ALMOST A TRAGEDT.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume I, Issue 4, 9 January 1892, Page 2

ALMOST A TRAGEDT.

Ono'could hardly imagine a prettier sighl than Mrs Bhoderiok Gra'fton in a dainty white morning dress 1 and a Duchess lace cap .adorned' with a coquettish bow of apricot satin. There dhe sat behind the urn, placidly filliug a frail little cup with frngrant coffee, and stealing once in,a while a half-miscKiaydus glance, atjher irate-liege. - ■•■ " " ■ ' " "If there is anything in this -world that ■ I hate," observed Mr Rhoderick Graf ton with an ugly frown on his hond&oma face, " it's a mairied woman Vho flirts!" ; " . "I agree with -you, Eorie," his wife lepliod, as she dropped another lump ot sugar into his cup. ' Hadn't I better raake it foui' thJB morning, dear.? You really ought to take something to sweeten youv.temger.!'. . "Bonnie," he cried, savagely, " you're enough to-dries a man to the devil!" .-:. '■-■ ; '■■■■■■ \.

"If possible", liliodenck, I wish you would not quite forget what is'"'*due to me as a lady," , „, „-'';-''•'•' . ■'■"-■-■■ Mr Grafton bit his -lip in a perfect' traiivsport of vexation. . . ... •" Why didn't you tell" nic you meant to act iik« this before I married you?" he said, pushing- back his -chair. --■-■•' ''Because then you.neyer would have done it, and I should h. re cuissed ; aIL these . ■delightful, /little

scenes?'

Mr Rhcderick jumped up and stalked to the window, where he stood forsome time rvith his back to Mrs Shodeiick, gnawing at the ends of his moustache and'looking frantic. " You had better come and finish your breakfast, dear," his wife, said with studied sweetness. " Your coffee is getting cold.'' . \\ He faced about with a sudden impetuosity and a look that showed there was pain commingled with, his anger. "Bonnie," he cried, hoarsely, "for God's sake—" 'She was afc his side in an instant, her arms about his neck and pretty head pillowed on his;breast. . . >\ ' As she lifted her lips fora pardoning kiss, t"wo hot tears-feli up m her facf.' " lioriej" she whispered, softly, very much frightened by this denouement, " I did not mean tcvos you so !" He folded his arms tightly about her and hid his head on her shoulder.

"I cau't help it, Bonnie," be said, brokenly. "I know I'm a jealous brute. You ought never to have married me. I love you too much. It fairly maddens me to see you flirting with other men —and you my wife,

too."

"But I donH flirt", Eorie," she insisted, couibing her slender fingers through his beard. . ....... "Call it what you will," Wanswered, with a sli^hfr-fiown. - -"You" know what I mean. .1 never was so miserable in all my life as I was last niglit, Bonnie. What made you act so ?"- ---"So !" she echoed., " " How ? Now, Rorie, do be reasonable for once ! I' only danced twice with Archie O'Hara, and both dances vverequadrilles." '•It wasn't the dancing; it was the the way you lookedand smiled.on hiru. You'are so pretty, Bonnie !,Any nirin would jucup at tl'e i;hance of flirting, with you. Thpy do jump at it, and I—l wish you would never look or smile on any one but me I" Mrs T?ho.]erick laughed" ;in a >bewitching way. " You dear old* jealous" goosp !" she criftd, kissing him at every adj.-<-tive. "I didn't mean it; 'indeed; I never thought of such a thing !'

"I know I am a fool." he admitted with amiable Crindour.. " And I know it is as'natmal for jou'to flirt- as it is i for you to breathe; but, Bonnie — please don't do it any more than you' can help!" "I won't," she" said, laughiagly, f " Kow Hone,-da come and !get y.jur breakfast." , . So he allowed her to >woo "him back j to the table. String man though he' was, she could make him.do pretty! much as'she pleaded, for her povsw to | render him utterly miserable was itn-, men^e, Eut there was a point beyond which Bonnie knew that pho "da.rsdj

not go;; and, to do her justice sLo never really meant to wound tier >hua-, band, fur" she loved - him with- her. . whole heart and soul." ; x , .!_: ~J_,She acd Eone: hid'quite "^a- tender scene that morniag. Itwould have been more so if the^had known they would not meefc" again that evening as usual. It was four, o'clock in the afternoon

when Ehdderick's office boy came out frboi town with the following note,:

"'My-Darling- Little Wife:—

" I have jusl; received a ,t'legram from Boston calling foi my immediate presence th re. W»'l you please pack my va ise, and give it to Charlie? Put in my grey suit,-f*>uT . shirts,\etc",.- etc.; . .*._... It almost,' brea-ks'my heart to go away wthout bidding you good-bye, but I haven't a moment to spire. fou~ may look forme home on* Saturday. lam very sorry that you won't be .ible to go to Mrs VVylde s on Wednesday.. Bui never mind, dir'ing ! I'll see if I ca-i't find something in Boston to pay for the lost pleasure. Good-byi sweet wife. Yours always and devotedly,

"RdRIE."

'- So Ehoderick vrent to Boston, and 'laft his pretty wife at home. But, .contrary, '.to all his expectations, the business that called him-there'was all settled up by. Tuesday night, and oa Wednesday-morning he started for New York

"What a surprise this will:bVfor"'" Bonnie ! JJ he said aa he took.a cah and '-. drove- out home. " Seven ogolock, rather lato, but I gueos we' can make- : the reception after all." When he reached the house, he ran-iip the stops, and opened the door with *hi=r niaht key. His intention was to give hi 3 wife a complete sui> piise, and with tKis thought in .his mind he stole softly along the hall to the staircase.

But the parlour door"was-open,-and,... as Rhodetick. passed it, he saw* standing in the middle of the room, busily engaged with a book of autographs, a handeome man in full evening dross, in ehort, Archie O'Hara. *■ Kkoderick paused with hiJ ffiot on the lower stejo,of the stairway _just aa his wife opehtetl'the' sitting Toorn door and caiied, •"-

"Aichie! Archie! G> me up here —I want you !" Instinctively Bho'derick shrank back behind the portiere of the library, and Archie O'Hara ran lightly up.-staira without suspecting his proximity. " Why, Bonnie,'' he heard Archie say, as the 'eitting-rooin' door opened * and closed again: ~; Then he whs loft alone witb the jealous passion which seemed to blind evpry faculty ho had. . ..,.,, . Tbe fainc sound of laughter and merry words emanated from the sitting-room where -Bonnie, -his -wife, , had summoned Ajrchie O'JElara. ; ■■ i He remembered > that ' > miserable 1 partjr at Mrs" Vincent's. . How Bonnie had flirted with__O'Hara in her thoughtless;way,;-and the .words Jbhey had at brea.kf tist about, it. i " Now, Bonnie had lee him come to | see her'while he was away. She " Bhoderick's pulse beat madly and he clenced his teeth, bhould he go up there now -and. order ,o'tiara,out : of the house ? The most, awful suspicibnsr flashed through his mind ; forjfifteen .minutes he suffered all the agony of suspense und doubt. 1 ' ' • ~ --■>■-''' Then- the .eitting-ropm-door, opened, and he hea"rd trie soft'rustle ofsUtea, drapery;followed by, a ; maii's s v top; ( ,', f . Shrinking still further back'behind " the portiere, TEthbde'riclc ' almost'hclld^ his bteath as thov passed biro." "Are you-sure that ; wrnp is he^tvy ;; enough darling ?'.', Archie O;Hira said tenderly. "It is quite a long drive to Mrs iWjrtde's." , .', r-r, „,!:- '..»: Be did not hear; the. answer. He staggered against the-casement of the door, and, ■,with." convulsive . fiDgera C pulled back> the. portiere just" in itime: to see Boniiie's long. ■ sweeping-white t-ilk and ChantUly lace vanish: through the doorway. _ „ _ _ "It was his carriage that stood at the door," \xe gasped.. •_" She haa fgone with him to Mrs Wylde's!" The awfuUickening misery-of that ; moment he never forgot uutil hxs dymg '_• &White as death, and quite as cold, he panl? dg^ra upoa-the - floor, ana

buried his face in his hands. Another" man would have followed his wife, but Rbodorick only-raised 'himself after an hour of unspeakable -anguish, and went up-staire to his room.

-: Unlocking a drawer in his dressing -case^he took out a little revolver, and looked at it deliberately. "This is the only way out of it," ■he mufctered. "If I were to kill her first it would only bo just; but 1 could not shoot Bonnie /'!

'"The pistolVas loaded

" 1 may as well;haveit ovsr at once," %c said, hoarsely. " This -is worse 'than any torment'that may come here-

With that he lifted the pistol and .pointed it at his head. . -

" The" hammer was raised, but -just as lie was about to'pull the trigger his eyes jfejtj fyn'ft fullriletfgtlßpicture of Bonnie in ;her bridal dress.

At sight of that pretty, riante face ''Which he t thought that he beheld for the lastjinie, a convulsive tremor shook his arm, and the ball which was aimpd at his 'brain went crashing over his %e'ad/ barely, grazing the scalp and Blattering a mirror on the other side =-of the room

This unforeseen failure of his purpose seemed to daze him ior a moment, and his arm fell nerveless at his side. A wild shriek arrested him just as, he was about to place the muzzle of the *revolvpr firmly against his temple for -another, attempt. He started, the pistol fell from his hand and 5 he stood like a statue of 'for there was Bonnie iv the -doorway!

She was dressed in a pretty blue peignoir and her hair was rippling about lier in charming disorder. " Eorie!" she cried, with wildly eyes. "What are you 'doing'?" "Bonnie !" he gasped, incredulously. ""Bonnie!" ' She flew to his side in quick alarm. " Eorie I" she cried, flinging her -arms about his neck and lifting her pale, terror-striken face to his. " Eorio my dailing-! Something dreadful has happened. "What is i* ?, Tell mo -quick ! Have you lost all your money? 0 Eorie ! Eorie ! You didn't mean to -sMot yourself ?" "Yes. T did!" he answered, thrusting her away from him with sudden fury. " You have come back, 'have ,'yoii madam? You found out that, I have returned and so you dismissed 'Mr O'Hara ! I fear I have spoiled your,pleasure for to-night."

"Rorie," she faltered, gazing at -him in i astonishment and gieat alarm '" what.is the matter with you ?" "I, suppose you cannot imagine. "Well, Mrs Qrafton, I had the pleasure 'of seeing >yqu ,'gq out with O'Hara a kittle over an hour ago." "T, Rorje ! You aie crazy ! He ana" have gone to Mrs Wylde's reception." , j; ( " Muriel \" he echopd. , '

"" "(^ousin. Miiriell .Sfuriel-,Withey,, " Sli^'eape »yejstey^ay, r .jjqrje.. on made! you ffi^ , ■;,, ; /v "^;1 did hpt^ see face, ibut I saw. ;your IvwKiV;:BiiK;,4r.ejssrana: your lace ;,;'■;';,;,..^ ;;Vh..7 -...rj^'V^,,'; '•'■'■lj .loaned; iffiem, tp; H .her,',';''Bqnnie "-cried.: eagerly^'/,He^|Vun'jc'hasn':t ep.m'e. —Itdbn't''krio^, wanted", so 'pauch^; t(>' •gol'^iih-lArcliie..:. X.,call ihica'tnat i, now, Roriei~-.beo ; a.jise-Tryou: ; mustn't let. on, ;if ;t .'.telirypu^he and; .Muriel'ar*e^ engagedv';; : (: \~j c, >=.-,*•,,-. I ;^^imi^di^efea^iitio^frojp,;u^ to tji e^h!^i gnt .of, ; .tliss ma s, more thaj^'' ; CQujd ; ','pnde^Bta l nd. i at l ?firs;fc£bu^B^^ 'hiS|iM6r .c^nsciousnjess^yhe^ wife^plfts.p ,tft;H^ ,^P^.- fink^beld .her let! frer soi again. .^ „,-- >^^en, t , f an..;pro i l|:eri n ss^nii;^ces )l sareinaMge^^lp tell how. hig'gealpua fSus^ic^;l^d^c)ptKed;rfcseli ln^e^gfi^i .'Of. jtrij'tir, taid r^ow*n^r^y ' ne-had /com©. to Jg^ing ;his. p^n^life—h^, .thp ■rtte^gst-,- i! a^B?P. t- •* kad - . fiave^. 7;Mm, Bon^^j^Jp him.w^ta .passign^e; *upo^]Kls'bre^.j>. B -M-i-jiv •' vi»t, ! 'S^'^^i^^'

jealous again!. And oh, Roriel if by any accident I should, promise me faithfully, that, you will never, never, never think of—of killing yourself-, because.it. will, kill "mo, too! I could not live'without you." * So he" gathered her into his arms -closer than ever, and promised solemnly. Since that day their life lias been more tranquil, for they have both learned a lesson which neither can forget! . .