Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-01-09

Surviving the slow death little by little OF
all her other Illusions one last hope had lin
gercd in her heart. 1t was killed by that
cruel look, fixed on the view of the street
''I'll try to think of place that we can 60
to at the seaside" Having said those words
she slowly moved away 10 the door, and
turned back, remembering the packet of let
tiers. She took it up, paused, and looked to-
ward the window. The street still interested
him. She left the room.
CHATTER XXXII.
She locked the door of her bedchamber
and threw off her walking dress; light as it
was, she felt as if it would stiiie her. Even
the ribbon round her neck was more than
she could endure and breathe freely. Her
overburdened heart found no relief in tears.
In the solitude of her room she thought of
the future. The dreary forebOding of what
it might be filled her with superstitiouS
dread from which she recOiled. One of the
windows was open already; she threw up
the other to get more air. In the cooler at
mOsphere her memory recovered itself; she
recollected the newspaper that Herbert had
taken from her. Instantly she rang for the
maid. ASK the first waiter you see down.
stairs for to-day's newspaper; any one will
do, so long as don't wait for it." The re-
port of the divorce-she was in frenzy of
impatience now to read what he had read
the report of the divorce.
When her wish had been gratified, when
she had read it from beginning to end, one
vivid impression only was left on her mind.
She could think of nothing but what the
judge had said in speaking of Mrs. Linley.
A cruel reprOOf-dnd, worse than cruel, a
public reproof-administered to the generous
friend, the true wife, the devoted mother;
and for what? For having been too ready
to forgive the wretch who had taken her
husband from her, and had repaid hundred
acts of kindness by objectionable ingrati-
tude.
She fell on her knees; she tried wildly to
pray for inspiration that should tell her what
to do. 'Oh, God, how can give that wo-
man back the happiness of which have rob-
bed her?''
The composing influence of prayer on a
troubled mind was something that she ex-
perienced now. An Overpowering impa-
thence to make the speediest and cOmpletest
atonement possessed her. Must she wait till
Herbert Linley no longer concealed that he
was weary of her. and cast her off? No! 1t
should be her own act that parted them, and
that did it at once. She threw open the door
and hurried half way down the stairs before
she remembered the one terrible obstacle in
her way-the divorce.
Slowly and sadly she submitted and went
back to her room.
There was 10 Disgusting it; the two who
had once been husband and wife were part
ed irrevOcably-by the wife's own act Let
him repent ever so sincerely, let him be ever
SO ready to return, would the woman whose
faith Herbert Linley had betrayed take him
back? The divorce, the merciless divorce
answered No! ,-hcs n
She paused, thinking of the hi&riaXjt that
was now marriage no more. The toilet
table was close to her; she looked absently
at her haggard face in the glass. What q
lost wretch she sawl The generous impulses
which other women were free to feel were
forbidden luxuries to her. She was ashamed
of her wickedness; she was eager to sacrifice
herself for the good of the once-dear friend
whom She had wronged. Useless lOngings!
Too late! too latel
She regretted 1t bitterly. Why?
Comparing Mrs. Linley's prospects with
hers, was there anything to justify regret for
the divorced wife? She had her sweet little
of her own to lift her above SOrdid cares; she
was still handsOme-stili woman to be ad-
mired. While she held her place in the world
as high as ever what was the prospect before
Sydney Westerfield? The miserable sinner
would end as she had deserved to end. Abb
solutely dependent on q man who was at
that moment perhaps lamenting the wife
whom he had deserted and lost, how long
would 1t be before she found herself an out
cast, without friend to help herewith q
reputation hopelessly lost-face to face with
the temptation to drown herself or poison
herself, as other women had drowned them
selves or poisoned themselves when the
brightest future before them was rest in
deathp
II she had been a few years older Herbert
Lfnley might never again have seen her o
living creature. But she was too young to
follow any train of repellant thought per-
sistently to its end. The man she had guilt
ly land yet how naturally loved was lord
and master In her heart-dOubt him Is she
might Even In his absence he pleaded with
her to have some faith in him still.
She reviewed his language and his conduct
toward her when she had returned that
morning from her walk. He had been kind
story of the relics of her father, found In the
garrett IS II her interests were his interests.
There had been nothing to disappOint her,
nothing to complain of, until she had rashly
attempted to discover whether he was free
to make her his wife. She had only herself
to blame If he was cold and distant when she
had alluded to that delicate subject on the
day when he first knew that the divorce had
been granted and his child had been taken
from him. And yet he might have found q
kinder way Of reproving sensitive woman
than looking into the street. as If he had for
gotten her In the interest of watching the
strangers passing by. Perhaps he was not
thinking Of the strangers; perhaps his mind
was dwelling fondly and respectfully on his
wife?
Instinctively she felt that her thoughts
were leading her back again to state of
doubt from which her youthful hopefulness
recoiled- Was there nothing she could find
to do which would offer some other subject
to occupy her mind than herself ard her fut-
ure?
Looking absently round the room she no
ticed the packet of her fathers letters placed
on the table by her bedside.
The first three letters that she examined,
after untying the packet, were briefly writ
ten, and were signed by names unknown to
her. They all related to race-horses and to
cunningiy devised bets which were certain
to make the fortunes of the clever gamblers
on the turf who laid them. Absolute indif-
ference on the part Of the winners to the
ruin OF the losers, who were not in the secret,
was the one feeling in common which her
fathers correspondence presented. In mercy
to his memory she threw the letters into the
empty fireplace and destroyed them by burn
ing.
The next letter which she picked out from
the little heap was Of some length, and was
written in clear and steady hand. By COM
parisOn with the blotted scrawls which she
had just burned, it looked like the letter of
gentleman. She turned to the signature.
The strange surname struck her; 1t was
''Bennydeck."
Not common name, and not name which
seemed to be altogether unknown to her.
Had she heard her father mention it at home
In the time of her early childhood? There
were no associations with it that she could
now call to mind.
She read the letter. 1t addressed her faith.
er Familiarity as MY dear ROderick," and 1t
proceeded in these words:
THE delay in the sailing Of your ship Of
fers me an opportunity of writing to you
again. My last letter told you of my fathers
death. was then quite unprepared for an
event which has happened since that aff1ic.
ton befell me. Prepare yourself to be sur
prised. Our old mOated house at Sandyseal,
In which we have spent SO many happy holt
days when we were schOOlfellOws, is sold.