Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1916-06-09

could take her employers stories ex-
actly on the typewriter from the dicta-
phone, punctuate to please him, and
even ventured to make suggestions
which he sometimes adopted. That
was the beginning, in fact, of very
happy partnership. Those hours were
the happiest in Sarnold's life. Gradu-
ally their intimacy grew and Mrs.
Sarnold was not slow to perceive it.
Sarnold.s blindness seemed to have
become quite progressive. He CROPPED
his way about the room now like ono
sightless. and Lydia, not daring to
question him, felt her eyes fill with
tears as she saw his helplessness.
She came each morning at nine and
spent the day there. And she had
not realize the fact that Sarnold him
self was the cause until one day.
He was at work on serial novel,
and from the beginning something had
told her that it embodied a great deal
OF his own life. Delicately disguised
though she was, Lydia knew, too, that
Mrs. Sarnold was the woman who had
wrecked that life. And then, sud-
denly, Lydia realized that the healing
spirit which entered was-herself!
How she knew she could not i'm
agine, for the girl was depicted as to-
tally different from her. But she
knew, and her hand fell suddenly
from the typewriter keys, and some
how Sarnold's found it and closed
upon it. And without word being
spoken Lydia knew that their love was
mutual, was the dearest and the most
sacred thing in all the world.
Then, looking up with guilty start,
Lydia saw Mrs. Sarnold standing in
the doorway A cold smile played
about her lips; she had seen and un-
derstood.
She said nothing, and the next day
Lydia spoke to Sarnold Of the resolu-
ton to which she had come.
"You asked me when you engaged
me whether l was engaged-in an
other sense" she said, with laugh Of
affected embarrassment. COR whether
l expected to be. l did not, but-but
someone has come into my life, and /
am going to leave you"
She saw Sarnold start in amazement,
and then look Of bitterness crossed
his face. She knew what that look
meant. He had given her the UNI
= 0r nd
had accepted 1t while her heart was
another's.
Wrong though that love had been,
there were many elements to justify it
And Sarnold felt that she had deceived
him wretchedly.
I'm sorry, but-of course, it must
be So" he said. He asked no ques-
TONS
1t was his wife who made the OBJ
jections. She hated Lydia with all
the vehemence of which her cold ma
ture was capable; but she knew that
if Lydia went her own future was
compromised. If Lydia were not there,
with her clever brain and skillful fin
eff you want more money you can
get it. I'll see to that" she said.
Money would make no difference"
said Lydia resentfully.
Mrs. Sarnold laughed shortly. Don't
pose as an angel" she answered.
You'll find marriage isn't what it's
cracked up as being"
Lydia had given Sarnold a months
notice, and offered to stay another
month, if necessary, to train her sue
cessor, but Sarnold did not advertise
for a new assistant. Wondering, Ly-
dia found all her efforts to urge him in
this direction repulsed with sort OF
brutality.
She knew that she had wounded
Sarnold to the core by the new tone
Of his work. Clever it was, but Gym
ical, and all at once the realization
came to her that it was she who had
turned to gall the sweetness in
Sarnold's nature. What had survived
the establishment of marriage had
been destroyed utterly by her action.
And before she went she felt that that
lie must be made white.
She closed the dictaphone for the
last time and covered the typewriter.
She turned to him.
Il must say something to you" she
began. When | told you that / was
leaving because / was engaged to be
married | was telling an untruth.
am not engaged to be married."
The blind man leaned toward her.
"Then-then why are you leaving
me?" he asked in unsteady tones.
Her breast rose and fell swiftly; she
could not answer him. But he knew.
Intuition had not played him false. as
he had supposed. He knew-as she
did
With a. laugh he sought her and held
her In his arms, and their lips met
once-the only time, but with the pent-
up longing of years.
Then he released her and took on
his glasses.
81 will be frank, too" he said. "Ly-
dia, have seen perfectly for three
months past / deceived you-be-