The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1919-04-25
AS a Man
StriVeth
BY HARRY F. BOWLING
(Copyright.)

81 wonder what finally became of
Adrian Hope?"
Isabelle spoke listlessly; there was
no infection in her voice; her tone
was negative.
"Poor Adrian he was one of the I'M
fit. Nothing ever becomes of such
men. They simply cease"
tilted back my bamboo chair and
smiled indulgently at Isabelle. We
had been celebrating the fifth ami
Sersary of our wedding day, we had
iined comfortably, and now. lounging
on the terrace of our Monterey villa,
We were enjoying the restfui 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
ings; there was a tenseness in her
voice out of keeping with her former
apathy.
''Tell me, Marius, is it n 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
it to the puzzle department." I OBJ
served lazily.
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
have been so. it was through an mex
orable law"
"Oh, as to Adrian Hope" I re-
marked airily, tracing her thought to
its germ cell, at 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 a neighborhood nuisance; he had
no more music in him than a-er-a
bumblebee"
sBumblebees are rather melodious,
she corrected me. "And I think you
hardly do justice to Adrian Hope"
"What! Did you enjoy his muster
"No, but he tried so hard. I was
sorry for him, and it worries me some
times"
"Worries your" / was growing 6
little inpatient. "What worries you?
| adrian Hope left California the
very day of our marriage and has
never been heard Of since"
| "He went to the East Indies. / have
told you so many times-partly fol
business, partly for pleasure"
"And wholly for pain. My deal
Marius," she continued quickly. Gar
help remembering he was desperate
ly In love with me. and could nevel
reciprocate his feelings, and he wen
away broken-hearted, do you call tha
going for pleasure, and are you jealou!
because / feel sorry for him?"
ST am not jealous / answered qui
city. 'Why should be? Adrian nevel
had the ghost of show"
Isabelle leaned her elbow on Chi
stone balustrade which separated tn
terrace 6rom the garden below, ant
rested Der chin in her open palm.
4 @The Goddess of Refiection'--what |
picture If could put you on canvas
last as you look nowl' murmured.
4 She shook her head and smiles
sadly.
:. aYou abandoned your brush and pal
cite long ago. Marius. I'm afraid vol
couldn't do it."
i Her last remarks caused me som
pin-pricks of conscience. Since. jus
one year after our marriage Isabel
had inherited a comfortable compe
tence. / had entirely neglected m
studio on which had formerly ha
to rely for a living. My art had no
been art for arts sake.
!, "Oh. well, it's never too late t
mend" ! limited. "You see fate some
, times seems to point in one diret
ton and then the Unexpected"
Il sBut fate and the unexpected ar
twin brothers" a deep voice broke /
with the boom of an ocean breaker.
II l jumped to my feet.
Adrian Hope was standing only
few feet from me. had heard a
sound of his approach.
. AS I stepped forward to gree
Adrian she retreated into the shado'
OF the porch.
81 have been away long tim
!, haven't IT. Adrian began apologetica
. ly. II trust my sudden return hash
startled you. It's hardly conventions
I fear
: Adrian shook my hand heartily. h
I seemed utterly oblivious of my wife
presence.
aYour present life, Marius.r I