The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-08-23


thing for Harold that he was removed
from his influence.
Well, the years rolled by, and in due
course the time that comes sooner OF
later to all men came Go Sir John Char
teris. That is to say, he died and was
buried with his fathers, and Robin his
son reigned in his stead.
When Robin came home, was sur
prised TO see how little change nine
years had made in him. He went
away a boy of 2I and came back man
of 80, but beyond that the change was
but slight. He had the same lIaPpy-
go-lueky, boyish manner, the same ca
ger smile, and the same kind, generous
heart 1t was a great pleasure to me to
shake hands with him again, one Of the
greatest pleasures / have ever had; and
l said so in the warmest terms / could
think Of He laughed his old, infee-
tious laugh.
Thank you, Colonel, " he said. You
always were a good sort, aud see
you're a good sort still. believe all
you say-and thank you for it."
Robin went down to Charters for 8
bit to talk business and look into the
affairs of the estate, and then, as it was
May, he came up to town for the season.
l invited him to share my quarters, and
that he was very glad to do. All his
old friends rallied round him, invita-
tions poured in from every side, and he
took up the thread of the old life again
with a zest that was half amusing and
half pathetic in the eyes of more or
less blase man of the world like my
self.
Everything would have gone well if
it had not been for a woman. Oh! these
women. When will they cease 10 fur
ther trouble and eOmplicate a world
that is already troubled and compli-
Gated enough, Heaven knows. When,
did / say? Well, perhaps when the
sun of this life has set for all time, and
the last kiss of the last man has grown
cold and dead on the lips of the last
woman.
Poor old RobinI It never occurred
to me that he would fall in love with
my niece, Monica; but he did, all the
same. And that was the end of all
things.
He came slowly into my room one
night, and his face looked as it had
looked on certain never forgotten
day nine years ago.
"Done again, Colonel" {" he said, with
a pitiful attempt at smile, 'and going
under again. That's about all Pm fit
for, think"
He leaned on the mantelpiece and let
his head fall on his hands with some
thing very much like groan. 1 look
ed at him wonderingly, for not the
faintest glimmer of the truth had as
yet penetrated to my dull brain.
"What is it, Robin % / asked. mot
cards again? Surely, not cards again ?"
He raised his head at that.
NO" he said, bitterly, ''it isn't cards
again-it's woman this time. There's
nothing like a woman, Colonel, for
sending a man headlong TO the devil"
"Oh, a womanr' repeated, blankly,
turning over in my own mind the
names of all the married women Of
our acquaintance. "a woman, Robin?
That sounds bad. Who is she?"
Monica" said Robin.
simply gasped. Fool that was;
had never suspected such complica-
ton as this.
"Moniear I echoed feebly. "Oh,
Monica, II never thought of Mon
lea"
Robin langhed-a short, hand laugh.
"I have thought of no one but Mon
lea lately" he said, "and don't think
1 shall ever think of any one else
again. She isn't the sort of woman a
man forgets."
"But, my dear boy" 1 said, "my
dear boy, its-it's-it's-"
Hopeless" Robin finished, laugh
ing again, ''you needn't tell me that,
Colonel. know it-now."
1 said nothing for a moment, while
| pondered this new and unexpected
situation.
"Have you said anything to Mon
lea ?" asked at last.
"Yes," Robin answered drearily, "I
spoke TO her tonight, and she told me
that she had accepted Harold Marsden
just an hour before"
was silent. This was not unexpeet-
ed news, at all events, for had been
watching the developments of the af-
fair for some time; as pretty little
love idyl as / had ever seen.
''She told me that she had accepted
Harold Marsden an hour before, - Robin
said again, "and that stung me, can
tell you; but there was something that
stung me more, and that was the way
she looked at me, the way she received
my offer. She looked at me somehow
as if had no right to ask her TO marry
me-almost as If the love / offered her
was an insult. Can you-ean you un-
derstand it, Colonel ?'
He looked straight at me as he asked
the question, and felt desperately un-
comfortable, for / understood only tco
well.
"I'm afraid can, Robin" answer
ed hurriedly, for it was no good beating
about the bush. "I'm afraid Monica
remembers that old story, you know,
and that's what il is. You see, she
knew you when 1t happened, and she
was old enough to understand what it
meant, and-and-and-Ohl you know,
there's no accounting for women. It's
better to steer clear of them If you can"
Robin turned rather white.
THAT old storyr' he repeated, in b
low tone. sIs il to stick to me TO the
end of time, then? Am never to rise
above it-never 10 blot out the shame
and misery and degradation of it? Is
my whole life TO pay the price Of one
rash moment? Oh, my Godp'
/ felt more uncomfortable than ever.
kAa far aS tho world ooae - 7 oaid