The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-21

better than you do, for in the freedom of your sottish drunkennes you spoke out of the blackness of your black heart l dare say you would be sur prised at what you did say. Most men
 even brutes like you. If there are any would have been ashamed even to think the things you said said openly to me. you hound. You vile, traitor ous. mean-seu.td hound!"
 What did I say?"
 T know what you said; and I shall not forget 1t. If you want to know, put your thoughts in words-the vilest and meanest of them. and you will have it." Then he went on. his voice deepening into such a stern judicial utterance, as though he were pronounc- ing a sentence of death. that Leonard was appalled,.
 Leonard Everard. you have treated vilely lady whom I love and honor more than I love my own soul. You have insulted her to her face and be- hind her back You have made such disloyal reference to her and to her mad act in so trusting you. and have so shown your intention of causing. in- tentionally or unintentionally. woe to her. that 1 tell you here and now that you hold henceforth your life in your hand. If you ever mention to living soul what you have told me twice to- cNCH lAou6h JOd ohOAAN " h.'0-% her husband; if you should cause her harm though she should then be your wife; If you should cause her dishonor in public or in private. shall kill you. So help me God"
 Not word more did he say; but, taking up the reins, drove on in silence till they arrived at the gate of Brinde- how where he signed to his companion to alight. Then he drov off in- silence.
 When he arrived at his own house he locked himself in his study. Then, and then only. did he permit hiE thoughts to have full range. For the first time since the blow had fallen he looked straight in the face the change in his own life. He had loved stephen so long and so honestly that 1t seemed to him now as if that love had been the very foundation of his life. He could not remember time when he had not loved her; away back to the time when he. a big boy. took her. little girl, under his care, and devoted himself to her. He had been so Loyalty careful of her, in every way that was for her ultimate goodS even to chiding her when such was necessary though 1t was pain to him. He had grown into the belief that so strong and so con- sistent an affection, though he hac never spoken 1t or even hinted at 1t or inferred 1t. had become a part Of her life as we'll as of his own. And this was the end of that dreaming! Not on- ly did she not care for him. but found herself with heart so empty that she needs must propose marriage to an- other man. Oh. that she should do such thing! She whom he so loved and honored! She who in his eyes stood so high above her fellows hy the right divine of her own personality that her beauty. her intellect, her grace. her sweetness, and all the charmV that won her away from common kind, were but attributes of royal nature! There was surely something, more than at present he knew of or could under stand, behind such an act done by her. Why sh ould she ask Everard to marry her? Why should she ask any man? Women didn't do such things! Here he paused. Women didn't do such things" Ali at once there came back to him fragments of discussions-in which stephen had had part, in which matters of convention had been dealt with. Out of these dim and shattered memories came a comfort to his heart, though his brain could not as yet grasp the reason of 1t. He knew that Steph- en had held an unconventional idea as to the equality of the sexes. Was 1t possible that she was indeed testing one of her theories?
 The idea stirred i'm so that he could not remain quiet. He stood up. and walked about the room. Somehow he felt light beginning to dawn upon him, though he could not tell its source. or guess at the final measure of its full ness. The fact of Stephen having done such thing was hard enough-to bear; but 1t was harder to think that she should have done such a thing without a motive; or worse. with love of Leon- ard as a motive! He shuddered as he paused. She could not love such man as he. cit was msnstrous! And yet she had done this thing. But the pity of it. The pity of it Oh, if she had had any one to advise her, to re-