The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-08-01

out through the front door. Upon his
left arm rested the infant, still sleep.
| ing; in his right hand he carried a
| satchel. Behind him was his luxurious
home, to which he gave no thought.
| Within it, in the room where he had
parted with his wife, man had just
| staggered to his feet to behold upon
the floor near where he had fallen the
| senseless form Of the woman who only
short time before had stood so proud
~ erect above his own inanimate body.
Later the man who bore the sleeping
baby in his arms was ushered into a
pretentious house that .fronted upon
Central park-for the unhappy scene
occurred in the city of New York-and
few moments afterward was seated
in the library behind closed DOORS. The
lnfant, still asleep, was securely en-
sconsed in the depths of huge arm
chair, and vis-a-vis with the unhappy
father was a strong, bushy browed,
square jawed man who looked ten
years older than he really was.
II must have one confdant, Max
WELL" the self exiled man said calmly,
"and you are the only man in all the
world whom I care to trust"
He began then at the beginning. He
told a story which covered the lapse of
nearly two years. He referred to his
wife not bitterly, not angrily, but with
sadness and pain. He omitted moth
ing concerning detail, and he concluded
his recital with these words:
Il could not leave my baby there, so
I brought her with me. shall take
her away, and we will disappear for
ever from the sight and gradually from
the memory of everybody who has
known me - from everybody except
yourself. l shall change my name,
and only you shall know who 1 am.
My property fortunately is nearly all
in negotiable securities and can easily
be transferred. My real estate l wish
you to accept in trust for my wife, pay
ing her the income from it as long as
she lives. 1t will amply provide for
her every want and leave her a COM
Portable surplus besides. You can
draw all the papers and forward the
new deeds to me-"
"And the reversion-what about that
in case of the death of your wife?'
asked the lawyer.
LET the reversion be to you as trus-
tee for the benefit of my heirs. If
ever want the property, will come to
you for it, =
care you aware that you are placing
more than million in my possession ?"
"Perfectly. I have twice as much
tiles. That will suffice for me-"
"You will not apply for divorce?'
"Certainly not"
"What name will you assumeY'
"Yours, I think - that is, your last
one, if you will permit it. l will call
myself Richard Maxwell"
'Why not Philip MAXWELL"
"No; will retain nothing Of the past.
I am only 30 years old, but as long as
I am permitted to live my life shall be
devoted to that child. Philip Barring
ton ceased to exist an hour ago. I will
sleep here in your house tonight, if
may. In the morning will ask you to
and secure in their places cashiers
checks that l may deposit where
please; also to withdraw my securities
from the safe deposit vaults and bring
them to me. Such other affairs as need
attention I will remember before morn
ing, and before night tomorrow I will
be gone"
"Where will you go?"
81 have not decided. probably will
not decide for some time to come.
will'let you know in good time"
"You are very unwise, Philip. Your
suspicious may be unfounded. your
conclusions wrong"
''Perhaps so," YEARLY. MY decision
is irrevocable. however, so we will not
discuss it,"
''You cannot be father and mother to
that chtld-to that little girl. If she
were boy, it would be different"
II will be father, mother-everything
TO her. Do not argue with me, Max.
Will you show me where am to sleep?
My duties begin at cnce. shall not
avoid thenl.'' -- -
Not until the man who had decided
that he was henceforth to be known
only as Richard Maxwell was alone in
the room that had been assigned to
him--no, not alone, because the little
girl, still quietly sleeping, unconscious
Of the tragedy that had already occur
red in her young life, reposed upon the
bed-not until then did he show any
sign Of the ravages Of the mental whirl-
wind that had passed over him, and
! even then his face did not lose its
calm, although tears trickled down his
cheeks and splashed unheeded upon
the pillow where rested the companion
of his future.
He remained thus silent for several
moments, and then he began restlessly
to pace the floor with bowed head and
hands clasped behind his back, up and
down, up and down, endlessly, cease
lessly, untiringly, his footsteps fall
ing with absolute precision, keeping
time like the ticking Of a clock
one, two, three, four, five, six, sew