The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-29

went Slowly across the room. She
felt she would never reach the door.
Philip staggered after her; his
hoarse voice followed her.
"Enid-Enid. do you count my love
for YOU and every evidence that
have given you of my love for you
SO small Il thing that you can throw
ii back so easily? That you appar.
emily have ample reason to think me
guilty l don't deny. That you think
You have seen damning proof OF my
disloyalty to YOU, quite understand.
But the fact remains, Enid, that you
are my wife. and that you are the
only woman who ever has been my
wife or ever will be; that swear. and
will swear. Enid, can't you trust
me again? Can't you trust me until
l am free to speak?"
Slowly the girl at the door turned
to him. Her eyes were hard and pitt
less with what she had suffered
1T is no use, Philip; your lies -ill
never convince me. Though you so
on your knees 10 me, will never,
never trust YOU again. Ny love for
you is dead. l curse the day ever
saw you and every day that has made
YOU dearer to ne since. l hate the
thought OF our wedding day. I hate
this"-she tore the plain gold ring
from her left hand and threw it to
his feet, where it lay glittering in the
sunlight which strear,ed through the
windows. Il hate this most of all,
and the VOWS that YOU made when
you placed 1t on my finger"
With his hand up to his aching
throat, the man stared at her. His
voice, like a torrent bursting from
pent-up dam. came at last from
his aching lungs.
Enid, for PHYS sake, take back
those words. They are more cruel
than YOU can possibly imagine.
ask your trust in this terrible mo-
ment of my miserable life. Don't
WHY III blI4S. nCiA NOU w III
never regret it. ! swear that you,
and only YOU, are the woman l have
ever loved. have never been false
10 you either in thought or deed
Enid. for PHYS sake, look back ut
me. Let me see one spark OF pity
in your eyes: let me at least kiss
your hand you don't know what it
is YOU do"
He made as If TO go to her, but
her appraised hand forbade him.
Il have finished with you. Philip.
forever. Your prayers do not avail
YOU. they only make you more de-
spcable in my sight. What you
have written | have read. 1t is
enough. Goodbye" Her voice no
longer shook when she spoke; in
stead, ii had become hard and cold.
Philip stared duly at her as she
opened the door and went out; as
duly he stared at the white panels
of the door closing after Yer blue
clad form. No tears forced them
selves to his smarting eyes; he knew
no sensations save the agony of his
aching throat and the despair in his
heart
He staggered back TO his desk and
bent his face down upon his hands,
where they gripped the edge His
strong body wrthed under the sobs
which shook him. Somewhere a
door banged loudly. Still he sat
there. After two hours OF painful OBJ
llvion he raised his head. The un-
finished letter lay before him. Me.
chanically he took UP his pen and
scrawled signature, then he pushed
it into an envelope, the one he had
thrown into the drawer
Then back into the reveric again,
until the sunlight had shifted away
from the walk and the pergola was
filed with shadows. The mans brain
began 10 recover from the lethargy
which had wrapped it. A sudden re.
solve made him jump up.
WHY, I'm forgetting that she's
only a kiddic, after all, Poor cid
Enid, she's had her bad quarter OF
an hour. now she'll hear reason as
opposed TO apparent proof. And, by
Jove! I'll buy her that set of dia-
mond buttons she was so set on the
other day. Dear old girl, Of course
ter staring her in the face. but I'll
convince her yet OF the truth OF my