The Washington times., 1913-08-30

|
| obvious that even the travellers at the
| railroad station-who were familiar
with such meetings, for there were many
1 during those times and nobody minded
! spectators at all-could see how this
| brave soldier adored his handsome wife
Kathleen had always liked Manning. II
she had not reciprocated his feelings,
she had heretofore endured his caresses
| without any especial aversion at least,
but after Grafton had been brought to
her again the thought that she was
another mans wife had grown sudden
| ly horrible to her. She had fought
! against that feeling during Grafton's
convalescence, and she was pleased now
to find that she had mastered it
| No woman could fail to be pleased at
being so welcomed, and TO her surprise
| she found herself returning her hus-
bands kisses. Kathleen was impulsive,
| wayward, passionate, and high-temper-
| ed. At the bottom, however, she was
profoundly true to her womanhood. The
| course of self-discipline which she had
forced upon herself during the past
month had greatly developed her char
acter. Altogether, although she had not
/ dreamed of il, her heart was turning to
George Manning-her husband.
There was another cause for such a
| turning, which, perhaps, accounted for
| some Of the vacillations and tempestu-
| Gus outbreaks Of her erratic nature. A
cause which she had discussed with no
one. which she had hardly admitted to
herself. But before anything else she
/ must tell her husband that.
! In the room in the hotel when Man
ming would have taken her on his knee
she bade him wait. She could not sit
down, even on chair, until she told
him all. There was some of the spirit
/ of the soldier about this Pennsylvania
woman, and as the interview promised
to meet it as soldier should. on her
feet First of all, there was that pre-
liminary DISCLOSURE to be made He
should be the first one in all the world
to hear that: il was his right.
George" she said. bright color sue
-seif-struggle and care had brought into
her usually red cheeks, "'I-tnere is
something / wish to tell you. l have
to tell you about Philip Grafton and
myself"
She marked with a quico twinge of
pity Manning's face grow grave; the
! light and happiness that her arrival had
brought there died out of 1t in a meas
ure. He said nothing. however, and she
went Oh.
But before we discuss that there is
something you must know"
There are things a woman can confess
like soldier: there are others that she
must confess like woman. Kathleen
forgot the last requirement when she
stood so boldly facing him. She stopped
now and hid her face in her hands An
idea shot through her husbands mind
He looked at her keenly, meaningly A
smile chased away some of the gather
ing gloom He stepped toward her and
took her in his arms.
Kate" he cried lis IL so?''
His wife nodded. She dropped her
head on his shoulder and clung to him.
glad OF the support of his strong arms.
At that moment she loved him. The
first real thrill of genuine feeling she
had ever experienced for him shoI
through her being. They were linked
together by the most effectuaI tie
whispered something in her ear. She
nodded again.
My heavens, Kater' he exclaimed,
why didn't you tell me before?"
There was no mistaking his happiness
and Joy now. He turned I'D her face to
his own and kissed the woman again
and again. NV dear Kate. my sweet
wife, my own Kate" he went on, over
and over again.
Wait, watt said the woman OF
last. There is something else l must
tell you"
Nothing eIse matters" said the hap
py man;,"I don't wish to hear anything
else after such news
But you must, you SHALL said his
wife. She thrust him away from her.
that 1 once loved Philip Grafton?"
Manning thanked God for that quail
tying adyerb.
IT suspected it," he answered gravely.
Yo ucouldn't AFTER His eagerness
was pathetic.
FL don't knows answered Kathleen.
bravely, although II was terribly hard
to go on. She stopped her husbands ex-
clamation. walt Do not Judge me-"
she cried. quickly: you see how-how
honest l am to you or / wouldn't be
here telling you this
Let me say a word, Kate" inter
posed her husband, quietly Il don't
to say right here that l suspected some
thing Of this; nevertheless, ! trusted
Grafton TO your honor and you to his.
am not sorry that ] trusted you Or
him. believe I'm both OF you. ] be-
lIeve in you still. Now. go on"
1t Was a brave thing splendidly done,
and the woman was thrilled. She
thanked God that she had pursued her
sef-appointed course Of action during
the tine she had spent with Grafton.
Nothing that her husband could have
said or done would have so pleaded for
him as the magnanimity Of that speech.
You did well to trust us BOTH ans
wered Kathleen, proudly There was
not thing that he said. or said. or
that Ne did, or l did. that you could not
have Witnessed. But ! am not here 10
speak of doings, but Of my heart
Go on"
He was a soldier. and accustomed to
desperate situations. He summoned his
courage and waited for what was ID
come with all the fortitude he could
muster.
Philip and / were once engaged We
became engaged nearly a year before
the war broke out. After he graduated
he visited me on the farm. We quar-
relied about the South / wanted him to
stay in the North. II he couldn't fight
with us, not TO fight against US. He re-
fused and ] drove him OF.
And you married me out of pique,
or" queried Manning. bitterly.
II always liked you, respected Eou.'
said Kathleen, rather piteously, being
thus suddenly put on the defensive.
Thank You Go on"
'I don't know what | thought ] can
hardly describe the situation. but few
days after Philip was brought to me his