Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-10-08

thisg" and he kicked the portmanteau
again.
Hastings flung himself into chair and
buried his face IN his hands.
why don't you gol Why don't you
gog' he cried, his voice coming ont in
mutiied gasps. II tell you I'm brute
beast. You'll DO sorry some day you
ever spoke 70 me. Andyet have strug.
gled--I have. indeed-but the temple
TONS too strong for me. Go awny.
Brown. goi"
He looked up and met the elder mans
kindly, plying gaxo and started upwith
cry.
Don't look at me like that You tor
ture mel Itell yon I'm in hellI'
Brown put q strong hand on each OF
tho young mans shoulders and pushed
him back into his chair.
II am not going yet
"It's no use talking
"But ! mean to talk, Look here,
Harry, have you evei thought Of this
unhappy woman's husbs.ldY'
II told you had never met him."
Think OF the wrong you are about 10
do him. He has never injured you, and
you are going TO blast his whole lifo.
Harry, am a married man. know
what II is to have happy home and a
dear wife, Alice and love each other;
we live for each otheri We honor ono an
other; we are happy. lit seems al.
most a SacrileSo TO imagine such n thing
possible of-of Alice. but Just let us try
and imagine for moment thnt--that
she, my wife. learned TO love another
man-some handsome young fellow like
yourself-and-and that one night 70
turned to find hor-gone,"
well, said Hastings hoarsely, ''what
would you dor
81 should shoot myself" said Brown
simply.
Harry's eyes met his. For moment
they looked at one another In silence.
"1f this other man loves his wife as
love mine, he will do as | should do.
Harry, dear lad, would you have his
blood upon your hesd' Oh, my boy,
save yourself this criInol'
There was long silence. Hurry
shrunk back into his chair trembling
Brown watched him anxicusly. The
ticking Of the clock was loudly percepti.
BILE in the quiet room.
At last Harry rose unsteadily to his
feet. His face looked drawn and sunlcn.
There wero tears In his eyes.
You have won the day, old man." he
said in q curiously toneless voice. "Ill |
go back to Africa"
THANK GodP said John Brown.
A.. a
few hasty lines, directed an envelope;
then rang for the servant and gave tho |
note TO him.
Deliver this ut once" he said. "Tako
cab and drive fast" The mum went |
off with bewildered look.
''There's train for southampton at 0 |
o'clock in tho morning. Brown. shall
take that. Ny things arc all packed.
Pm quite ready. Are you going home
now2"
Eyes"
Don't go yet, Wait here while
write a few letterB IL like TO have
you here"
John took o chair in silence, and for
more than an hour no sound was hoard
in the room but tho aggressive ticlsingof
the clock and the scratching of Hastings'
pen.
The clock struck II, and Harry laid
down his pen.
You can 80 now. Goodby. shAll
never SEQ you again. Goodby"
John graspsd the young mans hand in
both his own.
"Goodby, dear lad, and God blesr
you"
Harry dropped his head down upon
the table with something like sob, and
John went slowly 10 tho door. A piece
of crumbled paper laying at his foot Mt.
tracted his attention. He picked IL up
mechanically. 1t was letter in a WON.
ans hand. He was about TO throw II
away, but n second glance at the hand.
writing caused him To put II quickly In
his pocket He closed tine door bohind
him and went out into the street. walked
rapidly along for some momentsi thon
stopped under gas lamp and road the
letter through 1t was very short;
DEAKEsr-I shAll 10 roady this evening NJ Il
O'Clock. Come for me. My husband will DO out
TIL late, 10 # Is quite safe oh. how slowly the
hours so until zee you agAibl How eau hAyu
hNcn All thehe 1eAfr Ni'hout YOuf
That was all-the letter was unfinished
md unsigned.
~
II was nearly o'clock in the morning
when John Brown reached his home.
There were lights in the drawing room.
He won't in. Alice was 1tuag up for
him. She was sitting in a luzurously
cushioned armchair. her fair hair failing ,
loose upon her shoulders, hor head bent
over book. She wore loose gown OF
'ome soft white material. Her cheelssnnd
Ups wero white too. She had very
shostlike look. seen in the dim light OF
he shaded lamp.
She glanced up quickly No her hus-
,and entsrod. Her face looked drawn
md hard. The blue had gone ont Of her
yes, leaving them pale and dull
How late you arc, John"
Eyes, have spent very painful even :
ng."
Really HowT
u went to Harry's room. found that {
told you OF had come 10