The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1898-09-10
CHAPTER XIII.


/ folish to start before reading what Cal
sander mad 10 say and doing SO would COM
/ pei him 10 lose the train.
! He opened the letter, glanced at il. and
/ ringing for the man who waited on him.
1 hastily directed that no visitor should be
! admitted. Then, drawing his chair near
/ the window, he began, with interest which
! deepened at every word. 10 read the long
/ epistle addressed 10 him.
1 have been going 10 write TO you.
/ STandish. ever since Dorothy proved 10
! me how greatly | have wronged you in
7 my mind. l have begun once or twice.
/ but. somehow. my brain would not keep
! clear or steady. There IS such a cloud
1 troubling and confusing me. but last
night, as | lay awake, battling with my
/ thoughts as usual, something seemed to
/ break away in heart or head, and light
came to me-
! Il don't think l am mad but | am not
what | used TO be, and there is a strange
spTIt-not my own-urginE me at times,
/ with force | cannot resist. to do many
/ things. Ever since Dorothy showed ne
! the truth. have wanted 10 tell you ev-
! erything, for you loved her not as
/ thought, but as a true elder brother. and
I You Will understand me-perhaps you will
/ help me-
When she left me in India it was a
+ rEeful day. Then l was i'll; after, I re-
/ covered. Her letters were not the same;
I they We're cold. constrained. How mad
| grew. with an agonized longing TO see
i her again. TO hold her in my arms. Ny
+ mother wrote often. She did rot Ike you.
i | DO not know why. but she did rot. She
vas always repeating how my darling a III
/ Dorothy preferred being with you 10 any
( one else, even 70 Egerton. who was 50 su-
! perior II was a long time before she
r"use1 the devil within me, but she did AZ
/ last Then I came home
IT Is long. weary tale: i seems 10
me that l am writing Of another. and
+ pity him profoundly. as | should never
+ pity myself. Ny hatred Of you grew
/ deep and cunning; there was no base
I coWardly act would not have done coald
have tortured YOU without bringing dis
grace on my own name But all through
+ my curious. agonizins mental struggles,
! rem"mb ered that my name belonged %
my children.
"Broodin.. haunted by hideous vision
+ Of being compelled for nv honor's sake
+ q put away my wife. To drag her through
+ the mire and filth Of legal proceedings, Of
the opprohrium Of society, Of moral an
. initiation; something WHISPERED 10 ne
+. nave the courage 70 save her from all this
let the icy hand Of death send her un-
sullied 70 a better world. where the All
seeing alone can judge her The idea
+ would not. did not. leave me. l. had an
/ extraordinary fascination for me: even
I now, though | know my suspicious were
/ wrong | believe | did my best for her
under the circumstances
1t was not murder. not was the act
+ If tenlerest love. wanted no re enge
On her-I only wanted 10 save her from
i shame and hirteresI grief. | resolved 10
send my beautiful Mabel to heaven. even
while affronted hell for her sake Ny
! logic j sound. Standish. is il nor She
would have gone hence blameless. From
me an inezorah,e judge would have de-
handed the price Of her blood. and for her
+ sake | am conTented 10 pay il,
This idea fascinated ne | had. from
the fear Of doing my dearest one harm in
some ungovernab.e fit Of despair. remain
81 in my own room. on the plea Of indif-
fercut health. and there thought out my
plan. One night, just after Won had gone.
had put on my smoking jacket and sat
down % think. but could nor smoke. my
mind was a sort Of fiery mist. all the "a 81
. nnT0Ne4i itself. the happy hours the
sweetness and parity Of my darling:
should | allow shame to touch her? A
voice said 10 ne. the hour has come. LEI
/ il not pass. ! rose up. and took long
/ keen knife which Egerron had given me
/ a 4 curiosity; il was fine and sharp. I
! went softly but boldly 70 her room. | did
/ not fear To meet anyone was not over
stepping my right. The door opened with
( out noise
Now. l have nearly told you every
thing, Standish. Ny brain Is growing duh
and dreamy. I have alwars wondered
why Egerton shrank from me. Dorothy
has explained why. She has restored nv
faith in YOU When | knew the truth i
made me pitiless. The irreparable evil
wrought by mother Infatuated me.
rushed 70 her and told her that, thanks
10 her cruel tongue. her son was what she
would call a murderer | wonder il did
not Kill her Ny sufferinCs have been
great. though l have had long spells Of
-orpiaitv. Since | came down 10 F0rlSea
have becn conscious OF an awful. ire
SiSribe WEAKNESS OF life Like the IN
happy Moor. whose story is so ike INV
own. My occupations o'er'-no not yet.
| must settle my account with Eger-on. |
cannot rest till that is finished
Sraudi>h was very white and his teeth
we're set when he laid down the last sheet
4 this long. sal. startling letter.
Il was too true. then. Dlllon's clever dis,
eutangliug Of the puzzle! What a terrible.
tragedy. this destruction OF TWO lives His
generous heart ached for the ruin. the in
justice. wrought by a spiteful tongue. BY
the selfish reCklessness Of a man too ab-
Sorhcd in a guilty passion 10 hesitate az
the sacrifice Of friendship honor. loyalty
or even the happiness Of the woman he
/ IrofeSSeL to love
Il was brutal. insatiate, but Stand:sh
had no time 70 think Of Ecerton now. Cal
,auGer'S case was 4 serious ore. He must
not BE- SuSpeCtal the terrible truth must
not leak out For the unfortunate Grim
iuaI himself StaadiSh felt TIE most pro
found pity. He could no; lock on him as
responsible. Disease was fast gaining
upon him but jury would probably take
= very different view OF his condition
Come what might, he must be shielded
from the consequences Of his deSperat II
I'D
I waste time pondering here when I
"u-ht 70 act" r. exclaimed. and taking
Callanders long confession. te inclosed i
ii fresh. strong envelope. scaled il. and.
writing on il his OWE name. lie added: To
lie destroyed in case q my death"
Then. with a heavy heart. be put q
change II raimenc into his bag. and. hav-
ing >natche-i basty meal drove 20 Wat
eriao Station He was rather too soon
fer the ei-ht-thi-ry train 10 Passport, 50
he sat in the corner Of the waiting room.
/ his legs stretched out. his hands deep in
bi> rockets and his travelling cap over his
eyes.
twas past eleven when Standi~h reach
81 The we'll known Pier Hotel al Forslsea
Col. Callander the waiter said. had
gone 10 h.> room some time before So
>tun3lSh wonli not hear Of disturbing
him
Il can - him tomorrow morning. "
IL said. At what hour does Col. Callan-
, - g,-.s : Fa.-.--