Literature.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 166, 18 July 1904, Page 4

Literature.

t ' A WIFE WHO WAS ABOVE REPROACH. Picture to yourself one of the large fashionable houses during one of the . Jjoit superb receptions of the sea- •' t **''* he wllole of the magnificent rooms thrown open, and a blaze of '. light, odorous with flowers, and gay '#<•-.-With the exquisite toilets of women, 1 and the glittering uniforms of the Army and Navy men, and the orders and decorations of the members if the foreign embassies; music was wafted in waves of sweetness from • the Marine Band, and altogether j> nothing was wanting to make the 6ceno one of the most beautiful artd attractive,'to a beautiful and pleas-ure-loving woman. '. Such a one, Kate St. George ; stood a little apart from the%Krong *iu ;4«aning against a marble pillar, attracting hundreds of pairs of eyes towards her, but not rewarding any one of them with even the most formal glance of recognition. Her gaze —an intent one—was fixed cm the Same relative position as. herself, on- ' Jy oh the other side of the room; a man most fair to look upon in<r deed. Guy Bc-aure,g|hrd was always an ofl>. ject of interest to worn*,'and it was ,t not strange; for a face of such strength and such beauty it is not more than once in a life time given to a woman to behold. Just at this moment he was tending over the fair head of his wife Beatrice ; and when it is written that Guy Beauregard loved his wife with all the might of ," Ws nature, it is also written that she was perhaps the happiest woman ' in this .world. They had ifaeen married five years, and Kate St. George known them both since before /their, wedding. V 1 The throng had thinned a little ; 5f there was more air, and the fra- ' i graiice of the rich blossoms was • more deliciously strong, and the • music came more wooingly than when it had to struggle with such a rush and roar of human voices and :' merry laughter. There were not, . perchance, more than a dozen people , remaining in the oast room. Kate St. George turned her handsome dark head wearily towards the 'crowd yonder, as though she would . ''summon a cavalier to her side. Beatrice Beauregard glanced quickly .' about as she spoke : ,*; "Guy, nearly everyone has left us. . Come !" "And what if they have 1" niui- , mured the lover-husband. As they stepped out from the shadows of the columns they beheld thb face of a. Man—young, fine-looking, yet with a haggard expression, whether from illness or dissipation it .would be somewhat difficult to de- ' t Bide—and the women both uttered a a i main's'name in almost a whisper, » half of horror, half of terror. rTSiate St. George shrunk back into the protection of the column once more. She was the older and more < practised woman of the two,, and watched Guy Beauregard. He startad suddenly as he noticed his wife's terrible pallor, and went to fetch her a glass of water. When he returned the gentleman bad disappeared. But little occurred in his absence, , and that little Kate St. George bore witness to. A few whispered words, and none of which she caught, save the last, as the Stranger walked Iquickly away.

'■' Contrive to meet mc, Beatrice, lor heaven's sake ! in the blue room, before you go homo—l will y/ait fo? you there !" And Beatrice Beauregard bowed assent eagerly, as she pressed his hand —that was all. ''Here is some champagne, my flarliflg X" cried the young fellow, as he put his arm round her tremb-

ling form. "What is the matter ? Did that man-was he rude to you, or what made you start so ? ana I thought you made some exclamation —did you not?" "Nonsense !j Why, Guy, dear, what a ridiculous ido a !" Beatrice lau-ghtd nervously. -It is the heat —the crowd, you know. I have not been feeling well all day." ( "No, my heart," he said, soberly. I "I did not know it."

"Well, then it was because I wanted to spare my Woy p a dn and anxiety that I did not tell him." "Bless your heart." He looked proudly and tenderly at her from his height. "Then I must take you home at once ; these infernal crowds are not fit places for you at any time !"

" No, no !" she answered pettishly. "Not yet., I wia»t| to see Mrs McGregor before I go, I will go and look for her. You wait for me—or " How obligingly and opportunely at this moment Kate St. George emerged from her place of concealment ! "Yes, there is Kate, unescorted now, Guy " she laughed gaily. "I give you carte blanche until I return !"

Kate glanced from husband to wife in remarkably well-feigned innocence. "How is Mr Beauregard this evening ?" she asked playfully. 1 "Oh, thanks. Miss St. George, I am in a tolerable state of preservation. I need not ask how you are," he said, bending his ibJuc eyes in I gallant fashion full upon l her face. Guy Beauregard was one of those men who could not help being civil to a woman, or saying the thing and looking the thing he was expected to.

There was a sort of chivalry in the man's nature that furnished him with a creed that women were created to be humoured, but he \v a s loyal as ever knight of old to the woman of his 1 heart. "I am always well," she replied sweetly ; "but " For an instant Kate St. George hesitated ; who r.hall say whether she lost herself in lhat moment of hesitation or not ? "Shall I risk it? Jack will never i>etray me—even to her. Yes, I will risk all, for I have all to gain and little to lose," she thought to her-

self, and the instant of doubt was over. She turned her great black eyes up to Beauregard's face. "But [ think Beatrice is not looking at all well, especially during the latter part of the evening, since " "Since what ■?" he indtiired slowly.

"Why, since that start she had—lhat tall dark man—on old friend of your wife's, I presume, Mr Beaur regard ?" '■' Were you " Guy stopped short and was silent. He felt' as though on the brink of some frightful precipice, and, unconsciously to himself, he quivered in every nerve of his strong frame. "Can I get you anything)?" he asked cautiously, af:er a moment's pause. "Oh, no, thanks." Kate Was radiant. "Then, with your permission, I will go and find Mrs Beauregard." Kate was leaning, with hands clasped in front of her, against the identical column where she tad spent a considerable portion of her evening ; they had stopped there in their promenade, and she was looking down with a curious expression on her faCp. "I wouldn't if I were you." "I do not understand you." "Then I suppose I must initiate you, Mr Beauregard, that is all. I heard Beatrice iriake an appointment to meet the handsome unknown in (he blue room before she went home !■"■

"You 1 " For a brief second of very first, in his whole life—Guy Beauregard forgot his courtesy to a woman, but he broke off shortly with a muttered : "I beg your pardon'!''

Kate, laughed; "I suppose you think your wife is like Caesar's, Mr Beauregard, eh ? above reproach? Ah, well, I. only say, go and see for yourself. I\ supposed, of course, Beatrice had told you, else I never should have mentioned it."

"See for myself !" he repeated scornfully. "Do you suppose I will play the spy ? No. Ido consider my wife 'aibove reproach,' Miss St. George !" Kate lifted her eyes. "You are spared the trouble; there goes 'Caesar's wife'— and the handsome unknown '."

She turned away in an opposite direction, while Guy Beauregard, every drop of his hot blood surging like fire through his veins, watched Beatrice—his wife—hanging on the arm of the man whose sudden appearance, not half an hour since, caused her such apparent anguish. (To be continued.)