United labor bulletin., 1913-12-06
SECOND MRS. .vAnDERvEL1'
BY A. II. LAIDLAW.

! few moments, sir" the servant said,
As she ushered the visitor into the
drawing room
VANDERBILT gazed about the room
and his eyes rested on photograph
lying on the table. 1t was the por-
trait of his divorced wife-the woman
who would be down in few mo-
ments."
"a picture Of her," he muttered,
with a wistful, but hopeless look in
his eyes. He still loved her-yes.
loved her more than ever before-but
he knew now that this folly had built
a barrier between them that could
never be torn asunder.
"a picture of her-just as she looked
when / last saw her; at least, just
as she would have looked had she
been happy. How she must hate me
now. God knows. deserve the hate
The man who had once been strong
and brave and reckless dropped into
an armchair beside the table and
buried his face in his hands. Mrs.
vandervelt entered and looked upon
the picture of despair. She stepped
lightly, and SO deeply engrossed was
he in his bitter thoughts that Wander
welt did not hear her as she ap-
preached.
Allen" she said, softly, her voice
quivering. as she put her hand on his
head and stroked his hair.
vandervelt started violently. He
was frightened. so suddenly was he
awakened from his meditation, and
bounded from the chair as he would
have leaped from a railway track to
escape death beneath the wheels of
an approaching train.
Allen" she finally eaid again in
a voice tremulous with emotion, you
-you-come back Toto"
ASK your forgiveness" he supplied.
- to stay?" she finished.
ITO ask your forgiveness" he re-
peated. He took a step forward.
looked up at her and burst forth pas
sionately:
Margaret. I want you to listen to
my confession. God, how wrong I've
been. l."
She put up her hand and shook her
head and he stopped
Don't" she said. please don't tell
me. Let me spare you that-and
myself could not listen to any con-
fession. I forgive you without the
confession. know you. did not love
that other woman. You did not love
her-did you. Allen?"
vandervelt replied brokenly and re-
morsefully:
NO. did not love her. It was
merely infatuation-a false infatua-
ton / never loved any woman but
you"
81 knew It / knew it." she contin.
ued. 81 knew you would come back
and everything would be all right
We can begin over again and we can
be so happy, for love you sol love
you So"
A light OF happiness had sprung
into her eyes as she spoke, and she
rushed toward him and put her arms
about his neck.
Allen. l forgive you" and she
kissed him. He could not respond and
he could not resist He Was power.
less and stood motionless. almost
limp. with eyes cast toward the floor
His attitude produced a frightened
light in her eyes. and she drew away
''Oh. I had forgotten the divorce"
she said. 81 had forgotten the divorce.
We are not husband and wife. What
folly that divorce was"
Then the look of fright disappeared
and she almost laughed as she con.
tinued:
But after all. that need not be a
barrier, Allen. We can be lovers
again, and you can ask me TO marry
you as you did that beautiful after
noon in the rose garden-at fathers
and mother's-that sweet. beautiful
afternoon. And / can say Yes and
then-and then oh, Allen, we can
bury the past. Can't we, Allen. dear p"
She had put her arms about his neck
again and spoke with passionate ap
peal.
vandervelt broke away from her
and broke into a sob as he bitterly
exclaimed. pacing the floor:
''Why did ever come backg I have
returned only to torture you. I might
have known-you could not know"
What do you mean?" The look Of
fright again appeared in her eyes and
again she brushed her hand across
her face. Cant everything be all
right again?"
1T can never be-" he continued bit.
terly. 1T can never be. I am a mar
ried man. oh, why did ever do it?''
She gave startled cry and tottered
as both hands went to her head.
She would have fallen had he not
caught her and assisted her to the
arm chair.
Then-you-married Her
lips quivered violently. "She-is-
your-wife and is-living?"
Yes"
And ou-didnt-come-ba to
-stay?"