The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1889-09-26


ing Of his large limbs. he Learned, that
J thS3 ~ yanbt6t y. <}8fs
tkS rs1ixf party arrived, Nj. Harry
Edwardes-for such was the true
name of the man known among his
chums by the nfcknames Of TEDDY
and .Gilpin"-had crawled out from
the ruins Of his compartment, bruised
and shaken, but without any serious
hurt.
Drizzlfng rain fell from leaden
sky upon the scene Of the disaster.
r Signals misunderstood, and the un-
Eaxpected- Ahnntina osns a eoal track
across tho 1ine=-such we're the theories
advanced afterwards as the cause Of
tho accident
But this Harry Edwardes did not
learn until many hours were passed.
The results wer9 what he now real
lied; confused Blockade OF window
less carriages, flung of the line or
hurled one, on top OF tho other. pyra-
Emidwises across the rails; =slrrieks and
means OF injured or terrified passen-
gers; he himself standing upright and
unhurt, and at his feet the body of q
dead man.
Sick and giddy with the horror of
the scene, he knelt beside the pros
trate figure. and, christening his coat,
placed his hand above the still heart
II was his fellow-traveler. with whom
he had been wrangling. as 1t seemed,
only a few short minutes ago. His
back had been broken by the collapse
Of the carriage, and the purpose OF his
journey, good or bad. had been frus-
trated.
folded letter rustled- heneath
Harry Edwardes' hand upon tho dead
mans breast. Tears rushed to his
eyes at tho sound. 1t was probably
from some woman who loved him, and
to whom the tidings OF his CHASTITY
death must be communicated.
Ills he dead?' asked man, stopping
before the two figures notebook in
hand.
Yes. He was in the Same com
pertinent with me. It's an awful
sight"
friend Of yoursp What Is his
namcp"
Il don't know. But here is letter
that may toll us.
Even while Edwardes drew out the
letter his questioner had been called
away. Harry would have followed
him. when his eyes fell on the hand
writing.
Did all women write alike, or was
he the victim OF some delusion acting
on his overweight brainp
He looked at the letter again. IT
was the distracted appeal OF married
woman, tempted, but striving to re-
sist temptation, to the honor and chiv-
airy of a man she had grown to love.
And the writer was his wife-Isabel
Edwardes
81 have been wrong, terribly wrong
t~she- wrote. -stI~ lSfrow itv now ihese.
flying visits to London, and the friend
ship that has grown up between us
during the past few months, SO natu-
rally, from your relationship to my SIS
ter's husband. and constant prcsencc
at her-hease,r have been mistake
Your letter proves it. All. Gerald.
pity me and forgive me, if l have
given you pain; / have been so dull.
SO unhappy, for so long, that your
sympathy, and your theughtfulness
and kindness made me forget the dam
gers Of my position. II you knew the
life lead ut home;I if could tell
what it is to girl, brought UP in
Paris and London, among surround
ings that were bright and beautiful, to
be transplanted to q dreary monu-
featuring town, with a household OF
an old man and three good narrow
minded old maids, who have hardly
and who think the bliss being mar.
ried 10 their brother ought to keep
any woman happy. OF course. ] should
have protested long ago; but whom ]
married. was eighteen and he thirty
three, He had been single too long,
and had been taught to think of
women as OF two kinds only
rdrudges or toys. And as was
Mother one nor the other, was fail
ure.-And they have obeyed him SO
long at home that his manner at once
puts mo in tho wrong. Besides all
that, Gerald, | loved him. / have
meyer complained of him before. You
know it. But my heart has been
dying In me for four years. And any
man who treats me as a woman with a
heart and head has power to raise
more tenderness in me than the
thought of my husband can ever do
again, am afraid.
You have often told me how you
honor and reverence me. You must
prove It BY keeping away from me
now. You have your work. your life.
before you. Gerald. Let me go back
home with feelings of gratitude. as
well as friendship, toward YOU'D Don't
try to see me again; for my sake ask
1t. Don't even write. / can hear
about you from my sister. And when.
later on, you marry some good woman,
rs hope and pray you may, remember
all ] have told you. and that women
and men are not SO unlike in their
natures as husbands too often think.
Good night, ! am crying so much /
emit SOC what | Wrjte-and good
bye!n
= Harry Edwardes read this letter
twice through and then destroyed it.
+ As soon as he arrived in London he
drove to his. sister-in-law's house and
asked for his wife,. and when Isabel
Edwardes-pale and fragile-looking,
with startled dark eyes, and Il shrink
ing -constraint in her manner=nlade
her appearance, she was lifted in her