The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-06-29
The Illusion Was
Shattered
By MYRA CURTIS LANE

(O, lsSs. western Newspsper onion-l
The bugbear was named Cyrus Ban
mock, and he was forty-fve. 1t was
twenty years since Nell Raymond had
seen him. slim youth with appealing
blue eyes that had shot their shy
glances into her heart. 1t had been
desperate love affair.
Now here she was, responsible
married woman of forty. In a sort OF
way contented with life, and with a
husband above reproach. But-they
had been married fifteen years.
And after fifteen years of married
life not very much romance survives,
even in the best regulated families.
Jim knew all about Cyrus. Mon
sense, my DEAR" he said, you don't
suppose I'm afraid I can't hold you,
do you? bet he's fat whale of a
fellow, about as romantic as a prize
OK"
Nell looked at him appealingly. She
had cherished that dream of youth
through all the years Of married life.
She was happy with Jim, but there
had never been an atom Of romance
about Jim. And every woman. has a
secret place for romance within her
heart.
Often and otter she had sobbed in
lonely nights when she had lain awake,
listening to her husband breathing,
have been with Cyrus.
They had read poetry together and
discussed beautiful things. Their life
was to have been one grand romantic
rapture. She was only twenty, and
Cyrus twenty-five.
Then came the bitter quarrel, the
parting, and-later she had married
Jim.
Now Ella Wayland had written her
that an "old beau of hers. Cyrus Ban
mock, was to be guest at her party
and that he was anxious TO meet her
again. And She was afraid to meet
him.
And Jim simply laughed at her. In
the end she agreed to so. If Jim chose
to make light of such tragic situation
all right. Let him take the response
bility.
Cyrus wasn't "whale of fellow"
He seemed hardly TO have changed.
When he held Nell's hand and looked
into her eyes she felt an absurd fut-
tering ut her heart.
All through the dinner she lived in
a dream. conscious all the while of
Cyrus eyes on hers. She wondered
whether he thought her old. She was
hardly able to reply to the remarks of
her dinner partner. All the old ro-
nance Of the past IVES stirred up
again.
She felt the old spell. and she knew
that IL Cyrus asked her she would run
away with him to the worlds end. She
glanced with pity, not unmingled with
contempt, at Jim, seated opposite her,
.blandly unconscious of her feelings.
Well, she had warned Jim. 1t was
upon Jim's own head.
Afterward, In the drawing room. she
sat absurdly aloof, frightened at the
depth of emotion that held her. Pres
emily the men came In. Cyrus made
his way 10 ner SIDE.
"Its good TO meet you after all these
years he said.
"Yes," she answered mechanically.
-"what have you been doing, CyrusT
"Oh, doing pretty WELL" he answered.
-"I've got little factory Of my own.
I'm In fair way to become rich"
"What are you manufacturing?"
What did she care? She had to say
something.
"Soap-boiling." answered Cyrus.
"Soap-boiling?"
"Sure thing. There's more money In
soap than in almost anything. You
and your husband ought to run out
and see our model village, Nell. We've
got four miles of concrete walks
Was it a dream? She was aware
that her look was imploring.
"Yep, we little thought In the old
days that I'd make good like that"
said Cyrus. "But say, Nell, you haven't
forgotten those times, have you?
You've always been in my thoughts"
He was trying to flirt with her, a
cheap sort Of Irritation. She was dig
ging desperately for the old Cyrus and
not finding him. The room was. swim
ming around her. She saw her hus-
band coming toward her.
by heck" remarked Jim, on their
way home, "if I'd known what bully
fellow that was I'd have been a bit
more anxious. Say, you ought to have
heard some of those yarns he spun us.
Had the whole table in roar What
did you think of him. Nell?"
II think, on the whole, prefer you.
dear" answered Nell calmly. And she
knew that the Illusion of the past was
shattered beyond repair.