“Do not fear I may sink again to the level on which you found me and from which you rescued me. You have taught me a woman’s real worth and no degrading action or word shall ever again soil my life. I was reckless and daring to accept the priceless boon of your love without first inquiring if you were free to love. I did not know, O, I did not know, that law and custom had already bound you to another. I cannot permit you to make a criminal of yourself, and when you return I will be gone. Don’t seek to find me. What would be the use? The world is wide and somewhere I shall be able to live out this life which consists of so much more pain than joy. I am young and strong, and shall find work somewhere. Good bye! Farewell, my Owen, my lover. Reserve in your memory one little spot of green for your own unhappy.
Cora.”
The closely written sheets fluttered from his hand and fell unheeded to the floor. His head sank upon his arm where it fell upon the table. Thus he sat long hours. The day had gone out in the gloaming. The twilight hours passed and ushered in the dark night and still he sat there. Then he arose and dragged his weary footsteps to the pretty bed chamber which was to know her no more. There, where he had spent so many sweet and indescribably happy hours, he threw himself upon the bed and buried his face in the snowy pillows which her head had so often pressed.
At sunrise he left the sacred abode. He told the old negress to remain and take care of the little home just the same as if her mistress were there. Giving her a well filled purse he turned his back upon the place where love had been wont to welcome him and went straight to the mansion where dwelt the haughty Leonie, his wife.
“I will never give in! Never! never! I would scratch the eyes out of her white face first!”
The shrill voice almost shrieked the words and the black eyes of the angry woman flashed fire as the white face twitched with fury which transformed it until it became almost hideous.
“I would murder the brazen hussy ere I would ——”
“Not another word! I will not hear your vile tongue defame her whose shoes you are not worthy to wipe. Yon have driven my poor girl away. If sin there be, it is mine. She never knew I had a wife. She was content to give me her love until you drove her forever out of my life. So on that score you can rest easy, but I repeat that I will not continue this farce any longer. I have crossed the threshold of the dwelling that you call home for the last time. I shall sever now and for all time every tie that binds me to you. You can retain this house if you wish it. I do not want it. I shall deposit a million dollars at my banker’s to your credit. Then you can apply for a divorce just as soon as you may desire.”
To be mistress of this lordly mansion was by no means a small thing. When he made the declaration that she was to retain it together with a princely fortune, an iron band seemed to loosen from about Leonie’s throat but she gave no sign of her intense gratification.