Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1897-08-20

Ferrerses. and follow in the hideous
nnockery of woe. and hear the dust faN
dull and heavy OH the coffin lid. and =.
homewar,is again with my secret III my
breast. knowing that, neither for honor
nor for shame. nor for pity. will l unvcil|
that secret or whisper it to living soul
They tell me she is mad. The shock
OF recent events following her brief and
terrible illness. has been too much for he,
brain. Doctors come. the cleverest, the
greatest but they give me little hope. III
listen to them. one and all. listen and
say to myself. AT least she will be spar
ed the suffering that is my portion" Tic
dreary days come and go. The place grows
more hateful with each. Once Nctt:e
Croft comes over to see Joan. hut The
ordeal is too terrible To he repeated. Il
deny myself to her. l cannot see her
Knowing what know. and am not sure
whether the sight of her grief might not
waken in me IL similar weakness.
Inc child comes and sits with me some
times. We do not often speak. but she
understands me. think. and her silent
sympathy is the only thing that soothes
my rest!essness or calms the fever of my
tortur!ng thoughts. l know only one
thing will give ME relief--:lbsence--ln
at last make UP my mind to go abroad
again-nOt in amy beaten track. not to
haunts of men and fashion. No: to the
Widest >olitudes. To the roughest and
most lerious of wan,ier:ngs. There is
nothing to keep me. Yurke's debts are
paid. his effects have been sent to me
boxes of papers and letters. which | lack
courage 4" examine. fearing to find there
added confirmation of my d;sluror and
hers.
call my lawyer in. make all posi-
bic arrangements for my absence. or my
death. say To him that Il man of my
years must provide for all accidents.
Yorke's papers inclose in IL large packet.
aud seal. with instructions that they are
to be burned unread in ease of anything
happening to me. These. with my will
and all the necessary authority for acting
i'll my absence. l give into the lawyers
charge.
Darby will remain here under the care
of governess l have engaged for her
Joan has two attendants besides her faith.
full maid. Mrs. B;rket. old and feeble as
she is. promises to do her best 10 look
| after the household. for nothing will i'll
dlice me tn engage another strange house
keeper And so. feeling have done all
can do. make up my mind to leave the
place for Il year-per!laps more. One or
| deal remains. To see my wife. To take
| farewell of that poor wreck, which is all
| that remains of my once bright, sweet
| faced Joan.
She was lying on the couch in her dress.
| ing room-tilat and the adjoining bed.
chamber are the only rooms she uses
Beside the couch Was little chair
Darby's little chair. saw her hand 90
out to it as if searching for something
| a look of pain came over her white face
''po You know me:'' asked her gently.
| She put her hand to her forehead Her
\ large sad eyes looked ut me in curious
wonder.
"Iie was very cruel" she said. "And
it was too hard for me. l said it was toe
hard for me-"
'She always says that" said Darby
| plaint;vely. II don't know what she
means. You were never hard to her. We're
you:'
IL hope not" said brokenly. "Heav.
Ell knows ] never meant to be-
"For she loved you." the child went
on. "very-very much. She has told me
| that so often. Sometimes think you did
not know, and.' mournfully. "she was
sometimes so very sad. think she was
afraid of you little"
looked back ut the couch once more.
l saw the weak arms close around the lit.
tie figure. l heard the m,lrmured words.
My little one" and saw the eyes. dull
no longer. gaze with one long. yearning
| look.
thought l had grown hard thought
nothing could touch me now. but that
sight touched ne. and wruny my very
soul. could have thrown myself down
and wept as weakly as Il woman.
turned abruptly from them. and groped
my way with dim eyes back to my own
room. and i'll my heart thrilled one exceed
ing bitter cry:
"My wife--oh. my wife!'
tn he continued