Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-08-18
Her
Beautiful
Rival.
" "

"You got awfully sunburned today.
JIM" said Jim Lancaster's nice little
wife, as she handed him his cup.
II guess have. My hat blew off
just before quitting time, and would
not come down from the rocks for it."
He leaned back in his chair content
eddy. Mrs. Holman has company"
he announced.
HAS she? Who?" Nan looked Gag.
err.
You can't guess" He was teasing
her.
NO, can't. I'm not good at guess.
ing. Tell me, dol"
well, It's Mrs. Abner Mcclure"
Nan sank back in her chair.
You mean Molly Stewart" she
asked.
Jim nodded.
When did she Gomez" Her voice
had changed.
This morning. She brought a
trunk, SO Judge she is going to stay
quite SPELL
Nan caught her breath and looked
at her husband, eating his supper and
apparently all unconscious OF the
strife which he had suddenly renewed
IN her heart. Long ago. very long
ago, in the days when she had only
loved Jim and never expected to be
his wife, Molly Stewart had been his
sweetheart.
She was rare beauty, one Of those
to whom nature has given and given
until it seems she can add not one
thing more. And she had ways. No
other girl could charm as she could,
or dance or sing or laugh.
She had never known what came
between him and Molly. He said he
had not asked Molly to marry him
and she had hinred that he had and
that she would have none Of him.
Nan remembered the first time he
walked home with her from church
and how the people stared. She was
not pretty. like Molly, and she had
not Molly's good clothes nor Molly's
way of wearing them. She was Just
a sweet. dainty-looking girl. with a
heart capable of love and happiness.
Jim had always been her ideal, her
hero. When he turned from Molly
Stewart to her she could not under
stand it.
Molly had married Abner Mcclure
soon afterward and had gone away
with him. She had now been away
seven years and people still remem-
bered and spoke of her young beauty,
which had reached its transcendent
point on her wedding day. The news
oppressed Nan; she did not know
why. an
II didn't tell you. did !, that Abner
McClure's dead?" Jim asked later in
the evening.
: mo; is he?" Nan returned in what
she tried to make a careless tone.
Then she rose and went into the next
room for something.
A little while afterward he said:
You needn't put up any luncheon for
me tomorrow. I'm going to eat at
Holman's. There's some timber there
that I promised to look at long ago,
and guess III do it tomorrow.
The hot day subdued itself into
hot night. Jim slept heavily, but Nan
could not. She lay looking out of the
window at certain star which strug-
gled YEARLY to free itself from cob
web of cloud in which 1t had become
entangled. Varied and very bitter
were her thoughts.
Molly had come back widow. Nan
could see her in her black things with
her vivid face and coppery hair. 1t
was said Abner Mcclure had money.
and Molly always would dress well
anyway.
Nan had heard of what beautiful
widow may do. and tomorrow, jim,
her jim. was going back to Holman's,
straight into the old net that had en-.
meshed him. She clinched her hands
In the darkness and prayed.
Toward morning Sc fell asleep. At
Jim aroused her. He had been up
an hour.
u let you sleep as long as could,",
he said. Don't fuss over the break
fast. Just make me cup of coffee
and give me some bread and butter.
I'm in a hurry today, dear"
Nan got breakfast. She did not eat
any herself. She kissed Jim passively
at the door.
whats the matter? Aren't you