The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-11-27

The room was silent with the intensity
Of the game For hours the play had been
fast and furious. Though Gerald Wade
was consumed with an inward fever of
reeklessness, he played his game with an
outward calm. The day before he had dis
cussed the evils of gambling win the wo-
man he loved She supposed he played Gin
a general sort of way, ;" but she had no no.
ton Of the time he had given over to it.
Many a night he had left her, exalted for
the moment by her love, vowing he would
be worthy of her ideal of him, but the up
lifting was only transitOry.
In the early spring they were engaged;
but, though Gerald urged all his elOquence,
Lily would not hear of their marriage. She
wanted to live in the present, she said
Ceremonies and trousseau could wait. So
they idled now and then through the love-
" spring. It had taken her some time to
convince him that he could not escort her
about the Sums; that his appearance there
would hinder, not help, her work He was
eventually pacifed. The many sidedness Of
Lily 8 life was a revelation to him.
The last week he had found an unlucky
one financially All that time he had
avoided the club. but this evening, with
Lily far away, he had wandered aimlessly
toward il and up to the cardroom. He was
greeted with reclamation. The old in
stinct gradually asserted itself
He left the club beaten and practically
ruined He jumped into a hanson and
drove back to his rooms and found a wire
awaiting him: My aunt has rallied and
wants to see you Come Immediately. /. -
. Gerald scrutinized the paper and found
it had been delivered early in the evening.
Lily must have been expecting him for
hours. He pulled out his watch and found
it was o'clock
Two hours later he found himself being
driven along the country road that led to
the house where Lily was staying. In
spite of his perturbed spirits he was i'm
pressed by the beauty of the morning. He
seldom saw nature at that early hour, and
the sweetness of the earth appealed to him.
1t was like Lily, he thought-fresh and
fair, and giving of her wealth of treasure
abundantly Could he go on and bring an
ugly blot into her life he who loved her so
dearly? For a moment he wavered, then
set his teeth and drove on.
A few moments later he found himself
trembling as he waited for Lily in the
drawing room. In the solemn hush he
knew that the shadow of death hung over
the house.
She came presently through a door
behind him. and he felt her arms about his
neck before he realized she was there
Gerald, Gerald, how good it is to see
your
He drew her into his arms. "AmIin
time, dear?'
81 do not know. She has sunk again,
but the nurse viii call me the moment she
is conscious. She took a sudden notion
that she wanted to see the man am going
to marry You know she is queer, dear,
and she has not been out of the house or
seen any one for many months . She
drew herself out of his arms and put her
hands on his face to look at him.
Gerald, - she exclaimed noting for the
first time the drawn, haggard expression,
you are i'll What is it, dear2 You
should not have comep'
He told her the whole story.
Lilly, darling. I have been trying to
think This morning early I was filed
with the blackness of despair Then I
came to you because what remnant of de-
cency was left in me prevented my run
ming away like a coward, though it did
not seem as if I could ever look in your
dear face again.
81 am gong away to begin all over
again, - Gerald continued, land take cOur-
age from the strength you have given me
this last hour. Perhaps I may never con
quer myself, but shall never cease to try.
The thought that 1 have brought sorrow
into your life drives me madP' He paced
the room restlessly
IT would not have my life all sun
shine, y the girl said vehemently and
you have made me so very happy all these
weeks, and now-now that you are going
away, shall be happy still, knowing that
you are going to reach out Of the darkness
and be worthy of yourself"
1t is you who are pulling me up, dear. -
"No, mol I will not have it so. 1t is
your own better nature asserting itself,
and it will conquer in the end. And
them
And thene' the man began eagerly.
IT,
me, dear, viii not let you be so gener-
Gus
lone can never be toe. generous to those
we love, Gerald.
"Ah, my dear, there was never any one
like you, and the leaving you is like
death He hid his face in his hands.
The girl took some pansies and put them
into the lapel of his coat. Her fingers
trembIed so that she could scarcely fasten
the flowers, but she spoke to him bravely
There is heart S ease for you, dear-a
little sweetness and color to take away.
You viii write me your plans. I think L
would ike to have you 60 now"
The man held her hands and kissed
them reverently-
4 may come back in year, dear-it
may be two or three I want to leave you
free to make your own life. I do not
mean to make my fight with the hope of
the reward that might come to me, but
for the sake of my honor and manhood
the things you have reused in me. -
"Gerald, dear, II cannot think be-
yond today. You seem to have come and
to be going so suddenly. But 1 want you
to go and-oh, my dear, - she cried, fling
ing her arms about his neck, i have such
faith in you'll
The girl raised her head and looked
steadily at him for moment, her eyes
glowing with the light of her high belief
in him. Then she slipped from his arms
and turned away that she might not see
him 90 from her.