Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1908-09-08
CHAPTER Xy.-fCoptinued.,

CHAPTER XX-(Continued.
He rejoined his wife. She stood sur
rounded by the shreds of rosemary and
thyme which she had plucked and scat
tered while he was talking. She was very
pale, and he knew only too well that she
was very angry.
Come, Viva, it is time we turned
honeward"
Yes, the sun has gone down, has 1t
mott" she exclaimed mockingly, as she
looked after the carriage, which sank
below the ragged edge of heather and
thyme yonder as if it had dropped over
the cliff
"why, my love, the sun is above our
heads !"
els It? Your sun has gone down, any
how. She is very lovely, is she not
The question was asked with sudden
eaRerness, as if her life depended upon
the reply. She was walking quickly in
her agitation, going down the hill much
faster than she had mounted it.
Eyes, they are both handsome girls;
feather-headed, but remarkably hand
some" her husband answered, carelessly.
But Della is the lovelier. She is your
divinity"
YES, she is the lovelier. The other
seems a copy by an inferior hand"
And she is so fond of you. 1t was
cruel to refuse her request when she
pleaded so hard"
How can you be so foolish or so
petty, vivien? Is it impossible for me
to talk for five minutes with hand
Home Girl without rnrea souable anger on
your partT
''Do you expect me to be pleased or
happy when l see your admiration of
another woman-admiration you do not
even take the trouble to conceal? Do
you suppose 1 can ever forget last win
ter-how l have seen you dancing with
that girl night after night? Yes, l have
had to sit and watch you. l was not
popular; had few partners; and it is
bad form to dance more than once with
ones husband. 1 have seen her in your
arms, with her head almost lying on
your shoulder, again and again, as If
1t were her natural place. What hand
some couple" 1 have heard people say;
are they engagedT Do you think that
was pleasant for me?'
You had but to say one word, and
would have left off dancing forever"
Another sacrifce-like your marriage"
"Vivien. you would provoke a saint"
"Yes, it is provoking to be chained to
one woman when you are dying for an
other
"How much oftener am l to swear to
you that l don't care a straw for Miss
Darcy?''
"Ncver again." she answered II love
you too we'll to wish you to swear to a
lie"
They had come down from the COM
mon ny this time, and were now upon
a pathway nearer home-a narrow foot
path On the edge of the cliff opposite
Beaulieu: the gently curving bay below
them, and behind and above them or
chards and gardens, hill and lighthouse.
1t was one of their chosen walks. They
had paced the narrow path many an af-
ternoon when the twin towers of Monaco
showed dark in the shadow of shutdown.
''Viyien, think you are the most diff
fcult creature to live with that ever a
man had for his wife," said Ransome,
stung to the quick by her persistent per-
versity.
Il am difficult to live WITH am II"
she cried. why don't you go a step
further-why don't you say at once that
you wish were dcad?" she cried, with
wild burst of passion. "Say that you
wish me dead"
II own that when you torment me as
you are doing to-day | have sometimes
thought of death-yours or mine-as the
only escape from mutual misery" he an
swered goomily.
He had been saunteriug a few PAGES
IN front of her along the narrow path
between the olive garden and the edge
of the cliff, she following slowly-both
in a deSuItory way. and talking to each
other without seeing each others face.
The cliff sank sheer below the pathway.
with only a narrow margin of rushy
grass between the footpath and the brink
of the precipce. 1t was no stupeudous
Depth no giddy height from which the
eye glanced downward, sickening at the
horror of the guilt One looked down at
the jewel bright waves and the many
hued rocks, the fir trees growing out of
the crags, without a thought of danger;
and yet false step upon those sunburnt
rushes might mean instant death.
He came to sudden standstill after
that last speech and stood leaning with
both hands upon his stick. angry. full
of gloom. feeling that he had said cruel
thing. yet not repenting of his cruelty.
He stood there expeetant of her angry
answer: but there was only silence.
Silence and then a swift rushing sound
like the flight of great bird. He looked
round, and saw that he was alonel