The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-02-17


HE is only stunned. Will come around
presently. / should prefer. gentlemen,
that he should see no one but me when
he does come to himself"
The men all went away and DR.. Mil
bank worked with Dolly alone until the
blue eyes opened with startled express
sion and he sat up suddenly, putting his
hand to his temple.
What happened to me? Oh-yes-
curse him. Where is he?"
'Stuart?''
eyes"
HE is gone. But he left his humble
apology with me for something. What
was it, Dolly? Have you been measur-
ing lances with that Anticipated
old reprobate? He is an OK for strength,
Dolly"
HE spoke insolently of a Iady-nnd-
I could not help it. Will this thing
shown" he touched his temple with one
finger. "Why. you've plastered me~
His face was full of disgust.
You've got an ugly cut there. The
edge of the goblet was sharp"
"And that will involve lie. I'll have
to explain that cut to five different
women-tella distinct lie five times over"
LET me do it for you" said DR.. Mil
bank, smiling down in the white, boyish
face on the sofa. II think can save you
the lie at least"
"Then you'll be saving me the toughest
part of 1t. It's astonishing, doctor, how
good women will drive men into corners
But l say, doctor, unless Stuart takes it
back his apology won't stand. 1 don {
want him 70 apologize to me for doing
this"
Il think he means to make it entirely
satisfactory. He said you should hear
from him. / don't know what you did,
but it seems to have enhanced his respect
for you"
"Then that's all right Now, then. tell
me about Mackaye. This beastly bust
ness drove him clean out of my head for
a while"
Dr. Milbsnk's voice grew decidedly less
pleasant.
1t is not q case for physic The man
has overtaxed his strength, and complete
rest, with change of scene, is all that can
help him"
IL thought as much myself" said Dolly,
reflectively; land that was the reason
wanted to see you here alone, Doctor. |
want you to manage it for me. don't ex-
actly know how to go about it. You do"
He was stammering and blushing most
absurdly.
"You mean that you want me to lend
him the money TO take the trip on,
Dolly?"
Exactly"
That's good OF you, and very much like
Dolly Chiltern. But how do you know he
cant afford it himself?"
81 take it he is not very prosperous yet.
They say he's been banking on this mas
terpiece of his to bring him in something
substantial. But that is not sold yet, you
see. might offer TO buy that-couldn'
/. now? You see, / don't want him TO
suspect that it's sort of yelled charity,
and he would suspect me. Doctor; but il
you were to offer to buy the statue it could
not be anything but a purely commercial
transaction"
"No, oh no, it could not be anything but
a purely commercial transaction with me.
But it happens, Dolly, that the statue is
not on the market"
Not on the marketp
'No-not even to be exhibited"
"Who says so pr
''His father-in-law."
'Father-in-law
Eyes. 1t seems that the statue was
modelled from his own wife, and 1t was
the shock of hearing that she was dead
which brought about this attack"
Dolly Chiltern sat on the sofa, staring
into DR.. Milbank's face incredulously.
DR.. Milbank returned his stare with
eyes absolutely steady and grave.
No one could have suspected that the
tragedy of Randall Mackaye's life touched
both these men almost as nearly as it did
himself
"Do you mean to tell me that he has lost
his wife recently, Milbank?"
"The 10Th day of August"
Who knew the date better than he?
Dolly sprang tempestuously to his feet.
His face was purple with wrath. His hands
were clenched until the nails indented his
flesh. DR.. Milbank watched him in mute
perplexity as he made the circuit of the
long library, staggering like drunken
man.
"You had better sit down, Chiltern.
You've had something of shock this
morning, and you're not at all steady on
your feet. don't quite understand your
present excitement"
Dolly came back to the sofa and fell
back upon its cushions with a sigh of pro-
found depression.
"He is an accursed fraud, and hope he
may"
are you splitting out baby anathemas for?
Has this man Mackaye injured you in any
way? He seems to be in good many
peoples way"
Dolly looked up piteously. He would
like very much to tell Milbank the whole
story -but-perhaps-n that the wife
was dead, Mackaye and Jeanne would get
married, and then the gossips' tongues
would cease wagging. There was no
knowing how much a woman would for
give a man if she loved him.
do you suppose he-Mackaye, knew
his wife was living up 10 August, doctor ?"
he asked, hOarsely.
DR.. Milbank looked at him contemptu-
ously.
us it likely a man should have a wife
living, handsome wife, too, Dolly, from
whom he had never been divorced, and
not know it,"
"But she is dead now"
''She is dead now"
"You are quite sure of that?"
"Quite sure"
(Who so sure as he?)
THANK God?
''For what? For the death of woman?
Perhaps she was a true woman, Dolly,
who could not bear contumely and neg
lect. Perhaps she was a brave woman,
who dared follow her convictions, even
though they led her through the valley OF
the shadow of death. Perhaps she was a
beautiful woman, who might have made
IL 4 Z Al