The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-23

Ilonged for in the world. And there was TO be
no delay-no respite for me. He wealthy,
so what there to wait fora Within three
months time you were to be married.
How | bless the day came to see you old
fellow" he cried once, in the effusion of his joy
Now you shall complete your kindness by
letting me stay with you until the happy time.
OF course, must go away for bit to see about
house and that sort of thing, but mean to be
here as much as [ can"
If had followed my true impulse as he spoke,
should have cursed him and babe him BECOME,
but was forced to restrain myself and tell him
how welcome he was to make my house as his
home as long as it pleased him. Yet felt dare
not stay myself and witness his happiness. That
night as l lay in bed, casting about for eX-
cuSe plausible enough to enable me to leave my
| guest alone for the next month or two, l knew
that IN the depths of my heart l hated Gerald
Gordon-I hated him as the one who had stolen
my lfes hope from mel hated him for his ami
NAL spirits, his good looks his power of pleasing
and winning the affection of man, woman,
child. so different from mel even hated him
because knew you would be happy with him,
for he had all the qualities to make a home happy
i hated him as Cain hated Abel and for the
same reason: had not his Offering been accepted
and mine rejected And several days
passed by; each day the tortures l endured
seemed greater; each day my hatred grew more
intense In feyerish sort of way l forced
myself to laugh and jest and Gordon, with a
lovers selhshness never noticed now how un-
natural my'manner was, or guessed how. by this
time, detested the sound of his voice. the clear
ring OF his laugh, or even his very presence.
"One thing pleases me more than / can say"
he placidly remarked one evening. 1T is that
what once believed to be fact was only
creation OF my own brain. | was afraid | might
be the rival of my old friend; but Gertrude
herself assures me the only feeling that ever
existed between you two was one of pure friend
ship. So [ am happier knowing you will dance
at my wedding with light heart"
Dance at his wedding! / would rather dance
on my mothers grave!
Gertrude, my wife there is one day in every
year which is solemn and sad to both of US. A
day when the choicest flowers are laid the
tomb, now growing gray with time. day
many hours OF which you spend alone holding
lock of hair, and gazing on miniature And
yet If the love you bore another man is strong
IN your heart, upon that day you have ever
seemed TO draw closer to me than at other times.
AS your eyes; sad with unforgotten sorrow, meet
mlre you think: Our grief is from the same
soufce-mine for love and his for friendship"
And with one memory between US | know for
the moment your heart grows nearer to mine,
and I realize what life might have been could
your love have crowned it. Read now the truth
and hate me.
That day was the first for long time I had
spent alone with Gerald Gordon. You were
away on a visit to some friends at a distance.
The weather was fine though wintry and as |
felt | could not endure the long hours indoors.
in the society Of the man Ihated, | suggested
taking our guns and walking down to the coast
in the hope of shooting some ducks Gordon
leapt at the idea. Il shall be glad to do bit of
hard walking" he said, for three weeks have
only been loye-makine, and that isn't much
exercise. | fancy my muscles must be growing
soft from want of using
AS he spoke he held out an like iron
bar for me to feel
know it we'll For the distance of perhaps two
miles, runs a turf covered almost perpendicular
cliff then it shelves away gradually, and one can
easily get down to the waters edge. Here was
our destination We intended to walk along
the edge of the sea, shooting anything worth
powder and shot
The tide, when high, lashes the foot of the
coast cliff; when low, it leaves a strip of sand
uncovered. The rock of which the cliff is COM
posed is of crumbling, unstable chalk, and has
the habit of getting followed out under the sur
face, leaving green cushions, firm enough in
appearance, but apt to break away the
unwary foot presses them. a dangerous cliff 1t
is, from the edge of which one shrlnks instinct
lively.
We walked briskly along the green sward;
was some PAGES in front of Gordon. not being
much in the humor to listen to his inevitable
rhapsodies on the one theme AS he followed |
could hear him singing a love song. 1t was
Mexican, I believe, and picked up somewhere
HIS travels. Though the language was strange
to me the words sounded soft and musical, and
the repetition of the passionate refrain almost
l.
was directed Suddenly, the melody of the
song changed to sharp cry of despair-a cry
that went through me like knife-and, as [
turned hastily round, the rent at the edge of the
treacherous green sward told its tale, even
before heard the horrible, hopeless, dull thud
on the sand below.
Believe me, when I say, at that moment all
thought of hatred and envy left me. Horror
stricken, threw myself at full length the
grass and crept to the edge of the cliff. looking
dreaded Spp-hlS manpled hO0V
The cliff at this spot overhung even more than
usual, and it with feeling of hope | saw
that Gordon had fallen clear of the rock and laid
upon the sand. He was lying almost in heap
and must have sustained fearful INJURIES but
dead he was not, for | saw him. after making
few piteous struggles succeed IN turning his face
towards me.
Gerald" cried, care you much hurtl For
Gods sake try and answer me-"
A faint voce-the ghost of his usual voice
replied. 81 have broken arm and, l
think, my thigh. Can you come down TO meg
II cannot" [ said, without going along the
coast for mile more. l am going now to get
ropes and help Try and bear up till l return"
And then, leaving my gun to mark the spot
where he fell, turned and, swiftly as [ could.
commenced running across the country. | knew
the part we'll. The nearest house was at least
two miles away so the poor fellow must lay in
agony for some time before | could bring him
the indispensable aid With the remembrance
of that helpless form lying on the sand before
me, my thoughts were only how to rescue him
with as little loss of time possible, and for
the first five minutes | ran at the top of my
speed Sheer exhaustion then compelled to
pause and draw breath, and as I moderated my
pace the awful thought for the first time came
to me. The tide! the tide 1 remembered it
was rsing-that it about three quarters
food-that Gordon was lying very near to the
edge of the water and l knew if I could not
bear him aid before the sea covered that narrow
strip of sand he was dead man. And
then the temptation began. Let no man say
there is no devil, for | tell you in that
moment the devil was with me. He brought
your form with all it's beauty before me; yes,
and with love for me shining in your eyes. He
shaped the thought in my mind ut is for her,
who might love you you are saving him. Is
prompted me, | said to myself, Zone bali hours
delay rest by the way: a fanced inability to