| Show HER MINIATURE I 1 N I 1 A TV n M by y LUCY L VAUGHAN a copyrighted d 1 1903 by authors publishing luking con co n ian an the reverend houghton flung down his pen and threw himself back in bis his chair utterly weary and despondent its it s all of no use he said aloud I 1 can deceive myself no longer I 1 have neither heart nor inclination for the work outside he could just see the girlish figure of his wife halt half hidden in the folds of a large hammock in which she was reclining then as it if she had heard him the words of a hymn she j was singing fell in apt reproof upon his ear the sweet oice died away and an expression of sadness came over the bright upturned tace lace he bad rail listened breathlessly while she sang for he loved her with a depth of feeling amounting almost to idolatry and yet although she v was as his wife she was as a stranger to him she had opposed their marriage till the very day on which it had been solemnized but he had not known it until the ceremony was over then with burning cheeks and dark defiant ees she had told him plainly that she hated him the revelation made cecel had swept scornfully out of the room and left her husband with his bright dream of loe loie and happiness shat six months had passed and during all that time they bad had lived together as mere strangers treating tra ting each other with rigid politeness when the demands of social life or church bork required them to be present together at some entertainment or meet ing As he eat sat hoohing loob tog at her now and noted the s d expression on her face he longed to go to her but he dared not then straightening himself he took up Ms his pen again and resolved that tor for her saie he would persevere before he began gain again c he glanced once more at her and started to his feet tor for large tears were standing in her eyes and she was trying to look through their blinding bright brightness nesa at a miniature v aich she held in her hand he wondered vaguely whose it was and a spasm of jealousy smote him as be he saw her press it passionately to ler lips and then place it in her bosom he turned av aay ay the pen fell ed from his hand and his resolve was completely forgotten in an agony of dispain he threw himself on a couch worn out as he was from loss of sleep and a long nervous strain his eyes gradually closed and his troubles were drowned in oblivion it was evening when he awoke he tried to recollect how he came to be sleeping there at such an hour when a suppressed sob at the foot of the couch caused him to look in that direction there crouch ed upon the floor N was vas cecel instant ly the events of the morning came crowding to his mind but instead of scorn or anger he felt only daly pity for his wife he determined that some how in some way he should be free be he despised those who sought divorces and never before had he been able to imagine any case which might be con coil pardonable but it was differ ent in their case she was his lawful wife to be sure but more than that ane was not and she must be free as 30 utterly weary and despondent tree free as before hey her marriage be he would tell 11 her tell her novi no but 0 beaver I 1 what a sacrifice cecel she started to her feet with a cry 0 neil are you awake at last her face was fl ff dished with crying and tears stood in her eyes and dampened her cheeks she had never called him by his christian name before and something like a thrill passed through his frame as he noted the change then the n something dropped to the floor it was the miniature he was sitting upright in an instant while with a deep flush covering brow and neck she stooped hastily a and ad p eked it up aa As she raised herself her eyes his they ere fier fler e and deter mined rained he had forgotten his resola tion to free her forgotten everything but the pain which nearly stifled him and made him furiously funo furio isly angry at her now give that to me met he corn com banded instantly she straightened her dark eyes 1001 ed col lly ey and calmly into his never he ansy answered ered briefly and with heightened c lor but no other it you shall not ie ve this room until you g ve me that p it perceptible sign of agitation she replaced the minia tui e in her bosom and turned to leave tie vie room he stepped to lv the door and barred her way you shall not le lee ne this room until you give me that p then I 1 shall neier leave it was the reply I 1 might tal e it from you he threatened you may be a coward if you wish her words stuns stung him to the quick a dark flush mo idled to his brow as ho he stood aside I 1 beg our pardon cecel I 1 am sorry that I 1 so far forgot myself as to speak to oj oa in such a manner I 1 hope that ou TV N 11 at least try to forgive me she anav answered ered not a A word ord but with head erect walked pst past him and left the room A nun min 0 later the dinner bell rang meui animally ani cally he made a hasty toilet and entered the dining room to eat h s meil in solitude for cecel was not there hungry as he was he soon finished the lonely repast and found that it N as cuite late he knew that he must p piss ass a long sleep less night it be wretched enough at best but this uncertainty must be over and he must have an all understanding with h s wife that very evening ascending Ascend ins the stairs he tapped at the door of her dressing room come in came faintly from tie the other side he estered wont yoi yot sit down she aqeel gently A little surprise I 1 at the tone he took the chair she motioned to I 1 suppose you wonder any by I 1 have intruded my sell seli upon you he began but believe me I 1 do sh to pain you all I 1 have to say all I 1 dish ash to do Is for your happiness iou ion cannot deny that you are un unhappy hapy here that you love another man and that you hate me and cecel I 1 I 1 ave loved you so long and so truly that all I 1 desire is to make you on lappy no matter at what cost to myself I 1 will keep you prisoner no longer v e must have a di ill vorce 0 no I 1 never never meant it I 1 did not know 0 O neill she sobbed in coherently you mean that ou ozi do not hate me mea he asked turning a pair of in credulous eyes toward her you mean that you do not wih for a divorce no no unless you yu want tant to send me away I 1 was never happy till I 1 came here even then although it brought a kind of gladness gl adnes to his heart her meaning did not dawn upon him his gaze fell upon a large picture leaning against her dressing table gradually he became aware ot a familiarity famili fa arit in the outlines and looked at it more closely it was his class picture how did it come there he wondered crossing the room he picked it up a prominent hole in the lefthand left hand corner bowed where the head of one of the students had been cut out and lot io it was his own he turned inquiringly to his wife her f head was thrown bad bael among the cushions 0 the chair and her hands were clomped above it she was watch ing him with flushed cheeks and shin ing eyes the shawl had fallen away anay from her shoulders and among the snowy laces at her breast something gleamed bright and yellow in an in stant he was by her side and had tab tal en it gently from its hiding place the cole cok in liui hoi face deepened and her eyes danced mischievously but she ot of no resistance one glance at the miniature sufficed the next moment he was on his I 1 nees by her side with one arm thrown about her waist while the other drew the bright bead head down oil till their lips met forgive me darling he whispered but she only wound her white arms around his and laying his head upon her shoulder let her eyes meet bis his |
