Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-12

th;ro n comfort herr To make it seem
sasisrs It's ycur place to help tho poor
.shc has tainted" said Davis shortly;
ut Ia best SO. she wont ieei IL 80 much
"a nan awful end" said Whelan shudder.
;rr an awful end for her. 1t il madden
me- IL one could only do something to
save her something to help her."
somefbing in his tone amazed and even
interested Davis, in spite OF his own
horror. ,.;.
don't mean TO say you care for her still
That Won have been going on caring for her
al a Still =; s'' repeated whelan. IAN this
t;,neS Whv. of course do. i should have
gone ON ali NV life and hers, however long
we had both lived. You have made her
very happy, Tom. so it Is Just as well as it
is. but IL I'd known OF tho time what it
would cost don't think couid nave done
| Il. and if YOU had known j don't think you
would have accepted the sacrifice"
"What sacrifice ?"
II was Mafge who spoke, starting from
her husbands arms and questioning with
passionate eagerness. .,
"What sacrifice? was not Paintings IL
had been think should still have heard
such words as those. What sacrihce!"
Never mind now, MadSe, sala ner nus,
band. feeling for her in the DARK; II Is all
nast now Ne have only few moments
| left to live. Don't let us say anything to
disturb them"
Madge flung away his hands angrily:.
"What sacrifice? will know, Will I'M
derstand before i die? What sacrifice
"My dear. be reasonable" said Davis
fretfully. using the usual "husbandese y
for "don,t contradict me-" 1T is q past
matter between Whelan and me-"
She broke away and stood apart from
both of them. =, 49,.
TT concerns me, too" she said. II
know so much already. Dir. Wheian, you
know what heard; finish the story
AS you will" SAID Chrls. Iom'
think have q right to tell her now IL is
only that we both loved you, Madge, as
YOU heard Just now, but Tom asked me to
give Won ND to him because he needed you
most and / did go It was hard to bear at
the time-it has been harder since. but, as
it has turned out so well. am content"
Content" the word rang sharply
through the darkness; Content-yes we
have both been content when we might
have been happy. On, why ana you 90 IL
Why did YOU do it,"
She had come close to him now and
seized his arm fiercely.
why did you do it? What right had
you to sacrifice me that you might be gene
rous! Generous! no, you were selfish and
cruel; you trod on my heart that you
might rise q step higher in virtue: Was
O stake at cards that you should let your
friend win me from mere good nature
Was / a place in the world that you should
step aside and resign me TO himT was
not a heart and soul. living woman, who
surely had right to voice in her own
but, Madge." cried whelan. amazed at
her anger, "one word. How could l X. ow
If YOU had refused Davis"
Refused him-can you not understand
| You both came to my mothers house, and
| thought hoped-no matter now what L
| thought and hoped, for you left me with
out a word-and it seemed to me that Won
were tickle and he was true, and that L
| had been foolish and blind to have be-
lieved in you, and to have misprised him:
He was ready to love me when you ha a I si
me. What wonder If | was touched by his
patience, won by bis faithfulness?
but YOU seemed go fond of your hus-
band, so happy, that was almost glad,
"Seemed!h she cried bitterly. Was
to let YOU, who thought had liked me and
tired of me, think that | regretted you!
SO you were glad of your work. were you
All. YOU are very noble, j know. Cprls
Whelan, very unselfsh, very generous; but
|
Your generosity has wronged me grieyous-
"Madge!" cried Davis reproachfully,
"bave YOU no feeling for me that. you
speak so? Have not been agood husband
II can forgive you" she said quietly,
"that is oil. You have both wronged me,
but you less than her
Before either of the men had time to
|
place where they stood, there was sound
of earth and stones falling In the water
near them. then the air grew suddenly
lighter and a cool breeze blew IN their faces.
Davis gave a cry of relief.
Look there" he shouted, I'VE shan't
die this time. See. there's an opening, up
above; we are even nearer to the surface
than thought. Do you see that big boulder
| that is uncovered now? We can climb up
that ard then lift each other up so as to
struggle through the opening. We are
savedl Courage. Madge! Whelan. for hea-
ven's sake stop looking so tragic! Don't
You see we are saved, MANI"
Whelan's face did not clear.
Come with me a moment, DAVIS" he
said. II have something to say to You"
| Speak before me-" said Aladge firmly.
let us have no more private compacts
between you"
Good said Whelan quietly. "Your
husband saws we are saved. Don't you see
that only two of ns are savedI Who Will
help mp the third"
Good heavensl" said Davis, ~ never
thought of that"
{ ing very quietly;
| "Yes. that is what / mean."
| Perhaps in his heart Whelan felt that it
was his friends turn to be generous. Per-
haps he had some hope that Davis might
feel tho same; if so. he was to be disap-
pointed. A maIi does not grow In unset
| fishness by living for years in the enjoy
ment of the results of selfish action. A
man who will act meanly at tive-and-twenty
is tolerably likely to act still more meanly
well" said Davis at length. the third
of US nav be saved too. We could bring
help"
for there to be any chance of help coming
in time. The one who remains here must
die"
Well, You know. CHRIS" said Davis with
a good deal of shame in his voice, but a
good deal of stubbornness, too. I'm a
married man, and j have children, and,
now that have all this property. l have
very heavy responsibilities; and really.
Won know, whenever one hears OF a case
| ike TINS, IL IS Always tne uuumIIeu, ma
who offers to stay. really think it should
be you" s.,.. .,., ro;. ;,
your wife to decide"
Davis hesitated. ~ think that Will be
hardly fair" he began:
But / will have it So" said Whelan
sullenly. IF you won't consent III refuse
to help you in any case, and we two will
drown together; but if you will let Madge
decide will abide by her decision. What
do you say?"
81 suppose I have no choice, said Davis.
"Madge, which Of us do you decide for ?"
81 will not choose" cried Madge pas
sionately. II only wish it could be who
should be left behind. 1t should be If |
had strength 20 lift one of you and might
have my way. Settle the matter between
you. You were ready enough to arrange
my life to suit yourselves. But / am less
hardy; dare not take such an awful re-
sponsibility upon myself. You are mad to
think could" .
But, Madge." said Whelan gently. IF
il is true that we between us spoiled your
life, can we do more to atone than offer