TWO MEN AND A WOMAN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 14 September 1907, Page 4

TWO MEN AND A WOMAN.

The season was at its height. All day long Hi ■ wide beach, which lay in the very eye of the sun from morning to late afternoon, had been thronged with people, lo whom the world was a pleasant Castle of Indolence.

The sea, which for the pant week had ben as smooth and clear as oil, had been bespent with scores of pleasureiioai-. and milled by hundreds of pairs of snowy arms and lithe young bodies. Now 'the beach was left solitary to answer hack the amorous babblings of the baby wavelets, while the sea was bereft of all save one white-winged yacht, which sat motionless amid the golden glory shed by the moon. All the light anil music and laughter of the place se nicd to find centre on the sea-front, which stretched round the horseshoe of the bay

Every house was allare, and the clear ripple of girls' voices and tinkle of pianos made a symphony of sweet sounds on the summer air.

At the Beach Hotel all the private sitting-rooms on the first floor made a line display of brilliant illumination and smart toilettes. In the big corner room where there was a family of young giris a little dancing comer was going on. In one room they were playing cards, in another a man sang. At the far end of the ribbon-like line, of liicht a woman sat alone. She was slender and tall, with waved masses of ruddy hair, drawn closely hick from her temples and tawny orange eyes that ga/.ed out at the beautiful night from under long, level brows. Hers was the only room from which no sound came; not even a sigh to mingle with the merry discord. She sat, a very statue of silenc, one hand supporting her round chin, the other loosely clasping a letter.

Il was that letter which had turned her into stone; ami yet it gave her freedom, wealth, and ihe inestimable

boon of a good man's love. "Dear Madam,—We have to inform von that Mr Ashton died this morning early. We shall be glad to hear from you' when it will be convenient for you lo come and see us on business Yours obediently,

Sparkins and Moore." It was very short and yet Ruby Ashton read it a score of times before she dropped il into her lap; lor it was pregnant with the fate of two lives—her own and another's.

And as -ho remembered Unit oilier, it was as tli)i','li intangible thought induced a real' presence. A lijrlifc lap came at llic iliuir, and she Jind lull time to thrust llic letter into her bosom before it was o|K'iieil, and closed again, and a man walked towards lier. "Dreaming-all alone. Why, I've been all over Ihe hotel for you. 1 even ventured into 111" foresters' room one moment. Not that I really expected to find von there—they're dancing like dervishes, and all the men are boys. But are you not well'; fs anything wrong?" he' asked, as he seated himself in a chair facing her.

His cniiek eye saw that *he was not dressed for society or for the public rooms. A tea-gown fell in full folds from her throat, and lioth wrists and JiiiL'i-rs were bare of the splendid Jewels she generally wore. But if this man's eyes°S!iw tliat. his lover's eyes noted that the cordiality of her manner had frozen into stitf constraint, and that she did not look at him as she curtly answered that she was well, hut in 1:0 mood for company. •■ls thai a hint for me to go?" -It is as vou please to take it," she

said, nihilv;' then arose, turned from him. and h.oked out towards the little vael'it lloating out on the moonlit sea. Fur a second he almost took Kuby at her word. Hut one glance at the delicate outline of her perfect figure silhouetted against the cobalt sky, one look at th' sweet ivory of her neck, kissed by a tiioii-iaud 'rings of ruddy sriild, ami lie "nlcased" to take it as a hint to stay. He drew near to her, close to her suit, clinging -kirt. -So you've not gone?'' .she said,

piv-uilly. "Xo! I iim hero. Do you quite for

gel what I hav mini' fol"r" -Do you hold mi' lo my promise!"

"I must. A week ago i asked you a < qiii'.-iiiiiii. tin' tpiostion ihat a man asks | ! a woman when ho loves her. You told j ] me thai I should liave my answer to- i ' ll'lL'llt." I Slie turned and faced him, with white cheeks, and eyes tilled with unshed tears. -I told you 1 had a husband. Could there lie aiiy ether answer from a married woman to a mint—when she loved him?" "All. lltiby. then you do love me'.' stretching forth eager hands to her. "Yes! "i love you. Is not that enough';" she said, simply, though her heart was leaping madly. l'of a moment all that was hostml in loan surged and tore with his soul. This woman, with her bewildering golden eyes, loved Inn, and told him so. Vhv should he east aside the gifts the gods oll'ered him? Then lie saw her face, white to the lips, grave, ami very sad. With her sil- J vc and mournful eyes she, looked like an angel who weeps over the downfall of man. His pa-sion died within him, lint the struggle left him ill and faint, and he reeled as he turned, to leave her—for ever! "Dick! Dick!" A .soft hand clasped his arm the cadence of a delicious voice thrilled'in his ear, "Dick. I told you I had a husband. If was true then-it ! was true vestorday—it—it is not true

\'lilus)i swept over lif face, and hothead dropped almost to his shoulder. •■1,'n1,,.. my love-he is dead';" -Vc,. Dick: the man who married me live vein's ago. the drunkard and maniac I eal'led -husband" is dead—and I—l love vou. Dick."