Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1919-09-12
AS a Man
StriVeth
(copyriThGS
ny HARRY F. BOWLING

WO1ueE Wnot nnally became OF
Adrian Hopei"
Isabelle spoke listlessly; thers was
40 infection in her voice: heF tone
was negative.
poor Adrian he was one Of the pn-
at. Nothing ever becomes Of such
men. They simply cease"
I tilted back my bamboo chair and
smiled indulgeptly at Isabelle. We
had been celebrating the fifth ami
versary Of our wedding day, we had
dined comfortably, and now, lounglng
on the terrace Of our Monterey villa,
we were enjoying the restful hour of
twilight.
A delicious somnolence was steal
ing over me. the issue Of an easy con-
science and good digestion. ~
Isabelle reused me from my dream
lngs; there was a tenseness in her
voice out Of Keeping with her former
apathy.
"Tell me, Marius, is It a divine or
only human law, that no one woman
at one time may make more than one
man happy"
Sounds like a problem In geome-
try or an algebraical equation. Send
II to the puzzle department" OBJ
served lazlly.
She paid no attention to me but con-
tinued In the same strain.
81 would never be the cause Of suf-
fering to any man--never willingly. If
Ihave been so, 1t was through an mex
orable law"
"Oh, as to Adrian Hope" re-
marked airily, tracing her thought to
Its germ cell, ut was part Of his unfit
ness. You couldn't help It,"
"Yet he was In earnest"
TOO much in earnest for other peo-
pies comfort. He and his fiddle be-
came nelghbOrhood nuisance; he had
no more music in him than a-er-a
bumblebeel"
"Bumblebees are rather melodious,"
she corrected me. "And think you
hardly do justice to Adrian Hope"
what Did you enjoy his muslcT
mo- but he tried so hard. was
sorry for him, and 1t worries me some
times"
worries your was growing n
little impatient "What worries your
adrian Hope left California the
very day Of our marriage and has
never been heard Of since"
"He went to the East Indies. l have
told you 80, many times-partly for
business, partly for pleasure"
"And wholly for pain. My dear
Marius," she continued quickly. "Can
! help remembering he was desperate
ly In love with me, and could never
reclprocate his feelings, and he went
away broken.hearted, do you call that
going for pleasure, and are you Jealous
because feel sorry for himf"
81 am not jealous" I answered qul-
city. "Why should be2 Adrian never
had the ghost Of show"
Isabelle leaned her elbow on the
stone balustrade which separated the
terrace from the garden below, and
rested her chin In her open palm.
THE Goddess Of Refiectlon'-what a
picturel II could put you on canvas.
just as you look noww 1 murmured.
She shook her head and smiled
sadly.
"You abandoned your brush and pal
cite long ago, Marius I'm afraid you
couldn't do It,"
Her last remarks caused me some
pin-prIcks of conscience. Since, Just
one year after our marriage Isabelle
had Inherited comfortable compe-
tence I had entirely neglected my
studio on which ! had formerly had
to rely for living. My art had not
been art for arts sake.
"Oh, well, It's never too late TO
mend" I limited. "You see fate some
times seems to point in one direc-
ton and then the unexpected"
"But fate and the unexpected are
twin brothers," deep voice broke In
with the boom Of an ocean breaker.
Jumped to my feet.
Adrian Hope was standing only a
few feet from me. had heard no
sound of his approach.
As stepped forward to greet
Adrian she retreated into the shadow
of the porch.
II have been away a long time
haven't II" Adrian began apologetical-
ly. II trust my sudden return hasn't
startled you. It's hardly conventional,
I fear"
Adrian shook my hand heartily, but
seemed utterly oblivious of my wlfe's
presence.
"Your present life, Marlus," he
asked, presently, us 1t happy, as men
call TIP
Perfectly happy" assented. lisa.
belle will tell you"
"Ah. yes! and Ave years ago Imag-
ined myself perfectly unhappy"
Isabelle stepped forward into the
moonlight, and l saw that her cheeks
we're crlpson. Adrian addressed him
self 10 me:
Come. talk to me Of perfect happi-
nsss. q men see It. You used to be
q good talker, as talk goes"
ne smiled and wrlnkled only one
corner Of his mouth. His face In the
moonlight was the color Of dead moss.
paid no heed to his sneerlng remark.
After a prolonged silence he began
again.
IT thought once that It was my
failure to produce results that put
me ont OF court with Isabelle. She
sp&at many hours In your studio, ad-
nirtng your pictures, while ny music
fell on desf ears.
For you eould paint, while my I'd