The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-14
from head to foot. he answered. deliber.


worse to be a laundering idiot than it is to
be a skulking Backyard"
With an ugly OATH Aylmer-for 1t was he
swung up his cane and aimed vicious blow
at the speakers face But the blow was
evaded. and its vindictive intent repaid by
a stroke ON the jaw that sent the assailant
staggering back. He recovered himself In
stantly. however, and a brief but furious
struggle between the two men ensued, end
ing in the elder being thrown heavily to
the pavement.
Before he could rise to renew the fight,
supposing him to have entertained such in
tention. there came a quick patter of light
feet along the pavement, and Jessie, her
blue eyes on fire and her whole lovely face
flushed with anger, rushed up. She seemed
to have no difficulty in apprehending what
had happened. for she turned on Colin like
fury and gave him such an estimate OF
himself as on the instant extinguished the
last hope of reconciliation to which he had
hitherto chung. Then deliberately. ostenta-
tiously even, she addressed Aylmer. all sym.
pathy and concern.
II hope. 1 do hope, you are not hurt. Mr.
Aylmer. she began.
''Oh, 1t is nothing at all, Miss French.
he replied hastily. 81 was foolish to take
any notice of the ruffian-ought to have
handed him over to the police. Pray dc
not mind it, Miss French. 1t is only ar
unpleasant trifle. after all
And with the daintily-dressed little figure
accompanying him, the speaker walked off
Sick at heart out of sheer despairing help
lessenss. Colin stood looking after them
for a space, and was then turning detected
ly away when his glance fell upon a white
object on the pavement-plainly a letter
from Aylmers pocket in the recent strug.
gle. With an exclamation he snatched II
up, and. fastening to the nearest lamp ex-
amined it breathlessly.
The postmark was that of Edinburgh, the
date two days previously, while the name
on the envelope was not Aylmer, but Dibt
-Finlay Dibb, to give it in full. The adj
dress was Rose street. Garnet Hill. and
having noted that, Colin, his hands trem
bling with excitement, took out the in
closed sheet and read 1T.
1t was interesting reading, too, seeing
that In it one boon companion in Edinburgh
congratulated another in Glasgow on being
able to get away for once without hi!
"Old Dutch" promised him the highest Of
high old times during his forthcoming visit
and-most important of all, from Colin,
point Of view-assured him that while tin,
little pickup, Jessie French" was in evi
dence, he. the writer, would not forge
that the name was not Finlay Dibb. bu
John Aylmer.
AS he ended the perusal of this preciou.
apfof1a Cnlip. 1avo linz
grimly In spite of his anger and disgust
Then. as he realized how tremendous wa
the weapon thus providentially furnished
he laughed aloud.
well, this should about settle you con
found you'll" he muttered. apostrophizini
the absent Aylmer wonder how Jessi
would look If were to show her this ant
ask her how she likes being married man,
pickup! But that would be downright
cruelty-and as there's no time to lose, II
go up to Rose street and see that scoun
drefs wife. 1 only hope she's one of tn
wildcat sort. for his sake"
| His hope was not long in reaching tn
stage of certainty, although there was les
of the wildcat than the tigress in the find
| ing. With all the unhalting prompttude o
the slow man aroused he set out for Ros
| street. and had not much more than en-
tered Mrs. Dibb's presence before he ex
perienced a sense of chill, not quite fire.
| from fear. She was tall, bony woman,
| good deal older than her husband, and he
hard-favored face and cold gray eyes wer
the living embodiments of gnawing disap
pointment harsh suspicion, and, underly
ing both, sort of grimly pathetic patience
as that Of one who waits in a wilderness
| of WEAKNESS for the coming of an end o
which the whole is known.
| Colin had in him nothing of the art of tn
| diplomatist and came straight to the point
| telling his story from first to last, wit
| neither minimizing on the one hand no
| exaggeration on the other. She listened il
| silence. but the face that had been onI
| severe when he began had grown genuinel
| terrible by the time he had finished
was a thing darkly significant, too. Of pas
experiences that she never once seemed t
/ doubt the truth of the story-and that he
decision at its close was instant.
"You have saved that foolish girl, MI
Balm, and for that your conscience will re
ward YOU" she said. but you have ais
| done me a service, and for that thank you
| This man, my husband, is coward. a lial
and worse-how much worse you may judg
when say that I, his wife, whom he pro
| fessed to love, but whom he really Marie
! for her money, that will not longer stan
between him and-and that to which he ha
| sentenced himself. Twice, thrice he ha
| flung my heart under his feet and trample
| on 1t. He shall do so no more"
| Her voice had sunk to a whisper. and
seeing that she had forgotten his presence
Colin experienced thrill of very real un
| easiness. This woman, with her tragi
| face and awful eyes. was in very truth
| being to shudder atone, he dimly fell
easily capable of passing beyond humanit
and becoming fiend.
well, l will move in this matter to-mor
| row, and you need not fear for the issue a
| affecting Miss French" she said, rousin
herself from her bitter abstraction. 'Lk
1 you, 1 think she has been no worse tina
| foolish. and as / made the same miytak
once, am not disposed to Judge her harsh
| ly. / will keep this letter; you will give m
| the address of Miss French, as also you
| own in case / may have occasion to writ
| to you. / will call on Miss French to-mor
row night. taking Mr.. Dibb with mt
| and
"win he go?" asked Colin, involuntaril
| interrupting.
She looked at him, and the smile on he
face made him shiver.
HE will co." she said, quietly. He ha
TIL