The Monte Vista journal. (Monte Vista, Rio Grande County, Colo.) 1888-1921, 1915-05-01

He waited in the library. listening
to the sounds Of delight from AIMS
room.
In the week he had tasted the fruit
OF success and laughed at the fear he
had entertained OF 1t. To be sought
out by the great director and placed
under a contract at q figure he had
only vaguely dreamed of ever earning:
to be the toast OF town and press, to
be invited into the very heart of So
ciety's most sanctified circle; to know
that 1t was all deserved-surely they
were fools who had told him tho price
to be paid for fame was heavy.
And now Ann was here, was so
the adjoining door to see her. SO
close to him he could hear her de.
lighted EXPLANATIONS over the gown he
had bought for her to wear at Mrs.
Van Rolphe's reception that very
night
Slowly a frown crossed his fore
head. perplexed and anxious frown.
Ann-would Ann be able to live up
to the position he had created for
her?
A little cry from the doorway, and
he clasped her to his heart, fiercely.
for the doubt that had been his. But,
as he held her away from him. he
WAS filled with the bitter realization
that the doubt remained.
Pretty, fresh, wholesome-yet she
was obviously uncomfortable in her
flnery. There was something OF the
out-ofdoors about her that did not
seem to fit into the new life He felt
himself guilty contrasting her with
the dark. exotic beauty OF Olga Drake.
the woman who had made SO much
OF him at reception of the day be-
fore. the woman who had seemed SO
DESTROYS Of being with him alone. de-
spite the gallants besieging her. And
Olga Drake. mistress Of wealth and
beauty. was not less famous as a 30
cial dictator that he was as singer
In the carriage he could not drive
that contrast from his preoccupied
mind. He felt himself already bit
irritated at the insistence of Ann that
the tiny cottage. the humble little
home in Los Angeles should not be
sold, that not a stick of the furniture
be changed.
He flushed holly as she stumbled
upon her train as they made their
entrance at the Van Rolphes'. angry
with himself for the impulse which
made him seek out the eyes of Olga
Drake to find whether she had noticed
the slip. more angry to know that he
had smiled with her at his wife's mis-.
hap. Ann was his wife, the woman
he loved, and no one had the right
to smile at her.
He turned toward her, assisting her
to their hostess, bracing his shoulders
against the gibes he knew her man.
ner occasioned, with a smile upon
his lips. And then the guilty feeling
came upon him that he was feeling
the martyr, that he was taking pride
In his attitude of suffering.
In the modification OF the moment
he found himself Offering his arm to
Olga Drake, passing his wife without
a glance.
I'm afraid we frightened your poor
Wife, Miss Drake murmured in his
ear
He looked furtively at Olga Drake
at the note Of sympathy In her voice.
And yet he merely smiled and sought
out his wife with his eyes, dropping
them more swiftly as they met the
mute appeal In AIMS own eyes. He
was conscious Of chattering volubly
about nothing In particular, was aware
that his face was burning.
A farmers daughter he had mar
ried. milkman's wife he had made
her. And. equally Indifferent to auKh,
she was one still.
VI.
He paced the library floor nervous
ly, every nerve in his body janglin,
discordantly at the chatter of his wifi.
In the next room, the confusion Of he
undignified romping with the baby
Only the night before he had give
wretched performance, his voic
turning hoarse. Only the night b,
fore he had tilted with Olga Drak,
for the first time in all the month
during which their intimacy ha
grown to such an extent, that ther
were whispers about 1t.
First. he had tried to break avs
from the spell she cast upon him. B,
his work threw him with her set m
his wife used every subterfuge to avo,
accompanying him to any affair whif