Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1900-10-12
CHAPTER VIII.-(Continued.y

he felt-that is, from his heart-so he
wrote to her:
My Own Joyce: l am breaking my
self-imposed resolution to tell You that
l am leaving England for Austria in on
the Condor. which sails next week.
cannot live this life any longer. Do
You know l come out at night just TO
look at the house that contains you?
There is no Joy for anything. ana 1
am afraid OF breaking down under the
strain. l must work. sweetheart; |
must do something Life is 100 hard.
Joyce. | DO not wish to see you again.
IL | saw you again | should never
leave you; but / must hear from you to
know IL you are well. dearest. | ought
to say to you that you should try ana
forget me. and be happy with some
other man. but | cannot. 1t is ire
Hendous SelfishnesS on my part; hut it
would kill me if you were 10 look at
another man. But il is not for that
| am writing. but to tell You | am
leaving. Your own ALAN.
When Joyce received this letter she
sat quite still for little time. She
felt as If her heart must break when
she thought of Alan. She knew what
his unrest meant: she knew that If it
were possible that he could lay mis-
head against her shoulder and feel her
hand upon his brow, all his troubles
would vanish. But this might not be.
Never again could they go through the
agony OF another parting, never again
would they look into each others eyes
and see what it was costing them TO
vaik the path Of duty-the only way
for them. But she-she must look
upon his face again. She would go
down to Southampton. and then stae
would try and get a glimpse Of his
dear face. so that she could see Tor
herself how he looked.
She told no one of her project 1t
was not wise thing to Go, but ii was
q thing she must do.
Veronica was resting in her room;
the boy was with her. Now size had
q nurse for him, and she had a pretty
house and all comforts; but she looked
more haggard than in the old days.
when she eked out miserable exist
ence by teaching. Then there was
something to live for. now she had
nothing
She heard tap at the door that
made her tremble. Hutchinson had
been a frequent visitor lately-since
she had been prosperous. His visits
of bar DC.npar and cadIop
did not mind the money. having
childish ignorance on the subject: but
she did mind the way he spoke of
Alan. She prepared herself for battle
when she heard his knock. He came
in. looking more bloated and excited
than ever Lately he had drank very
heavily To-day he was sober enough
but he looked more angry than he had
done OF hate.
SO that fellow thinks he is going
TO elude met" 10 said. as he came into
the room: but he makes mistakei"
Veronica Turned pale. She knew he
was speaking oil Alan. and that he was
threatening him.
What do YOU mean" she asked
boldly
do yOn mean to say that You don't
know that that precious husband of
yours means to sail in the Condor on
Friday dare say he wants to de
seTt yOH. aud tn so Off with that other
WOmani"
Allan would not do that" said Vero-
MICA. quickly. However much Re and
she suffer. they will do nothing
Wroug'
Il dare say he is a saint" sneared
Hutchinson Well. he will have a
chance of going to heaven quickly. for
I've sworn To do for him. and this is
my lest ehancei"
Veronica listened Hutchinson had
spoken like this before. and it mad
come 10 nothing; still, it was pusslpIe
thai he might be desperate now. He
looked 1t. and If he meant mischief
TO Alan she must warn him. Not a
hair of Alan's dear head should fall
toy this mans hand. Still she knew
that she must not let HutchiI son sus-
pect that she was on the alert.
So he sails on Friday" she SAID
quietly From Southampton. is it not,
He wrote to wish ne good-by."
IT will be a longer good-by than he
knows Of" said the man. Lend me
two pounds. Veronica"
Veronica hesita:ed. He might he
asking for money in order to kill her
husband: but she had often LEM him
money before, so she rose SLOWLY and
went 20 the writing table and took IL
cut
4 suppose he has made a settlement
upon YOU" he asked with cunning
leer. And poor Veronica. falling into
the trap. answered.
Yes
Then it's all right" he said. and
went out.
Veronica sprang up from her chair
the instant the hall door changed after
him. She knew he meant mischief to-
Alan. She kissed her boy many. many
times before. giving him in charge of
his nurse. She was always 10th to let
him out of her sight; but today che
almost felt as If she would never look
upon him again At the same time she
felt strangely happy. for 1t seemed as
If at last she were able to do some
thing for Alan.
Alan had taken his seat in the train
without thinking much Of leaving Eng
land II had ceased to be home to
him: he thought he might be happier
when he was removed from the temp
tatiOn of seeing Joyce. and when he
might now and again hear from her.
nd In IN ha - hfo