The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-09-29

you two Gun take care of each 9TH
er Tor few minutes. can't your" Mrs.
'Dunmeade said to Eleanor and Bob.
I'VE never leave this dear friend until
he has passed the door," So Robert
McAdoo and Eleanor Gilbert were
alone together once more
When the others had left she looked
at him uncertainty q moment, then
she laughed
well, fate--or shall we say the
force ?-seems to take an intimate in
terest in our affairs. The last time we
met we both determined never to see
each other again. and now"-she waved
her hand in an expressive gesture
suppose you come over here by the
piano. It's awkward trying to talk
across big room like this
He crossed the room and stood by
the piano, looking down on her.
Aren't they the dear, good people?"
she said earnestly. And don't they
make you feel mean and small? They
always do me, know. Or" she add
ed, with the irritating uplift of her
brow. do you ever feel small and
mean?"
81 admit their goodness"
She saw that for some reason his
temper was slipping its leash. She
took keen delight in her power to
anger him. Daringly she tried to tor
ment him further "Do you know"
she leaned forward on the music rack,
resting her chin on her folded hands
and smiling up at him, Pm almost
tempted never to quarrel with you
again
81 don't want peace with your he
cried roughly.
NO." she laughed, Il know you
don't. That's one good reason why l
should yield to temptation. But I'm
not sure that want to quarrel with
you, aside from that. The last TWEEN
ty-four hours I've learned a good
many things. I begin to think you're
not half so black as you have been
painted, Mr.. McAdoo."
II don't want your good opinion.
Stick to the old one. I'm all you
thought me and more"
'Then do you dislike me merely be-
cause Mr.. Remington cares, or thinks
he cares. for me, or do you really hate
me for myself?"
"Mrs- Gilbert, really hate you for
yourself"
II knew it." Amusement was not
written quite so plainly on her face as
it had been. ''Why?"
eThat's the irony of it." he exclaims
al J,iftorlu hoto Won honouco xn,r
are beautiful, because you are witty.
because you have courage, because
you are the only person I have ever
met that I'm not match for. because
you have forced me to change my
plans. hated you when first saw
you and saved your life. Mrs. Gilbert.
I hate you so thoroughly. that have
come to this decision-either. Paul
Remington gives you up or he gives
me up. If he marries you he goes
out of my life once and for all. Now
you may gloat," be sneered. Il de-
serve to have you know the truth.
It's my just punishment for not being
able to beat woman"
"How you must hate mel don't
understand it What you say almost
makes you contemplate. Surely you
can't mean that merely because your
petty, childish vanity is hurt you are
willing to sacrifice not only my posi-
BILE happiness. which. of course, does
not count, but also the happiness of a
| man you have called friend. Surely
| you're not so small and weak as
thatr' -
Then his anger slipped its leash en-
| tirely. The red veil that had come
before his eyes when he fought Hag-
| gin fell again. He was obsessed by a
| savage lust to hurt the woman before
him, to deal her blow that she would
feel to the uttermost- His words fell
slowly, cuttingly. with cruel distinct
ness.
| .'Oh, for that / have all the justi-
fication need. You're not to be trust
| ed with him You're beautiful You're
the sort that has power over men.
| You have power over me. Seeing you
sets me on fire with wild, insane long
ings. I have to keep my hate boiling
or good God. what am saying?
It's true) or love your He laughed
harshly, wildly. "And the weaker the
man the greater your power. / know
your history, Mrs. Gilbert. You had
one weakling under your influence and
| you let him go to hell without lifting
finger to save him."
Even in his savage anger Bob was
startled by the effect Of his cruel
words. She turned white and shrank
back as from heavy physical blow.
She drew a long. shuddering breath.
"Oh," she gasped II didn't believe
| you could be SO cruel. didn't believe
you could be so cruel"
Slowly, unable to take her eyes from
his, she rose and started uncertainty to-
ward the door. She stumbled over a
chair and would have fallen had he
not caught her She pushed herself
away from him. shuddering.
"Don't touch me: don't touch mer'
He watched her hardly able to COM
prehend the completeness of his bru-
tality's triumph or the startling change
in the woman who had Knocked him so
often until she passed out of the room.
And as she went from his sight the
sweetness of his savage joy turned to
bitterness in his mouth-left him to
face the supreme fact Of his life.
A minute later. mechanically.