Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1895-12-13
Nav Is Ned's entry,

May 10 Ned's entryi
God help w. P. and n. c. This Is ons
OF the saddcst cases OF the thing whose
course doesn't run smooth. Hang 1t,
should like to know what that fine girl
has on her mind. They have sub-let
twenty-six. Win move July 1. Heaven
| knows where
June came-the Partisan June--a
mingling of spring freshness with sum
mer languor, of cool nights and morn
ings with sunny afternoons. In the
affairs of Waltham Penroyd and the
girl from the west very little was
changed. Penroyd's latest things were
exposed at the salon and well hung.
He knew of his success through the con-
gratulations of brother artists. He
himself had not gone that year to the
Champ de Mars. In those few weeks
he had become thinner. A look of
constant abstraction had taken posses
sion of his face. Wilkes rallied him
from time to time concerning this.
''Penroyd," he said once, your
thoughts are wandering in Africa"
Penroyd laughed, recovering himselI
with 4 start. "In Asia, Wilkes" he
said. Il am trying to climb the Chi
nese WALL"
Wilkes repeated this conversation to
his wife.
Ned, think something will happen
to help them, don't your"
II hope So" said Wilkes.
Il think something is going to hap
pen," said Ned's wife.
A young cousin of Mrs. Wilkes re.
turned from a winter in Italy, boyish
young fellow, living from hand to
mouth, and speaking half dozen Ian.
guages with equal facility.
On the afternoon OF the young fel.
lows arrival Penroyd also called al
twenty-nine. He sat on the steps
with Mrs. Wilkes and the visitor. Ned
himself was sprawling in hammock
swung between the little apple tree and
a part of the garden fence. In the
midst of talk and sketching the door
of twenty-six opened. Miss Chandler
stepped out to gather up basket OF
needlework standing in the doorway.
The young cousin was making a
sketch in that direction. He caught a
glimpse of her and sprang up, shading
his eyes with one hand
Mon Dieu!" he said.
A moment more and the girl had re.
covered her basket and reentered the
house. The young cousin sat down
Miss Chandler is living here, then p
he observed.
YES. Do you know her ?" asked Mrs.
| Wilkes, quickly. She looked at Penroyd,
lie was gently stroking the kittens
head with his thumb. One could not
have said that he listened.
1 "Yes, know her little. | know a
good deal about her more than most
people You know she lived in the
Rue Racine when / was there. Poor
! girl, don't know whether it's the same
thing now, but she had ridiculous
mystery hanging over her head-avoid.
ed meeting the fellows and all that kind
OF thing"
1T is just the same at present." OBJ.
served Penroyd, calmly.
well, another fellow and myself fer.
rcted out that little mystery. l am
ashamed of the thing now. 1t seems
such an humanity business. But we kept
1t to Ourselves"
what was the my stery ?" asked Pen,
royd.
"Her father was in the penitentiary
He died there"
Penroyd looked down and continued
his engagement with the kitten. He
gently refused Mrs. Ned's invitation tc
supper.
Mrs. Wilkes journal for that day con
tanned:
went to the opera with Ned and Cousir
: Dick Lohengrin.' 1t was sublime, bu-
l didn't enjoy it. | thought every moment
of poor Mr. Penroyd. l wonder what he
thinks of the discovery-of his Chinese
wall, as he calls it, and how he proposed t
scale 1t. She will never marry him Il
what Cousin D. said is true"
The following morning came Pen
royd himself. He found Ned and his
wife in the atelier. The young cousin
had gone down to Clarendon for days
sketching.
"Now, don't interrupt your work.
said the visitor. Ned had laid dowr
his palette and brushes. II just
dropped in for moment You hav.
been SO good to me, both of you, that
l know you will be anxious to hear the
end of it all. Wilkes and Mrs. Wilkes, il
is finished, and happily. Ihave cleared
the wall of China"
"How?" cried Ned and his wife, in
one breath.
ut was all that fortunate chance o.
your cousin. My success has come
drought you, Wilkes and Mrs. Wilkes
But for your cousins fundamentally
/ should be the inmate of some PADDED
cell. After that discovery, however
things were easy-as easy as breathing
the breath of life. At seven O'Clock
last evening l went to call on Mis-:
Chandler
Edith / said, 4 leave tomorrow
, for Australia or some other deser
. place, for any land is desert away
from you. shall haunt you and dos
; your footsteps no longer. But befor,
l go let me confess. My dearest one
/ know your secret. 1t was that which
, made me presumptuous enough to lool
into your face. thought: She ha
, suffered through her fathers trouble
/. She will be more merciful of mine
| had no right to love you, no right t.
breathe word of love into your ears
Even now it is a crime. was tempt
, ed beyond my strength. But now w,
are about to part forever. and will