Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1913-03-25

tunate he possessed Deep in her
heart she had a slight, amused con-
tempt for it, a contempt that. had ex-
tended to other things. She had felt
it for him in those early days Of their
marriage when ne had looked forward
TO children and wanted to live quietly,
without society, in his own home 1t
grew stronger later when she realized
he had accepted his exclusion from
his world and was TOO proud to ask
his mother for money.
And now! Suppose he had gone
back to his people? A low ejaculation
escaped her, and she dropped the cur
tain and pressed her hand, clenched
to the hardness Of stone, against
her breast
The mere thought OF such thing
was intolerable. She did not see how
she could support the idea. CT his
mother and sister winning him from
her. She hated them. They were the
ones who had wronged her, who had
excluded her from the home and the
riches and the position that her mar
rage should have given her. Her re-
taliation had been her unwayering
grip on Dominick and the careful dis
erection with which she had comport-
ed herself as his wife. There was no
had been as quiet. housekeeping and
dutiful woman as any in California.
She had been a good housekeeper. a
kiilful manager of her husbands
small means. 1t was only within the
last year that she had, in angry spite.
run into the debts with which she had
tainted him. No wife could have
lived more vigorously up to the letter
of her marriage contract 1t was easy
for her to do it. She was not WON
an whom light living and license at
tracted. She had sacrificed her honor
to win Dominick, grudgingly, unwil-
lingly. as close-fsted men part with
money in the hope of rich returns
She did not want to be his mistress,
but she knew of no other means by
which she could reach the position Of
his wife
Now suppose he had gone back to
his peoplei 1t was an insupportable,
a maddening thought. 1t plunged her
into agitation that made her rise and
move about the room with an aimless
restlessness, like some soft-footed fe-
line animal Suppose he had gone
home and told them about last night.
and they had prevailed upon him not
to come back!
Well, even il they had, hers was
still the strong position. The sympathy
of the disinterested outsider would
always be with her. II she had been
quarrelsome and ugly, those were
small matters. In the great essentials
she had not failed. Suppose she and
the Ryans ever did come to an open
crossing of swords, would not her
story be the story Of the two? The
worlds sympathy would certainly not
go to the rich women, trampling on
the poor little typewriter, the honest
working girl. who for one slip, righted
by subsequent marriage, had been the
object of their implacable antagonism
and persecution.
she said this opposite the mirror,
extending her hands as she had seen
an actress do in recent play. AS
she saw her pointed. pale face, her
expression of worry gave way 20 one
OF pleased complacence. She looked
pathetic, and her position was pa
thetic. Who would have the heart to
condemn her when they saw her and
heard her side Of the story? Her spir-
its began to rise. With the first CLEAN
of returning confidence she shook off
her approximations. A struggle of
sunshine pierced the fog, and going
to the window she drew the curtains
and looked out on the veil of mist
every moment growing brighter and
thinner. The sun finally pierced it,
a patch of blue shone above, and drop
ping the curtains she turned and
looked at the clock. 1t was after eley-
en-. She decided she would go out and
take lunch with her sisters, who were