Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1910-01-05

4
men? But what could she say? Al
though the world knew there was no
binding tie between them. to the off,
GERS and men of the yacht she was his
wife. They would not interfere. And
IL she declared the truth, she would
put herself beyond the pale Of their
sympathies. Being merely stupid men.
with conventional ideas about pro-
priety, in that event they would be
less apt to interfere than ever. 1t was
true she could do nothing. She sank
down on a hassock, clenching her
hands.
As she sat, her eyes fell on chest
of drawers screwed against the bulk
head. The top contained various toilet
articles Of silver. Among them was a
picture. the picture of woman. It
was not her picture. Moved by what
impulse she did not stop to analyze,
she rose and picked it up. The face
she looked at was ineffably vulgar and
common. Across the bottom was writ
ten in scrawly uniformed hand, your
devoted wife," There was date sew.
eral years before that hour. Your de.
voted wife! She had been in that
stateroom before; she had never seen
that picture. He had only brought 1t
out since the rupture between them.
And so while entering into this re-
lationship with her, in compliance
with principles and ideas which she
at least regarded as sacred and holy,
he had not been a free man! There
was another woman to whom he had
been bound. Oh, not by the marriage
tie that she disdained, but by the
honor which was supposed to exist
among thieves and which certainly
should exist among philosophers. And
such woman! A cold fury filed her
mind as she looked at the picture
The last completing touch had been
given. To contempt and pity for him
was added hatred. The combination
transformed her. Instead Of avoiding,
she would seek him.
He was still In the cabin. She could
hear him muttering thickly to himself.
Impulsively she stepped to the door,
turned the key in the lock, threw 1t
open and entered the brilliantly
lighted luxurious cabin. He had dis.
missed the attendants some time
since with orders not to reappear I'm.
less he summoned them, and they were
alone. There was no likelihood of any
interruption whatsoever. The man,
who was leaning back in his chair,
bent forward when she opened the
door. He laughed viciously. II she
had reflected, she would have mar.
veled at the change that few weeks
had wrought in one whom she had
hitherto deemed worthy of her affec.
ton, but she had eyes and thought for
nothing except the business in hand.
$50 you've come out, have your" he
stammered triumphantly. Come OF
your own free will! You've found out,
have you, that I am master and you
are coming to heel:"
He whistled to her derisively, whis.
tied as If to dog!
who is this?" asked the woman in
voice carefully suppressed, yet which
shook with wrath.
She held the photograph in Its
heavy silver frame up before him.
That's my wife," he said equally,
with no surprise or CONSERVATION
I'VE haven't lived together for some
years." he went on with drunken good
nature. "or I'd take you back to San
Francisco and introduce you to her."
Your wife!" exclaimed the woman
in that same low, tense voice. "Theu
what am II"
my mistress" said the man, blunt
| ly, throwing the last shred of conceal
ment and decency to the winds, land
q damned obstreperous one at that
he went on.
Now, the woman believed in M
Providence. but trick got from he
ancestry wrung the words from he
lips.
my God! My God!" she whispered
you haven't any" sneered tn,
man. You told me SO yourself" H,
laughed. "And l believed you.
would have believed anything to ge
you"
Well, there was no God the woman
realized, but she would be her ow,
god. Her body shrank together lit
tie, her hands clenched. The felin,
was uppermost. She could have sprun,
upon him. but she waited. waited TO
she knew not what.
Whom the gods Destroy" ran tn,
ancient phrase, they first make mad
He rushed to his doom with blint
folly.
you needn't be Jealous of her, m,
dear" he mumbled on. 81 used t,
think loved her and we were mar
ried, damned foolishness, as you nigh
say. She can't hold a candle to you
If you are little touched" he tapped
his forehead impudently-"in the up
per story"
And this man, this degraded thing
regarded her as mad woman. Their,
might be no God, but there was devi
and he stood before her. There nigh
~ Ao aSoVCAS Jul tueEe WIS b uel
and she was in it.
"On second thoughts" he ramble,
on. II couldn't introduce you to her
You aren't respectable and she Is"
He stopped and poured himself an
other drink.
Respectable" he laughed. ITO hel
with responsibility. We know bette
thing that that! Soul to soul. hear
to heart, the union of equals withou
the trammels Of conventional bond
for weaker beings Yes. that's wha
you said"
And she recognized with horror tina
he was quoting her own words.
But it doesn't go, you see. III
all very well in theory, bat 1t doesn'
work ols in practice. The world,
got some ideas of its own. It's bee,
holding 'em for a good many thou
sands of years and you can't chang
'em. You belong to me now. To hel
with your equality! You are nothing
more nor less than my property, an,
mark you" he reached out trem
bling finger and shook 1t at her, you