Shoshone journal., 1923-07-13


spirit, he pretended an Indifference
and satisfaction with his present
state which did not square with his
past love fer her. She had gone, yes,
and with another man. He was sure
Of that, although he did not know whe
the man was. 1t was all due to on
OF those two women about whom h
mad told me before, that Mrs. Drake
She had interested Bessie in things
which did not and could not interest
MIN. They were all alike, those peo.
ple-crazy and notional and insncere
After time he added that he ha<
been to see her parents. I could no.
guess why, unless 1t was because hs
was lonely and still very much in love
ana thought they might help him ia
understand the troublesome problem
that was before him.
There was no other word from him
Tor much over year, during which
time he continued to live In the apart
ment they had occupied together. He
had retained his position with the
agency and was now manager of
department. One rainy November
night he came to see me, and seated
himself before my fire. He looked
well enough, quite the careful person
VINO takes care Of his clothes, but
thinner, more tense and restless. He
said he was doing very well and was
thinking of taking a long vacation to
visit some friends In the West. (He
mad heard that Bessie had gone to
California; Then of a sudden, noting
that | studied him and wondered, he
grew restless and finally got up to
look at shelf Of books. Suddenly he
wheeled and faced me, exclaiming: 81
can't stand 1t. That's what's the mat
ter I've tried and tried. I thought
that the child would make things
work out all right, but 1t didn't. She
didn't want children and never for
gave me for persuading her to have
Marie. And that literary craze-but
that was my fault was the one that
encouraged her to read and go to the
theaters. l used to fell her she
wasn't up-to-date, that she ought to
wake up and find out what was going
on in the world. that she ought to get
out with intelligent people. ;.
But 1t wasn't that, either. II she had
been the right sort Of woman she
couldn't have done as she has done."
He paused and clenched his hands
nervOusly, as though he were de-
nouncing her to her face instead of
to me.
"Now, Wray," l interposed, show
useless to say that. Which of US Is
as he ought to be? Why will you talk
so?"
'But let me tell you what she did,"
he went on fiercely. you haven't an
idea Of what I've been through, not an
idea. She tried to poison me once"
and here followed a sad recital of the !
twists and turns and desperation Of
one who wished to be free. "And she
was in love with another man. only
could never find out who he was"
And he gave me details of certain
mysterious goings to and fro, of Sc
ret pursuits on his part, of actions !
md evidences and moods and quar-
els which pointed all too plainly to a
,reach that could never be healed.
And what is more, she tortured me.
,Ou'll never know-you couldn't. But
loved her. And l love her now"
)nce more the tensely gripped fingers,
he white face, the flash of haunted
yes. "Once I followed her to a res
auCant when she said she was going
0 visit a friend, and she met a man.
followed them when they came out,
nd when they were getting into cab
told them both what l thought of
lem l threatened to kill them, and
len he went away when she told him
} go. When we got home l couldn't
o anything with her. All she would
~ was that if I didn't like the way
le was doing could let her go. She
anted me to give her a divorce And
couldn't let her 90, even If l had
nnted to. I loved her too much.
'hy, she would sit and read and
more me for days-days, without
Ter word"
"Yes," 1 said, '-5ut the folly of IT
l. The uselessness, the hopeless
,ss."
"Oh, l know. but I couldn't help 1t.
was crazy about her. The more she
sliked me. the more l loved her. l
I'VE walked the streets for hours, 6
hole days ar a time. because l I
uldn't eat or sleep. And all l could
was think, think, think. And that
about all / do now, really. / have
yer been myself since she left. It's [
most as bad right now as 1t was
o years ago. live In the old apart :
mt. yes. But why? Because | think c
e might come back TO me. ! walt d
d wait. ] know It's foolish, but
II wait. Why7 God only knows.
:" he sighed. "its three years now =
hree years"
lie paused and gazed at me. and ]
him. shaken by fact that was
thOut solution by anyone ] won
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