e
had advanced even more rapidly than myself, and that at this very moment
he was not only the idol of society, but on the verge of uniting himself
to a woman--I will not say of marrying her, for marry her he could not
while I lived--who would make him the envied possessor of millions. Such
fortune, such daring, yes and such depravity, were beyond the reach of
my imagination, and while I thought his pleasure less than mine, I did
not dream that my existence was a menace to all his hopes, and that
during this moment of speechlessness he was sounding his nature for
means to rid himself of me even at the cost of my life.

"His first movement was to push me away, but I clung to him all the
harder; at which his whole manner changed and he began to make futile
efforts to calm me and lead me away from the spot. Seeing that these
attempts were unavailing, he turned pale and raised his arm up
passionately, but speedily dropped it again, and casting glances this
way and that, broke suddenly into a loud laugh and became, as by the
touch of a magician's wand, my old lover again.

"'Why, Olive!' he cried; 'why, Olive! is it you? (Did I say my name was
Olive?) Happily met, my dear! I did not know what I had been missing all
these years, but now I know it was you. Will you come with me, or shall
I go home with you?'

"'I have no home,' said I, 'I have just come into town.'

"'Then I see but one alternative.' He smiled, and what a power there was
in his smile when he chose to exert it! 'You must come to my apartments;
are you willing?'

"'I am your wife,' I answered.

"He had taken me on his arm by this time and the recoil he made at these
words was quite perceptible; but his face still smiled, and I was too
mad with joy to be critical.

"'And a very pretty and charming wife you have become,' said he, drawing
me on for a few steps. Suddenly he paused, and I felt the old shadow
fall between us again. 'But your dress is very shabby,' he remarked.

"It was not; it was not near as shabby as the linen duster he himself
wore.

"'Is that rain?' he inquired, looking up as a drop or two fell.

"'Yes, it is raining.'

"'Very well, let us go into this store we are coming to and buy a
gossamer. That will cover up your gown. I cannot take you to my house
dressed as you are now.'

"Surprised, for I had thought my dress very neat and lady-like, but
never dreaming of questioning his taste any more than in the old days in
Michigan, I we