Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1907-06-06
CHAPTER NNIV.


The Glendurwood carriage was stand
Ing whore Jack had ordered it to remain
when he arrived. Jack had thrown him
self back in his corner and had folded
his arms across his breast; Audrey sat
bolt upright her two cold little hands
clinched tight together. her teeth set so
that the sobs that rose to her throat
should not escape her lips.
Who shall attempt to describe the
state of those two hearts, both wounded
te the very quick. both heavy with that
deep sorrow that comes when one has
been deceived where one loves best?
why did they take me to him? Why
was married to him? | would sooner
have died than have listened to what
those women said tonight and know
7hat he has never, never loved me" said
Audrey to herself, passionately.
And so my happiness is over ran
Jacks troubled thoughts. We'll, it has
been. to believe that any woman could
be the angel l have pictured her to be,
and that she should love him-him, above
all other men. feel as though his
very life's blood will not give me salts
faction
They reached the gates of Craiglands
at last; few minutes drive through the
well-kept avenue. and then the door. Jack
got out, and then forcing himself by an
almost superhuman effort to appear nat
ural before the servants. turned to as
sist her. Audrey put her cold hand in
his as she stepped out of the brougham.
How little did either of them think that
they would not clasp, or even touch,
hands again for many a weary day.
The fragrance and warmth of her bed
room seemed to choke Audrey. Hastily
f1inging off her domino, she passed to the
window and pushed it open, and then
stood by it, the sound of her own heart
beating in her ears like a sledge hammer.
Would Jack come? She waited several
moments. If he had come to her then
she would have done that which would
have put matters straight at once, for the
agony in her breast was urging her to
speak out to ask him why he had deceived
her, why he had married her? The hot
blood rushed to her cheeks again and
again. as she recalled the remarks those
two women had made and realized how
cruelty the world judged her already.
Five. ten, fifteen, twenty minutes went
by, and Audrey still stood waiting for
the sound of her husbands footsteps on
the stairs and the passage outside.
Her happiness was ended; Jack no
longer loved her-indeed. had never loved
her. She was his wife, that was true, and
it must be her lot to bear with the diff
culties as with the joys that fell to her
as his wife.
Still" the child thought sorrowfully
to herself, ''he has acted wrongly; he has
been cruel to Sheila, to himself, to me-
l am glad he did not come in just now
yes, glad, for it shows that he is tired Of
deceit and hypocrisy, and-and | cannot
bear to think that the nature | thought
80 honest should only prove false. What
was it that those women said? The
worst days work Jack Glendurwood did
when he married me- People should be
careful how they speak out-the truth"
Her lips quivered, but her face famed
with proud color. The worst days
work for Jack" she repeated slowly, land
am the one who has brought that to
him. II who would lay down my life
for him. Why did | ever meet him? Why
did | ever leave home? Why did not
heaven let me die before all this sorrow
came upon him through me? Jack My
darling! My darling y
Her hot, fearless eyes stared into the
fire, as if to seek some solution of this
painful problem there. In her loving gen
erosity Audrey made all excuses for her
husband now. She no longer blamed he
,pss still to her the dearest creature on
earth ; and yet so great was the agony at
thought of his deceit that, had he held out
his arms to her and called her tenderly by
name, she would have turned from him
and stood alOof.