Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-04-10
CHAPTER XNXI.

NilAi lEh ANAI'
OF the friends and ncighbors who had as.
sociated with Herbert Linlcy in bygonc days
not more than two or three kept up their i'm
timacy with him at the later time of his dis.
grace. Those few, it is needless to say, were
men.
One Of the faithful companions who had
not siuumk from him get had Just left the
London hotel al which Linley had taken
rooms for sydney Westcriicld and himself
in the name OF tr. and Mrs. Herbert. This
old friend had been shocked by the change
for the worse which he perceived in the Iugi-
tive master of Mount MOryen. Linlcy's stout
figure of former times had fallen away as If
he had suffered under long illness: his
healthy color had faded: he made an effort
To assume the hearty manner that had once
been natural to him, which was simply pitt
able to see. AFTER sacrificing all that makes
life truly decent and truly enjoyable for a
woman. he has got nothing. not even false
happiness. in return With that dreary
conclusion that retiring visitor descended
the hotel steps and Went his way along the
street.
Linlcy returned to tine newspaper which
he had been reading when his friend was
shown into the room.
Line by line he followed the progress of
the law rcpc.t, which informed It's thousands
of readers that his wife had divorced him
and had taken lawful possession of his child.
Word by word he dwelt with morbid atten-
ton on the terms Of crushing severity in
which the lord president had spoken of sgd
ncy Westerlicld and of himself. Sentence
tE sentence he read the rCproof inflicted on
the unhappy woman whom he had vowed
TO love and cherish. And thcn-oyen then
urged by his own Ge"lt-tormcntlng suspicion,
he looked for more. On the opposite page
there wa, a leading article, presenting com
mcnts ON the trial, written in Il tone of lofty
and yirtuOus regret, taking the wife's side
against the Judge, but declaring, at the same
time, that no condemnation Of the conduct
of the husband and the governess could be
too merCllcsS, and no misery that might over
take them in the future more than they had
deserved.
He thew the newspaper o. tae table ut
his side and thought over what he had read.
Ithc had done nothing else, he had drained
lie bitter cup TO the drcgs. When he looked
back he saw nothing but the life that he had
wasted. When his thoughts turned to the
future they confronted a prospect empty OF
all promise to a man still In the prime Of life.
Wife and child were as completely lost to
him as if they had been dead and ii was
the witc's doing. Had he any right to com
plain? Not the shadow Of a right. As the
newspapers said, he had deserved it,
The clock reused him, striking the hoar.
He rose hurricdIy ard advanced toward
the window. AS he crossed the room he
,no.aI ne "a ,,irrnr IIip IA, utlIa, lastnir
looked at him in the reflection of his face.
"She will be back directly, The remembered;
''she mustn't see me like this"' lie went on
to the window TO divert his mind (and 50 10
clear his face) by watching the stream of life
flowing by in the busy street. Artificial
cheerfulneSS, assumed love in Sydney's pres
cnce-that was what his life had come to al
ready.
If he had known TIA. she had gone ont,
seeking n temporary separation, with his
fear eli self-betrayal-if he had suspected
that She too had thoughts which must be con-
c~calcd-sad fOrebodings OF losing her hold
on his heart, terrifying suspicious that he
was already comparing her, to her own dis
advantage, with the wife whom he had de-
serted-if he had made thcae discoveries
what would the Cnu have been? But she
had thus far escaped the danger OF exciting
his distruSt. That she loved him he knew.
That sine had begun to doubt his attachment
10 her he would not have believed ii his old
est friend had declared it on the best evil
dence. She had said 10 him that morning.
ut breakfast: There was n good woman,
who used to let lodgings here IN London,
and who was very kind to me when | was n
child" and she h.l asked leave 10 go to the
house and inquire if that friendly landlady
was still ~liying-with nothing visibly con-
strained in her smile, and with no faltering
one in her voice. 1t was not until she was
out in the street that the ~tclltale tears came
into her eyes, and the bitter sigh broke from
her and mingled its little unheard misery
with the grand rise and fall OF the tumult of
London life. While he was still at the win
dow he saw her crossing the street on her
way back to him. She came into the room
with her complexion heightened by exercise;
,hc kissed him, and said, with her pretty
mile: ''ilaye you been lonely without me?'
Who would have supposed that the torment
If distrust and the dread of deSertion were
)uSy at this womln's heart?
lie placed a chair for her, and, seating
,imseif by her side, asked il she felt tired.
3yCry attention that she could wish for from
he man whom she loved, was offered with
! every appearance OF sincerity on the surface!