Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-06-03
CHAPTER XXI.

OF the friends and neighbors who had as
ISOLATED with Herbert Linley in bygone days
not more than two or three kept up their in.
timacy with him at the later time Of his dis.
grace. Those few, it is needless to say, were
men.
One Of the faithful companions who ha6
not shrunk from him yet had just left the
London hotel at which Linlev had taker
rooms for Sydney WeStertield and himself
in the name of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert. This
old friend had been shocked by the change
for the worse which he perceived in the fugi-
tive master OF Mount M0ryen. Linley's stout
figure OF former times had fallen away as if
he had suffered under long Illness; his
healthy color had faded he made an effort
to assume the hearty manner that had once
been natural to him, which was simply pitt
able to see. After sacrificing all that makes
life truly decent and truly enjoyable for a
woman, he has got nothing, not even false
happiness, in returnr' With that dreary
conclusion that retiring visitor descended
the hotel steps and went his way along the
street
Linley returned 10 the newspaper which
he had been reading when his friend was
shown into the room.
Line by line he followed the progress of
the law report, which informed Its thousands
Of readers that his wife had divorced him
and had taken lawful possession Of his child.
Word by word he dwelt with morbid attea-
ton on the terms Of crushing severity in
which the lord president had spoken OF Sgd
ney Westerfield and OF himself Sentence
by sentence he read the reproot inflicted on
the unhappy woman whom he had vowed
70 Tow o,a1 Ohio oh nd $hnT
urged by his own self-tormenting suspicion,
he looked for more. On the opposite page
there was leading article, presenting COM
ments on the trial, written in a tone Of lofty
and virtuous regret, taking the vife's side
against the judge, but declaring, at the same
time, that no condemnation Of the conduct
of the husband and the governess could be
too merciless. and no misery that might over
take them in the future more than they had
deserved.
He threw the newspaper on the table at
his side and thought over what he had read.
II he had done nothing else, he had drained
the bitter cup TO the dregs. When he Looked
back he saw nothing but the life that he had
wasted When his thoughts turned to the
future they confronted a prospect empty of
all promise to man still in the prime ct life.
him as if they had been dead-and it WAS
the wife's doing. Had he any right to COM
plain? Not the shadow Of right AS the
newspapers said, he had deserved it.
The clock reused him, striking the hour.
He rose hurriedly and advanced toward
the window. AS he crossed the room he
passed by mirror. His own sullen despair
looked at him in the reflection of his face.
''She will be back directly, he remembered;
''slre mustn't see me like thisr' He went on
to the window to divert his mind land so to
elear his face by watching the streaEa OF life
flowing by in the busy street Artificial
cheerfulness. assumed love in Sydney's pres
enee-that was what his life had come to al
ready.
If I've had known that she had gone out
seeking temporary separation, with his
fear of self-betrayal-if he had suspected
that she too had thoughts which must be con-
cealed-sad forebodings of losing her hold
On his heart, terrifying suspicious that he
was already comparing her, to her own Els
advantage, with the wife whom he had de
| serted-if he had made these discoveries
| what would the end have been? But she
had thus far escaped the danger of exciting
his distrust., That she loved him he knew.
to her he would not have believed If his old
est friend had declared it on the best evil
| dence. She had said to him that mornAg,
az breakfast: There WAS a good wo,u1l,,
who used to let lodgings here III Lon.ioII,
| and who was very kind to me when ] Was 3
| child and she had asked leave to go to tile
house and inquire if that friendly landlsdy
was still living-with nothing visibly con
| strained in her smile, and with no faIterlng
tone in her voice. 1t was not until she was