The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-10

thing. That is his last word, and he is dead!"
mo, no, no-oh, no." came in Trixs voice
from behind.
Ford took her hands from their clutch on the
marble, and put her back into her chair. All he
was afraid of was that she would faint or die,
perhaps, in his arms.
HE is alive he is wounded, but not fatally.
Oh, Grace, what can we say to you, Trix and IL
1t is greatly our fault My. poor girl, cry or
something Don't look like that You must
put him out of your thoughts. You must
She shook herself free of him with impatienee
II am asking you about Oliver she said. oh
ver-who is with him2 Who is taking care of
himq Have you left him alone, with no onea
Trix, are you going to him, or shall Ip
The husband and wife looked at each other in
dismay. Mrs. Ford, stlled in a moment her
sobs and ordinations, not knowing what TO
reply
est him in" she paused for moment, then
shook her head sadly. Perhaps you think
"Oh, no, Grace! No, no Oh, Grace, what
can say?"
HE is not going to die" Ford said, roughly, in
the agitation of his mind. "But you, you must
think no more of him, Grace He has no claim
upon you. This miserable marriage
''MarriageT che said, again rising, resisting
his attempt 10 support her. You think
woman has no idea but marriage. What is that
to meY have been fearing l knew not what
but now 1t is not that forgive him,
approve. And, if he should die, accept his
legacy. / thank God he had that trust in me-
and that he did what was right Oh, Trix, Trix
Oliver is dying, and you and / standing idly
here!"
CHAPTER VIII.
This was how she took it, as the young priest
had taken it, as an atonement as duty. In
stead of the dspair they had expected she was
excited and inspired as people are who die for
great cause. She did not and would not
take into account all that made divers
strange sacrifice a thing without JUS
tice, without dignity-a mere hideous
postscript to a mere vulgar sin repented
of, indeed, but not made less vulgar and hideous
even by repentance. Fortunately for Grace
nothing of this entered her mind. He had made
atonement, he had righted wrong, at the cost
of his own happiness. To be sure it was at the
cost of hers also, but in her exaltaton she never
thought of that. What she did think of was
that he should not have told her; that he had
suffered bitterly and cruelty, and had been driven
to the uttermost expedient of despair rather
than tell her; that he should have thought her
incapable of the same sacrifice as he was max
ing, less noble than himself. This hurt her in
passing: but she had not time to think more of
it. In the meantime, he must be comforted
treasured cared for. He must know that she
understood him, that she-yes, she who was the
victim, who had to bear the penalty-approved
She was inspired with strength and courage to
do this. She victim-she was martyr
sharing his martyrdom for the sake of what was
right.
I need scarcely say that the Fords no more un-
derstood her than if she had been speaking a
foreign language. They gazed at her with hor-
ror and bewilderment They asked each other
had she not loved him after alll That woman
who loved him could have so taken it was to
them incredible. Mr.. Ford was almost angry
with her in the disappointment with which he
saw this extraordinary and unlocked for effect
He said stifiy that he was very glad that she
could take it so philosophically than poor
Oliver had done-but that as for going to him
that was impossible The doctor was to stay
with him that night All was right enough 80
far as Oliver was concerned and IN the morning
she would see-in the morning they would all
understand better. Grace withdrew when she
saw that she not understood She went
slowly steadily to her own room, not trembling
and sick at heart as when she had come. The
suspense was over-now she knew everything.
Her heart was in so strange an exaltatlon
that for the moment she seemed to feel no pain
1t seemed to her as if Oliver and she were
martyrs about to come out upon some scaffod
hand in hand, and, for the righting of wrong
and the redeeming Of the world. to die. Such a
crisis has an intoXcation peculiar to itself. She
did not sleep all night, but lay down and thought
over every thing. The worst was that he had
not told her. If he had but trusted in her it was
she who would have stood by him all along, and
taken his part and justified him before the
world
Mr.. Ford, during the night made it quite
clear, and that in the most peremptory manner,
that Grace was not to be allowed to GO to
Oliver next day. ''The sight of her would kill
him. The wounds not dangerous of itself, but
if fever came on in his attenuated state it would
be fatal Now remember, Trix, no folly; neither
you nor she must CO."
"Folly yourself' said Trix, with womans
natural irritation. IL don't believe that his sis
ter would do him any harm. That is all your
ignorance. But for Grace's sake-for it doesn't
need You to tell me that she must not go-she
was stunned last night and did not know what
she was saying will try to persuade her to
stay in bed, poor thing, and see nobody to-day"
There was, however no question of this when
Grace met Mrs. Ford in the morning as she left
her room She had put on black Dress very
soft and simple, with nothing glittering about it.
clear, like sky after rain, the eyes limpid and
large, as if they had increased in size somehow
during the night.
'When you have had your breakfast" she
said, with smile. II have ordered it for you
there are several things wish you to do-for
"Grace!' Mrs. Ford was astonished by her
look, and felt herself taken by surprise. "You
you don't means shopping" she asked, almost
mysteriously COMPOUNDED by her friends color
Grace gave her reproachful look. II have
ordered a carriage, too," she said. taking no
notice of the suggestion. Tell me when you
are ready"
Mrs. Ford, looking with guilty countenance at
her watch went quickly to the table, at which
her husband was seated, eating hurried but
not at all an insufficient breakfast
II don't know what she MEANS" Mr.. Ford
said. ''She has ordered feast. There's half
dozen things No. no more. Don't bring any
more. Trix, I'm going off to the Temple, of
course, at once, and if there's any change Til
telegraph Mind what told you last night.
You must try and get her sent off home. On no
account must she come there"
'She is going to do her-shopping," said Trix
To tell the truth, she did not herself believe
this but it was the first thing that occurred to
her to say.
Her shopping!" Mr. Ford painted, with quick
burst of agitated laughter. Great heavens
you don't say so! Her shopping! What fool
women will doy your shopping on the Day of Judg-
ment"
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