Show I M Margaret I y Husband 2 1 1 By NE JANE PHELPS i COALS CHAPTER The Question Tn In two months my my year Sear of dt r grace would end When I 1 thought of how little I had accomplished I almost almot groaned aloud In spite of all I had done all I I Gould do we were further apart than in the beginning I had started too late I realized with a tightening of oC my throat that had I been to Bob in the first years of oC our ourI I marriage what I T was trying to be a companion and sweetheart I would not have haye lost him I For it was each day o coming home to me more forcibly that I had lost him That Elsie was mistaken and I he would go when the year was up And that night as I watched him returning to Charlotte Keating every ery few Cew moments each time with that wonderful light in his eyes I realized I I had absolutely no chance chance I I had had my chance and lost it Our guests all voted my party a great success but someway 1 did not seem to care that Bob heard them praise me as a hostess hostes What did it I matter Only one thing mattered I I That was the Knowledge that T Thad had I failed Yet even then hope whispered COALS You are not sure make him tell i 1 you you fAsk i f Ask him if he loved another 1 I 11 i wondered if it ever I should have the courage not to ask but to listen I But as the days went by I 1 felt sure I it was the only way Now he scarcely scarce scarce- ly Iy ever came home until late Even Donald would ask for his daddy I On Once e I told him that the boy was I fretting for him For days afterward I he got up half an hour each morning and with him But Buthe Buthe Buthe he came home no earler at night lie He wont won't rob her of his society I thought even en for his boy bor And if he wouldn't for Donald whom he almost worshiped why should I expect expect ex ex- ex I him to for me So matters stood when one Sunday afternoon I sought him In the library I a question on which my whole future happiness depended on my Ups lips I Bob dear will you rou send Donald away away I want to talk to you I I said id as I found round them together in the I library I Run away like a good little man h hr told Donald who seemed about to to object Daddy will play with you Iby Iby I b I by and by j He spoke s so o gently I jad 1 i. l COALS low hard to keep the tears back But ButI I tears had no part to play in my life at that time I had exhausted their power years before What is It Margaret still sUII he I Iu u used ed the same gentle tone he had hadI I j I used when speaking to Donald to I Our year is nearly up Bob He gave a st start start rt showing how unexpected unexpected unexpected un un- expected was what I had to sa say Yes I I love you OU Bob Dob as you know I II Ishall Ishall I shall always love you ou But I have I learned many things the last year one of them is my own selfishness I I 1 love lovo you so well weIl that I will not I stand in the way of your happiness I Do you ou understand Bob I am not not j asking you ou to stay stay stay-If if you ou will be be unhappy with me or if you will find happiness elsewhere As I talked every every vestige of color I left his face His hands twitched as without speaking he took a cigar I from his pocket and lighted it ft I Will you answer me truly Bob I asked I What do you want want want-to to know His Isis tone was so low I 1 could scarcely catch the words I want to know if there is someone someone someone some some- one else whom else whom you you love love The silence was so tense so fraught with possibilities for me that I I scarcely breathed I II I will never let my wishes stand in your way way now now Bob I went on when I could I endure the silence no longer there was a time when I Ionly Ionly I only thought of myself my happiness I That time is past Your happiness is s sin I in all respects the chief concern of ot my life I The time isn't up Margaret Why didn't you wait I IA A few weeks What difference would they make No earthly power I I 1 scarcely think a heavenly can kindle kindle kindle kin kin- dle a love once dead A love whose fire has gone ou out t. t I am convinced I that it is utter folly to seek it in the ashes gray and cold A loveless marriage even if only loveless on one j side as is ours is no marr marriage age at all I It is almost unholy It is only lately I II I I have come to know this Bob only j very lately I know too dear that i you never have loved me that as I Elsie said I caught you on on the rebound rebound re- re j bound when your heart was sore from the loss of your mother It is ismy Is' Is Ismy my fault that I didn't win your love 1 then I might have have perhaps When i iI I I woke up It was as too late I i waited Bob had bowed his head on I his hands he neither moved nor I spoke Will ViII you answer my question now l Bob If there anyone yone else I Yes Yes there Margaret there Is And his answer was almost a groan I How I wished he would raise his i head I wanted to look into his II I eyes to know if the lovelight caused by the thought of her that her that other woman woman lingered lingered in them But Buthe he still shaded them with leis his hand I May I ask who t Is Bob or do I know It is Charlotte Keating I pi pronounced her name in a steady voice voice although my heart was vas pounding pounding pounding pound pound- ing and my hands were like ice as I waited Yes Yes it it is Charlotte he said I Then raising his head he looked at me You must believe b lieve me Margaret I when I say I r had no intention of I caring for or another that it came to tome I Ime me so gradually that I cared as I 11 I never supposed a man could care before I was aware aware of my j I She was so pure so unspoiled such sucha i a wonderfully understanding companion companion companion com com- I panion that I had given my love before before be be- fore either knew I had done so Then I it was too late although I I. I too have tried Margaret et I have seen your j I efforts you ou brave girl and I have honestly tried to put this love from my life But it has been useless I have failed Then dear we better end it Why should all three suffer when one of ofus ofus ofus us can make the other two happy I When the suffering of only one means i j the happiness of the majority I Dont Marg l Margret et Your Your Your-I I cant can't t I talt take advantage of ot your generosity I II I I will stay and we will be as happy as as s wa can We Ve and the boys I t 1 No not even for the boys is it t your duty Bob They will alwa always s 's be r your you boys she boys she wont won't object to your I seeing them when you f alit a to I will i r bring them up the best I can They The I must be left with me dear That much I demand I To be continued conti COALS |