ONE HUSBAND'S WAY.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 8271, 23 November 1895, Page 2

ONE HUSBAND'S WAY.

Ceylon is a country where matrimonial relations are apt to get a trifle strained, rhe usual opinion is that the climate is mostly at fault. So it was generally assumed ij a society which could not afford to throw ,nany stones indiscriminately that the jlimate was to blame for the trouble be;ween the Dexters. It appears, according to experts, that a good deal depends on" seasoning. The first iwo or three years are the trying ones. Aiter that the matrimonial cart may be jxpected to go smoothly. That is why some nen marry daughters of the land, or girls jorn on the island, in preference to importing wives from Home. The unmarried man Is wise in his generation, and tries' to avoid running risks. But Dexter had been foolish enough to aecome engaged to a girl at Home, and in :lue course he married her. This interesting event happened at the end of his six months leave, and he came bank with his jrand new bride and set her down in the midst of hie-- plantation, just as he would liave brought a new kind of shrub, and jxpected it to grow naturally in its new surroundings. He was a reserved, passionless sort of man, who had never wasted much thought 3n the other sex, and it really did not jccur to him that lie was engaged in a risky sxpe.riment. He knew something, and had heard more of what was going on around liirn. But it did not come within the range of his ideas that his wife should follow the example of other men's wives. Mrs Dexter was a very attractive little body, as she speedily discovered. At first she was rather taken aback by the novelty of her position, and was shy with her husband's old friends. As for the women folk, she was not long in sizing them up and putting them on a proper footing. But with the male portion of society ehe was not so exacting or discriminating. Anyhow, as time went on, the Dextors' house became a gathering-place for several men, but very few women. Dexter himself did not seem to notice the distinction. All he noticed was that his wife kept up her spirits well after the first inevitable home-sickness, and that she never complained of feeling lonely. He was not a very observant man. If Mrs Dexter had been wise, she would have "taken care to divide her attentions. There is safety in numbers, and she really, meant no harm.' But she was young and inexperienced, and the Man was neither. So that he was clever enough to compromise her effectually and to get his own way —up to a certain point. This happened about six months after the arrival of the little woman', and at a time when, as luck would have it/Dexter was more than usually T"he Man had contrived to clear the field of rivals. He was not a particularly nice sort, though he was on such good terms with Mrs Dexter. As regards reputation, he was one of the best hated men. in the district--, by husbands. And the strange thing_wae that he was not a good lodkingman.' _Oa the contrary, be.was rather ugly. Perhaps it : was his swagger and bounce that proved 80 irresistible. # t- *- It became a matter of course for him to be in constant attendance on Mrs Dexter. Not a day passed that they did not spend almost entirely together, walking, riding, or driving. The people in the neighbourhood looked on with interest. They expected a repetition of the old story. And in the nature of things it happened that the iiueband was the Qnly pereon ignorant of the threatening tragedy. ~ ■■■ One day, however, Dexter was euaaeiuy brought to his senses by a chance remarkJt was not intended for hia ears, but he Tieard it and it went home. He followed its example, and having arrived at hie house, eat on the verandah and considered the situation for an; hour and a-half. A* the end of that time he inquired for hifl wile. She was out, as usual, with the Man; ana the servant" who answered his question seemed to treat the evtat as in the , ueuai order of things. Dexter did not try to obtain any more information. He simply went to hie too™ and changed his clothes, rummaging abpui as If in search of something, Then he came out, looking quite cheerful, lighted a shew* and asked which way Mrs Dexter was UKeiy to have gone. Having learned this, ne walked briskly in the direction indicated. In the meantime, Mrs Dexter and the -Wan . were sitting together in a favourite deu about half a mile away. She was rapidly approaching the stage where folly ends ana guilt begins. Whether she would eve* actually have transgressed ia a delicate pointShe had resisted the voice of the tempsei successfully so far, greatly to the tempter* chagrin. .»•«•• They had, in fact, reached a positive diOj culty. He was getting rather angry, ana she was not exactly happy. So that it vfM something of ft relief-to both of them to hear, someone approaching. They neither of them looked to see Dexter. He was supposed to be some miles away shooting. Unfortunately their calculations were, wrong, for it happened to be Dexter who disturbed their sylvan solitude. He knew

,iis way well, and camo straight into the opening, to find them sitting side by Hide uu a fallen tree. And when he snw them, lie stopped for a moment and looked at them, a grim smile , on his far-e. They Wh saw him at 1 "no same instant, The Man jumprd up hastily, with an oath. As for 3lrs Dexter, she uttered a slight gcreain. The husband was the coolest of the three. He walked up to them slowly, with the eniile gradually effacing itself. ' The Man was far from happy. lip saw danger in the pale face and steady eve.-., and under his sw.iO-v he wax, like must vi Ins class, a> arruni a coward as ever w.tlkrcl. Mrs Dexter simply s;it still where she w:t>. her eyes glancing alternately from tin.; Man to her hu.«band and luck again. After the first exclamation she did not utter a syllable. * Dexter did not waste many words. " Yon confounded blackguard,"' he said. The man had expected something more violent. Then, cut-like, he began to pluck up courage. He even began to swagger a little, as usual, and stood up straighter. But Mrs Dexter, who was watching him closely, noticed that his hand trembled as he curled his moustache. "1 have been thinking the matter over," Dexter continued, "and it seems to mc that one or other of us is superfluous. 1 can only nee the one way to settle the ditiiculty. Here we have a fine, open spot, well lighted and in every was desirable. We have also a couple of weapons, and, in addition, a lady to give the signal." As he spoke he produced from his coatpockots a brace of revolvers. "They are exactly similar and both are loaded. Pray examine, them and make your choice. Then we will agree to a distance and beirin." He grasped both pistols by the barrels and lifld them out to bis opponent, looking at hiiii k'-enly the while. Airs Dexter had rUi-ji and walked up to them. Husband and v.ifo kept their eyes fixed on the Man's fa"f. JJiit the man did not offer to take the revolvers into his hand. His swagger had gone; his cheeks shook like a jelly fresh from the mould, his lips worked convulsively, and his hands quivered. As Dexter moved nearer to him, he drew back, shrinking from the outstretched pistols as if their barrels instead of their butts were presented to liim. And Dexter smiled. Mrs Dexter did not smile. Her face suddenly became crimson. Then, with an irresistible impulse, she clenched her fist and struck the Man heavily across the mouth. ,; Coward !" she exclaimed. The word seemed to cut him like a knife. He staggered back a pace or two, gazed blnnkly from one to the other, and then fled. They listened to his retreating footsteps without speaking. Then Dexter quietly put the revolvers back into his pockets and turned on his heel to go home. As he did so ho looked back over 1113 shoulder to where his wife stood, with her face buried in her hands. "Is there any reason why you should not come with mc!" he asked. She lifted her head, and for a moment her eyes Hashed with indignation, and her face became red with sudden anger. Then as quickly she subdued the feeling. '• Vi.u have the right to ask," she answered humbly. " No, there is no reason." And then he put his arm around her and they went home together. G.F.D.