The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-22
FALSE " TR UE
BY
VI A K 7 III ND .

- CAAoC % dBh4ihtn a ufdn II 4Ao AAAS-cA
tune, even"-Brandreth's voice tell-"even
though it ruined her own life"
Yes. yes: but would it mean so much?
Other men have fought their way on. over
come the Obstacles. snapped their fingers
at their evil fate and won through TO the
top. Look at Fawcett. He used 10 be a
hero OF mine III my teens. Look at Jeanre-
son, OF Bombay. and Carruthers at the
Cape. They are just as useful, just as sue
cessful as if one hadn't been blind and the
other crippled by accidents that looked at
the moment bad enough to wreck their
lives. And their wives"-
Have made the best OF it, Of course. But
II was noble OF highest form of
self-sacrihce."
"Of course, the act would be voluntary"
That goes without saying. No man
would be base enough to press a woman to
take him not for better but entirely for
worse"
'Heseitine made no reJoinder. BY and by
he asked Brandreth to help him to his bed
room, and the doctor, with great tender
ness and skill. assisted him, trying TO let
him feel his helplessness as little as pos
sible.
Two hours later, when the breathing of
the young man showed that he slept sound
", Brandreth stole softly to the bedside,
withdrew the photograph case from be-
meath his friends pillow, took out the pic
ture it held and substituted for it the por-
trait of a sweet-looking young woman, evil
IDENTIFY Heseltine's sister, which he had
found in, the young woman's album. The
photograph which he had stolen he pressed
with passion to his heart and then to his
lips.
Mine now" and by and by she herself
shall be mine" he whispered to himself.
The photograph was artistically taken,
and showed a girl OF about twenty. oval
faced, with the low, broad brow of the
classic, on which the waving hair fell in
soft braids; nose, mouth and chin all
nodded in perfect shape; the expression one
of surprising sweetness. The dress she
wore was cut low at the throat, and the
neck rose from 1t like a stately column.
One knew, without being told, that the
hair was golden. the eyes violet, the skin
white and clear, softly tinted with pink.
Brandreth wrapped the picture In thin
white paper and put II into his pocketbook,
murmuring to himself:
"Alrs fair in love and war"
A few days later, Heseltine's successor
arrived, and the blind man took passage
in the steamer that brought him for the
return voyage to Calcutta. Brandreth had
advised his friend to consult a well-known
oculist in Calcutta where Heseltine's only
near relation, a married sister, lived, rather
than go home. The invalid. too weak TO
argue, and trusting entirely to his friends
integrity. fell in with this view. and
adopted, moreover, bit by bit. all uncon-
sciously-so that he ended by believing
himself the originator of the idea-Brand-
reth's suggestion that he should intrust
him Wit verbal messages to his betrothed.
Tell her just this-that L cannot now ask
her to share my lot. OF course, it won't
do to tell her the real reason-she would,
heaven bless her-just keep to me out of
pity. All 1 once thought I might win her
the position she desires; but that's all over!
Brandreth. you won't let her think I've
done anything bad? L couldn't bear that
she should think i'll of me!'
mo, no."
by and by I'll write to her-if 1 can
learn to write without seeing. Thank you
a thousand times. old fellow, for all your
kindness and sympathy"
So they parted, and in three weeks time
Brandreth was in the little Devonshire viii
lage where Una Beresford had her home.
She was standing at the gate of the pref
ty, low-roofed, matched house, which
Brandreth had found it so easy to recog-
nize from Heseltine's description, when
first he saw her.
She had been to meet the postman and
was turning away disappointed when her
eye lighted on the approaching figure of the
doctor. Something-perhaps it was his sun
burnt face-told her that here was a mes
senger from the East. She took a step or
two forward and said:
You nave come with a message for me %
Brandreth stood before her with uncov-
cred head.
Yes he said.
'He-Maurice-Mr. Heseltine is not-he is
alive?' Her voice was scarcely more than
a whisper.
HE is ~alive-yes."
Thank Heaven!' Then: "You have seen
him? You are a friend OF his?"
a." know him.. He sent me to you"
The girls anxious eyes had read ill-tid-
ings IN his face. Her voice trembled as she
babe him come with her into the house,
and when hey had gained the seclusion of
her little sitting room she said, standing
before him with wide-open, fearless eyes:
Il see you have brought me bad news.
Tell me the worst quickly"
"Heseltine has been i'll, but he is now re-
covering. He has had, however, to give up
his work. and has gone TO his sister in Cal
cutta."
A shadow passed over the girls face.
Putting stray hints together, Brandreth
had gathered from Heseltine's talk that
his sister had not approved Of his engage
ment to Miss Beresford, and had resolved
to make the fact Of his having sought a
refuge at her home tell against him.
"Given up his work! Why did he not
| tell me?"
He did not wish to pain you. He has
been superseded. And-I can hardly bring
myself to give you his message, Miss Beres-
ford. since you feel so deeply about this
miserable business-but he wishes to re-
lease you from your engagement"
No gesture escaped the girl to show what
she was feeling. She stood, w~ide-eyed, ex-
p~ectaat. while Brandreth went on hur-
riedly.
He had been i'll when I first saw him;
the climate. the lonely life, the absence of
every kind OF moral tonic, all tell on a man,
especially If he is not very strong. 1t is sad
TO see so young a man such a wreck"
"A wreck The words broke from the
girl like a cry from a broken heart. "Can
you mean