Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-01-23
CHAPTER XyXVu

CHATTER XXXVIT.
With heart lightened beyond recopcilia-
tion mot the first reconciliation unhappily).
with hopes revived, and sweet content re-
stored, Sydney's serenity of mind was not
quite unruffied. Her thoughts were not
dwelling on the evil life which she had hon.
estly deplored or on the wrOnged wife 70
whom she had been eager to plake atone
ment Where is the woman whose sorrows
are not thrown i"t2 the shade by the bright
renewal OF love? The one anxiety that troub-
led Sydney was caused by the remembrance
of letter which she had sent to the convent
at Sandyseal.
As her better mind now viewed It. she had
doubly injured Herbert-frst in distrusting
him; then by appealing from him to tho COM
passion Of strangers.
II the reply for which she had rashly ask.
ed was waiting for her at that moment-if
the mercy of the mother superior was ready
to comfort and guide her-what return could
she make? How could she excuse herself
from accepting what was offered in kindly
reply to her own petitionp She had placed
herself, for all she knew to the contrary, be-
tween two alternatives of ingratitude equally
uncomfortable, equally degrading. To feel
this was to feel the suspense which, to per-
sons Of excitable temperament, is of all trials
the hardest to bear. The chambermaid was
still in the room. Sydney asked IL the post
Office was near the hotel.
The woman smiled. Everything Is near
Us. ma'am, in this little place. Can we send
to the postoffice for you"'
Sydney wrote her initials. ASK, II you
please, for letter addressed in that way"
She handed the memorandum to the cham.
bermaid. corresponding with her lover
under her husbands nosew That was how
the chambermaid explained it below stairs
when the porter remarked that initials look
ed mysterious.
The mother superior had replied. Sydney
trembled as she opened the letter. 1t began
kindly.
II believe you, my child, and / am anxious
to help you. But cannot correspond with
an unknown person. If you decide to reveal
yourself 1t is only right to add that I have
shown your letter to the reverend father
who, In temporal as in spiritual things, is
our counselor and guide. To him must re-
fer you in the first instance. His wisdom
will decide the serious question of receiving
you into our holy church and will discover,
In due time, If you. have true vocation to a
religious life. With the fathers sanction,
you may be sure of my affectiOnate desire to
serve you"
Sydney put the letter back In the envel-
ope, feeling grateful toward the mother SUI
perior, but determined by the conditions i'm
posed on her to make no further advance to-
ward the BenedctIne community.
Even if her motive in writing to the con-
vent had remained unchanged, the illusions
to the priest would still have decided her on
taking this step. The bare idea of opening
her Utmost heart and telling her saddest Sc
crets to man, and that man a stranger, was
too repellent to be entertained for a moment.
In a few lines of reply, gratefully and re-
spectfully written, she thanked the mother
superior, and withdrew from the correspond
ence.
The letter having been closed and posted
In the hotel box. she returned to the sitting
room, free from the one doubt that had
troubled her, eager to show Herbert how
truly she believed in him, how hopefully she
looked to the future
With happy smile on her lips she opened
the door. She was on the point of asking
him playfully if he had felt surprised at her
long absence-when the sight that met her
eyes turned her cold with terror In an in
slant
His arms were stretched out on the table;
his head was laid on them; despair confess
ed itself in his attitude; grief spoke In the
deep sobbing breaths that shook him. Love
and compassion restored Sydney'S courage;
she advanced to raise him in her armS-and
stopped once more. The book on the table
caught her eye. He was still unconscious
OF her presence; she ventured to open it
She read the inscription-IoOked at him
looked back at the writing-and knew the
truth at last
The rigor Of the torture that she suffered
paralyzed all outward expression Of pain.
Quietly she put the book back on the table
Quietly she touched him and called him by
his name.
He started and looked up; he made an at
tempt to speak to her in his customary tone.
Il didn't hear you come in." he said.
She pointed to the book without the slight
est change in her face or her manner.
"Ihave read the inscription to your wife"
she answered; II have seen you while you
thought you were alone; the mercy which
has so long kept the truth from ME is mercy
wasted now. Your bonds are broken, Her
bert. You are free man."
lie affected not to have understood her.
She let him try to persuade her of it, and
made no reply. He declared honestly de-
clared, that what she had said distressed
him. She listened In submissive silence.
He took her hand and kissed it. She let him
kiss it, and let him drop it at her side. She
frightened him; he began to fear for her
reason. There was silence-lopg, hoIrId.
hopeless silence. .-->Sss
She had left the door Of the room open.