high
voice her thoughtless laughter.
lie was quite content that she sbould be
frivolous, for of all things in the world he dis.
liked the modern capable woman most bitterly.
lhueeu' ne was serious enough himself to love
tne atmosphere of gaiety in which Lady Ever.
leigh seemed always to move.
IL would not have amused him in the lea ast
TO accompany her to her parties or to cult.
Vate her trends; but he liked to look up from
MS oig desk at the radiant appartion which call
eo gay farewell to him from the doorway; he
nked, as he sat at work, TO think of her. adj
mired and admring, enjoying herself in her own
way. lie liked her to come in lauqhino NJ all
unearthly hours of the night. to throw him
scraps OF careless gossip as she oosened her
c'oaN' ne was not man who was given to self
ANALYSIS, but he knew now as he sat there with
the letter IN his hand, how supremely content
wl'n ms I'ie he had been. He had had success
ne had Interchangeable sort of happiness he
liked best; he had had his books and his work.
and ms trends-Ladv Everleigh frankly called
most OF them "snuffy.' And in the middle dis
tance, as it were, he had had Lady Everleiob
herself
lie mad been quite content that she should oc
culN Ine middle distance that she should be
SET H'tle way of from him. Perhaps he never
wanted anyone very near him. But now u.;th
that letter in his hand he felt suddenly os n,o,,
may feel who is wrecked on a desert island. he
seemed suddenly to stand in the midst of soil
tuHe tnat frightened him; he realized that tbe
hgure In the middle distance was noised for
flight. f'eu iof
tie glanced again at the letter That Charles
oamplon should dare to write such letter |
the marie OF Lady Everleigh's careless, pleas |
ureSTHiIed nm with speechless indignation That |
ne should dare to say that he Campion. cared
more for Lady Everleigh than her own husband |
nHed MN with shocked astonishment. Worse
than all 1t was evident that LADY Everleicb
was quite OF Campions opinion Their plans
We're evidently laid. He looked again. forcing
himself to Understand the words written before
nm Aes tonight she was to start. ostensibl,.
LOT the hardens dance and her place in the
middle distance of kverleigh's life would after.
wards be empty forever
he laid the letter down. as though the toucb
OF it hurt him. The key to the situation was in |
his hand and he knew it. He would 90 to his
wlfe with the letter in his hand-or .he could 90
to Campion In either cse, the thing would he
very unpleasant and Lady Everleigh would Ger
tainiN leave nm IN the end He was not sure,
as he sat there, that he wished her 70 stay Ho
was proud enough in his own way.
Something fell softly on the writing.nad be
fore him and began to move slowly across the
white blottng paper. 1t was little blue but
terHy' country cousin come to town, which