The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-03-21

| Anu 10 tnlS DAY, James BrnOo-to
this very hour, you are not certain
that you did right in casting her of!
Il tell you, was certain-I was sure
Of"
Then why do you still love herr"
Are you mad?" he gasped. Good
God, woman, how can you ask that
question of me, knowing that | love
you with all my heart and soul?
How"
with all your heart, yes! But with
your soul? No! That other woman
has your soul. ] have heard your soul
! speak and it speaks of her-yes, to
her! Night after night, in your sleep,
James Brood, you have cried out to
'Matilde.' You have sobbed out your
love for her, as you have been doing
Tor twenty years or more. In your
sleep, your soul has been with her.
With me at your side, you have cried
to 'Matilde' You have passed your
! hand over my face and murmured Ma
tide! Not once have you uttered the
word Yvonne!' And now, you come
to me and say: We will come straight
to the pointn Well, now you may come
straight to the point But do not for.
get, in blaming me, that you love an
other woman!"
He was petrifed. Not a drop Of
blood remained in his face.
1T is some horrible, ghastly delu-
sion. II cannot be true. Her name has
not passed my lips in twenty years. 1t
is not mentioned in my presence.
have not uttered that womans name
-"
Then how should know her name?
Her own son does not know it. firm.
ly believe. No one appears to know II
except the man who says he despises
it,"
Dreams! Dreams!" he cried scorn.
fully. Shall | be held responsible for
the unthinkable things that happen in
dreams?"
NO" she replied significantly you
should not be held accountable. She
must be held accountable. You drove
out her body, James, but not her
spirit II stands beside you every in.
stant of the day and night. BY day
you do not see her by night-ah YOU
tremble! Well, she is dead, they say.
If she were still alive, l myself might
tremble, and with cause"
Before God, love you, Yvonne. !
implore you to think nothing OF my
maunderings in my sleep. They--they
may come from a disordered brain.
God knows, there was time when |
felt that | was mad raving mad. These
dreams are"
To his surprise, she laid her hand
gently on his arm,
II pity you sometimes, James. My
heart aches for you. You are man
"a strong, brave man. and yet you
shrink and cringe when a voice whis-
pers to you in the night. You sleep
with your doubts awake. | am Ma
tide, not Yvonne, to you. am the
flesh on which that starved love Of
yours feeds; represent the memory
of all that you have lost
This is-madness! he exclaimed.
and it was not only wonder that filled
his eyes. There was strange fear in
them too.
~ am quite myself, James" she said
coolly. Can you deny that you think
of her when you hold me in your
arms: can you--"
"Yes!" he almost shouted. q can
and do deny"
Then you are lying to yourself, my
husband" she said quietly. He fairly
gasped.
Good God, what manner of woman
are you?" he cried hoarsely. "A sor-
ceress? A-but no. it is not true"
She smiled "All women are sor
ceresses. They feel. Men only think.
Poor Frederic! You try to hate him,
James, but | have watched you when
you we're not aware. You search his
face intently, almost in agony-for
what? For the look that was his
the expression you loved
in"
He burst out violently. "No! BY
heaven. you are wrong there, my sor-
ceress! am not looking for Matilde
in Frederics face"
For his father, them" she inquired
slowly.
The perspiration stood out on his |
brow He made no response. His lips |
were compressed.
You have uttered her name at last"
she said wonderingly, after a long
wait
Brood started. "I-I-Oh, this is
tortured"
1--WE must mend our ways, James. 1t
may please you to know that ! shall
overlook your mental faithlessness to
me. You may go on loving Matilde.
She is dead am alive. | have the |
better of her, there, ale? The day !
will come when she is dead in every
sense of the word. In the meantime, |
am content to enjoy life. Frederic |
is quite safe with me. James: safer
than he is with YOU. And now let us
have neacp Will Won ring for tea ."