Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1894-02-03
CHATTER X.

CHAPTER Xl.
Dels tole was dressing TO dine out. As
ne struggled with c collar button he
turned his head to listen to the lazy lit
of song coming from u room across the
hall. His face wore an i'll humored
frown. 1t was very evident that the
song and the singer impressed him with
equal unpleasantness.
DO stop that humming, for Gods
sake!' he cried ont at last. Its enough
to drive one mad"
There was DO reply, and q few mo-
ments later Tomlounged across the hall.
He was very different from the waYer-
ing, tempted man who rushed from Yir-
ginia's presence that snowy night almost
two years before His face had lost the
flashing earnestness that rose from an
ecstatic heart 1t had taken on resolute
lines and an expression of worldly sub
tlety. The cheeks were slightly hol-
lowed, the eyes placidly heavy, cold,
showing the haggard lines of dissipation.
WAS singing? Iswear didn't know
it," he said languidly.
Delatole surveyed him with cold, I'M
changing glance.
"Still in your blouse and slippers.
Won't you look in upon the theater par
ty at allf'
81 don't care n hang about it"
aren't You afraid Mrs. Baudoine will
send out search warrant for your
Let her send"
"Cool for d prospective bridegroom"
Irrespective idiotr' And Tom set
tied himself very comfortably on his
back on q low diyan. I'm never marry
Mrs. Baudoinc. As the girl in the song
says, Something tells me so Couldn't
you, with your managerial tactics, help
me out Of that scrapel You know she
did all the running-not /"
Delatole drew on his gloves i'll silence
He grew white, and when he came TO
the foot of the diyan and let his eyes
travel slowly over Toms supine length
a rage only half controlled made his lips
| tremble.
I'm my opinion lie said slowly, with
emphasis, you'll be in q fair way to
need the material help of Mrs. Bau-
doine's money very soon"
Really? Oh, then there are times
when marriage seems good unto you"
And n burning glance was flashed at
him from beneath Toms lowered lids.
My opinion about marriage has not
altered in the least. But if Il man can
only fail. if be can't even support him
self, the most practical thing is to find
some woman silly enough to shoulder
the responsibility"
$50 on. Your English grows more
vigorous day by day. It's really lib
eral education to be allowed to hear You.
Surely you haven't finished yet. You
said more than this yesterday"
mo, haven't finished l want to re-
mind you once more that you owe me
money. More than that, want it. I'm
sick of Your spiritless languor l never
knew man let himself drop as You
have done. Because you go at a rapid
pace is no reason why you should die
mentally. l haven't. But you can't
drink at all without drinking too much
and keeping it up too long. In fact, You
are an extremist i'll everything. There's
| a genius in moderation
Don't stop for breath. | am a-thirst
for the rest More-more," said Tom
without moving an eyelash.
You shall have it all. The time has
come for plain talking and there was
a savage snarl in the words. 81 want
my money. It seemed there was some
hope of getting it from this Baudoinc
marriage, as don't believe you'd write
another word"
Don't your
mo. 1t may be you've tried and
can't-it may be You don't care. In
either case I've been bitterly disappoiut-
ed in you. You're the last embryo genius
I'll put on pedestal. Genius: By heav-
en-! that's rich. Why, you've fallen in
to psychical ruin. You exhausted your
self in The Worlds Way
An unwilling. dusky red started up
in Toms followed cheek. Itebbed slow
ly away as, opening his eyes wide, he
smiled at Delatole with an expression of
positive hatred.
That is one of those charmingly
soothing speeches we must learn to OK
/
pect from li'oso we llNe WIN buC you
are wrong Inc trouDie hes mere. l
unfortunately must sun be sincere ana
must put something OF laySell mo eV-
erytmhg write. Nhch one pelieVes IN
ana cares Tor so nue. II Is very haru' l
nave hot Sct hldtCleu SOui 9tiIue' you
see-you who with one arm around your
neighbor's wife could write an essay on
the beauty OF morality
The door banged, and Delatole's foot
steps grew fainter IN the eeholng pas
sage. In the silence that followed Tom
still lay motlonless. his wide open eyes
fixed upon the ceiling, the small unob-
| truslve sounds OF quiet room tutter-
ing the loneliness that settled around
him.
now l hilVe nm! anu lhouSh the
words were puV Whisper thelr fealty
was intense, ,,
lie Thought OF the past
mat year IN Falls-eVery detail OF 1t