Year: 1877




once before you need not be under the slight.
est apprehension in regard to my safety. Ny
coming home so late is an unavoidable ne
cessity. But / hope to get through with
the troublesome business soon."


"When?"


He shook his head. "That is difficult to
say. And now, won't you kiss me good
by ?"


For all answer, she stamped her foot yio-
lently. "You are traitor. You don't tell
me the truth. Oh, don't try to look so in
dignant You know am right, else why
do you so persistently avoid looking at
me-"


"You will be sorry for this one day
Margaret" he answered, in low, panied
tones, "sorry you possessed so little tact to
appreciate my love and forbearance."


81 won't bear this any longer '' she cried,
bursting into angry tears. 'T'll-yes-Pll
go home to mother !"


If she expected to see him surrender at
this terrible threat she was mistaken.


"Don't," was all he said, in tones of quiet
significance. And then he was gone.
Gone ! without his accustomed caress and
fondling. And, horror of horrors, without
| the vision of the dread mother-in-law having
had any other effect upon him than the ut
tering of that quiet, significant, monosylla-
bic don't" She saw the man bring up the
horse. saw him mount with his accustomed
ease and agility, saw him slowly take up the
bride and ride off without vouchsafing
single glance towards the window behind
which he knew she invariably stood to catch
the last wave of his hand Like all high
spirited natures, Margaret's anger was of
short duration. Now it was fast melting in
a feeling of remorse and tenderness. 1t was
the first time they had ever parted so-would
he turn back? He had already reached the
gate; in another moment he would be out of
sight-yes, he turned round at last ! Slowly
he raised himself in his stirrups and gazed
wistfully towards the easement But he saw
no one. With woman's inconsistency
Margaret had drawn back behind the cur
tains. She saw the look of disappointment
that crossed his face. Her feet itched to run
down the stairs after him, clap her hands
round his neck, and so make it up" before
he went. But pride restrained her. The
gate closed behind him, and the bends Of
the road hid him from view. Now she sped
up the lawn to the gateway. She had some
vague idea of being yet in time to tell hin
how sorry she was, and that she could no


bear to part so. But he was gone she wa.


too late; all that she perceived was horse


man rapidly disappearing in the distance


With slow gait and dropping head she re


turned to the house. 1t was in vain she trie,


to brave it out with herself.


81 was perfectly justified in saying what


did," she argued. "Good heavens If


let him go on like this, unchecked by wor


of mine, where will it end? Was there sue


a monstrous thing heard OF before as leavin


me alone night after night without an


other plea or excuse than that odous bus


ness don't believe it. Ma always use


to say that it was business that kept ma


from home, till he got found out Business!


with toss of the head expressive of tn
I most tremendous contempt--"pretty kind q
[ business 1 dare say it is, if only truth wer
, known"


5 A pretty kind of "business," indeed, yo
: foolish little wife, as you only too soon wer
, to find out to your cost.


Argue as Margaret Dreswell would, sh
: could not brazen it out with her own col
1 science. She recollected her husbands III
Q failing goodness and kindness, his uprgh
g honorable character, that despised all shift
l ings and subterfuge, his predilection for stud
: and home comforts, that made him rath'


shun than seek society his strict and unvar.
: ing principles as to right and wrong, an
t above all, his calm, temperate disposition


No, this was not the man to flee home an
q the woman he loved for empty, ,rotous plea
I ure. A man. indulging in such'came N
IS home night after night, weary and tagged


death, as he invariably did. And now 81
). suddenly thought of his altered and hagga
a appearance-of the strange, careworn loo


his face had assumed of late And ho
kindly he had always treated her frivolou
= minded, widowed mother, and the handson
y scapegrace brother, whom, in spite of g
" past faults, he had taken into his busine


and confidence. True, despite her know
edge of his worthlessness, she had had fai
l. in his reform, and had pleaded for him a
s, cordpgly when her husband shook his he,
l. incredulously But her entreaties had pr
at vailed, and many time since had she co
~ graduated herself upon the beneficial effe
ID her husbands renewed confidence seemed
lr have upon the former scapegrace.


Us She returned to the breakfast table m


erable and unhappy. A heavy load, xii
tn of presciance of something about to happ
II took possession of her. If she had on
ch "made it up" with Berthe before he h
lie gone She sat down to the deserted tab
and tried to eat, but spat out the food
rd disgust it only seemed to choke her. VII
ed should she do the whole lyelong day t


Berthe came home? She could not occu
nd herself to-day with the usual humdru
ed round of duties, which she had till N,
ry found so delightful; she felt too restl
N for that. What should she do? A brig
We thought struck her she would go upsta


and look over her things, in the admi
M ton and disposal of which she might p
v? haps find solace' But arriving in her ro
lot she forgot all about the things in tear
Ike contemplation of Bertie's picture, viii
err greeted her from the opposite wall as s
on opened the door. From the picture
nix look wandered to the escritoire beneath, q
led stopped there spell-bound. The key ,
IN. in the lock How perturbed her husbsu
all mind must have been to have neglec
ith Withdrawing it For moment she hes
of ted. But what woman is there suffcer


well-principled to resist the bountiful sh
al of the quality which occasioned her f
W, q. u l..