The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1899-07-13
the first time realized the struggle in

her mind between love and injured
pride-the pride of a highly sensitive
soul which will brook no compromise.
! whatever suffering may ensue. Read
| ing between the lines. he could feel
| something of the agonies she had en-
dured, of the struggle with herself. 1t
was cry from the heart and it went
to his heart like knife. At length he
put down the paper with deep sigh.
Poor little womanv' he murmured.
what hideous suffering to lay her soul
bare for the worlds pleasure"
Blair stood by the fire in silence for
some time. Finally he turned to Eyer
ton, who was sitting at his desk with
his head buried in his hands.
Come" he said, laying his hand
gently on the others shoulder. Put
on your coat and follow me-"
He obeyed mechanically and without
question. Outside Blair called a cab
and Egerton got in as though In n
dream. AS they sped along Kings road
he suddenly asked:
where are we going, Blair:"
"TO Islington. of course"
After what seemed to the impatient
Egerton an interminable drive, the cab
drew up at the corner of a shabby lit
tie street. The two men sprang out,
telling the cabman to wait. Surely
they had made a mistake. No; it was
the address given in the Free Lance.
They stared In surprise. 1t was one
of those miscellaneous little shops
where confectionery. mineral waters,
and newspapers are sold. They went
inside. Blair taking the lead.
Does Miss Cartwright live here?"
he asked the old woman who was serv-
ing behind the counter.
NO, sir! but she has her letters ad-
dressed here"
"Of course you have her real addrss
them"
The old woman looked at him and
then at EgertOn somewhat suspicious
ly. She shook her head slowly.
mo, sir; she calls for her letters or
else sends some ore"
Blair put down half-crown on the
counter, and bending over confidential
ly he said:
"Come, now. You can tell us her ad-
dress If you like, I'm sure"
The woman's eyes glistened, but she
still shook her head.
when was she here last" asked
Egerton.
Let me see," she replied. WAS it
yesterday or the day before? Oh, yes,
it was yesterday"
Blair turned to his friend.
well, we can't do anything more to-
night. You might write a note and
leave it."
Egerton wrote n hasty letter to his
wife and promised the shopkeeper
half sovereign if she telegraphed to him
Immediately Miss Cartwright called
for her letters.
He passed a fearfully anxious week,
but no telegram came. He went over
again TO 1slington, but his letter was
still waiting in the shop, and lie re-
turned to Chelsea In despair. He was
u'tclis utJCNtc'iJ Dut Ilsiil uiu iiio pcSt
10 cheer him and help him to keep up
his courage.
There's no need to be SO down in
the mouth he argued. "At any rate.
you know that your wife is living. and
you may hear from her at any mo-
ment."
They discussed the matter from all
points of view, and Blair made numer-
Gus suggestions. All at once bril-
liant idea struck him, and Egerton
seized on it at once. He suggested that
Egerton should write tale for the
Free Lance, telling the same story that
his wife had done, but from the mans
point of view. They spent the rest of
the evening in talking over the story
and making notes. Egerton devoted
the whole of the next day TO it, and in
the evening, after Blair had given his
approval, he posted it to the Free
Lance.
EgertOn had hidden his own story
under the veil of fiction, but he was
sure that il his wife read it she would
realize the truth. AS he felt he wrote,
and all he asked was that she should
read what he had written.
The days of waiting which followed
were maddening in the way they