News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1908-04-08
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A Novel
By THOMAS COBB \
Author of mir. Passingham'
The Judgment of Helen. etc.
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years younger, Joan's very fair hail
and slighter figure seemed in the mat
ter of age to place them almost on
an equality.
Joan was a small person, bright, vi
vacious, always self-possessed. But
this evening she came as near to
being carried away by the excitment
of the moment as ever in her life
Confess | have given you a sur
prise said Wray.
oh, I am far too experienced to
feel surprised at anything she cried
Though smile fluttered about her
lips, he could not help seeing that her
eyes were swimming in tears.
Still, nobody could have been fur
Their from your thoughts he suggest
ed
She darted a quick glance at his
face as she answered.
/ am never astonished to meet any
one anywhere. | ran against my par
ish clergyman in the Casino at Monte
Carlo last year, and l met a lame
friend on the top of the Right! But
am immensely pleased, Wray.'
He too looked pleased. Joan was,
in fact, an agreeable object to con-
template. And whilst she appeared
scarcely day older for the two years,
he perceived great difference in
her.
He remembered that she had worn
mourning on the last occasion. He had
thought two years ago that she had
lost the cheerful vivacity of her girl
hood. But with her mourning gar
ments she seemed to have put off her
gravity Perhaps, also, the knowledge
that her husband was but six months
dead had affected his point of view
1T is stroke of luck to meet you
here he exclaimed, an suspicious
omen. A mere chance, too, that | de-
cided to sleep in Southampton
I arrived only this afternoon from
the Mediterranean she answered.
You have missed the season. Wray
suggested
L shall come in at the finish she
said. The fact is, a girl in whom |
take an interest,"
oHe Oh many, Joan.
4 fear she is dying. The cruise
has done no good, and she really was
not well enough to travel to London
tonight
You are the best woman | know
he cried, leaning forward in his chair.
You know so few-of the manu-
featured article, at least Your ex-
perience lately has been of the raw
material
There's less difference than you
may think, he said, with laugh.
But I'll vary the phrase; you're the
best woman I can imagine
Your imagination is not very
strong Joan retorted. And your
sympathy is
is it possible to have one without
the other?' he asked.
oh dear! you might have been
away only week, Wray. You haven't
altered a bit. You try to inveigle me
into one of our old arguments before
you have been here half an hour Now.
tell me about yourself, Joan added
And to begin with, hope you can
tell me you have come to stay
Yes, | think So
No more excursions and alarms!
No more sensational disappearance
The fact is he said, L have lately
become a widower.'
She stared violently; her cheeks
flushed and she drew a deep breath.
L ought to have remembered you
\
claimed.
Yes, | knew, Wray
From PaulineY he asked
! From Sir Gilbert Strachan, she
said
Il don't wonder that men should
bring you their condolences he sug-
gested.
You did nothing of the kind
Your letters did not lead me to
suspect that you knew, he said.
Why should | touch on unpleasant
topics? she demanded. 4 wanted to
brighten your life. Besides, | heard
only the bare fact Was it whilst
you were at OXford?'
During my treshmans year
HS -IHe GAptIleHCe ulu uOL prove
a success she suggested.
"A particularly CHASTITY failure, he
muttered.
who was the-the young lady?'
Joan asked.
Wray hesitated a few minutes.
She was a few years older than
myself-a-a barmaid,' he said.
And you, cried Joan, with your
exalted ideals-your eclecticism-you
as I remember you-could marry a
woman of that kind?'
The mistake was antecedent,' Wray
answered. My marriage was not a
mistake. That was the only possible
iatOnement'
Was there a child" Joan asked
quietly.
1t died a few weeks old
'Well2' she asked.
we did not live together afterwards
II tried. II couldn't stand it. l
arranged that Norris should pay my