The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-03

was understood that he was free to
love her so long as he lived.
But Walter got no further than a
beginning. He began with the words
II have been married." whereupon
the lady poured upon him such tor
rent of abuse that he stood like one
transfixed.
"And so that old heather has kept
you under his thumb, after ALL" she
said In rasping voice that he had
never heard come from her before. II
always considered you milksop, and
now / am sure Of it. Tell the woman
you've married that she hasn't got
much of a man with the fortune. I'm
lucky in escaping that part of it any
way"
This Is but a sample of what the
woman poured out upon the man who,
looking on love purely as a matter of
sentiment. had come to tell her that
the place she held in his heart would
never be occupied by any one else.
What she would have said to him had
he begun at the other end Of his con-
fession-that all Of his would be hers
did not appear; he had spoiled it by
beginning with an announcement that
she had lost large fortune. Her
flaming eyes, her rasping voice, her
red face, her contempt for him, drove
him out before she had finished.
Heavens" he exclaimed when he
got out into the cool air. what hor.
rible fate | have escapedw
He walked the streets for an hour,
then went TO his house His wife was
just going to her room, but, noticing
his agitation, delayed her going and
asked him If anything serious had hap
pened. He was in mood to desire an
ear into which to pour the shock he
had received She already knew of his
infatuation; it only remained for him
| to tell how he had been disenchanted.
IF there was ever contemplate.
asinine, natural born fool" he began,
Il am that person" Then he told her
where he had been. of his confession
and the effect it had had on the object
! of his previous alteration "Why, Just
| Think" he went on, what horrible
mess ! would have got into If | had
married that woman He'll would have
been heaven to It,"
You are indeed fortunate in escap.
ing such fate. l have believed that
your father knew Of this infatuation
and one Of his principal reasons in
forcing you into the condition of legal
matrimony with me was to get you
out of the tolls of an adventures"
Legal matrimony," repeated Wal
ter, for the first time quieting down
and pronOuncing the words as If they
hurt him.
"And now" continued Helen, II will
say this: Since your fathers object in
withdra wing you from this woman
has been accomplished, whenever you
and he concur in request that this
marriage between you and me be an
nulled will consent"
The expression on Walters face is
not describable. He had received one
blow during the evening; here was an
other The realization suddenly came
to him that for bad woman he had
exchanged a good one. Had he not
been fool he might possibly have won
the girl whom his father had wished
him to marry and now, instead Of be
Ing In misery. he might be happy.
Helen started to leave him to 90 t.
her room. He gave her an implorin.
look.
Don't go at once" he said. "Im all
broken up"
She hesitated, turned and said ANY
thing / can do to comfort you I will
do. But I realized before consented
to this match that | was giving w
much In depriving myself Of one to love
me and whom might love. With yor
1t was different. You expected to fins
that comfort which is to be derived
from pure affection elsewhere"
Still that wistful look on his face re
NAMED
Come" she added changing her tone
to more cheerful one; "let us not be
gin our life together repining There
are refreshments In. the larder We
may play, as the children say, that thi.
is real wedding for us and be merry
She summoned a maid and told heI
OF several dishes to bring that would
be appreciated for night supper
When the viands were served the pail
sat down at the table. The bride placed
dainty bits on her husbands plate
and after eating the toothsome foot
and looking into pair of honest, sym
pathetic eyes Walter began to recover
from the shock he had received. and
it occurred to him that possibly, after
all. he might win this girl for his rea
as well as his legal wife
An hour passed, and they had be
come sufficiently chummy for Walter
to express this hope He was met by
the assurance that while the early ro
mantle love period would not be theirs
they might grow with that more ma
ture. stronger affection that comes