Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1904-10-28
\ OBERT MALCOLM had never


JM been called Bob" by any one
until his recently acquired wife,
with coquettish pretense of shyness,
had so addressed him.
He had known her but a short time
when he won her. And now, at the
end of six bllssful months, he was sit
ting in his splendid library, perplexed
and miserable, and gloOmily cycling the
embers of a crate fire and trying to
persuade himself that the shadow
which threatened to wreck his future
could be explained away if only he had
the courage to ask her.
On coming home that afternoon he
had gone to the sitting room and had
found it empty. Turning to leave he
saw a piece of note paper lying on the
floor, as though it had been brushed off
her desk as she rose in hurry. In
stopping to replace it, his eye caught
two words, the beginning of letter.
Dear Tom" Dear Tom! Could 1t be
that there was a dear Tom in her life
of whom he knew nothing? The letter
read:
Dear Tom-If 1 were to be asked
why am writing to you should have
to admit that l am yielding to an i'm
pulse. My whole life has been made
up of impulses, and l never battled
with them but once-alas, the very
time should have yielded. You know
well what mean, that night you re-
nounced me, renounced me while your
blood was on fire with love for me,
which l knew and felt and revelled in,
when your eyes dumbly begged me to
refuse to be renounced and your lips
told me 1t would be better to part. All,
If l had only yielded then to the i'm
pulse to tell you 1 loved you well
enough to share your poverty and the
task of caring for your poor, helpless
father. How we'll l remember that
dear, delightful cruel summer in Dork
Ing.
you came dear and you stepped
into my heart with that first smile or
your brave, sunny face. Then, after
ward, Aunt Sarah, when l told her OF
our betrothal, said in her Icy, sneerine
tones: I congratulate you upon you
discretion. 1t is a fitting thing tina
you should marry Tom Spencer and le
your early poverty be merged into mid
dle-aged and elderly poverty. AS Ton
Spencer's wife you will have the salts
faction Of knowing that you have be
fore you such a life as your mothe
has led, only intensified, since you
life will be encountered by his help
less, paralytic old father
TON, dear, do not utterly despis
me when l tell you that her words hat
their weight 1 did not fear the pov
erty, for l knew you were bound t
succeed, If only, dear one, you wer
not hampered in your career by you
father. | knew you were fond Of him
and that while he lived you would kee
him with you-that even l could no
influence you to send him away. s
when you told me we had better part
offered no protestation. l knew you
heart was aching and that you needle
comforting words from me. knew
had only 10 speak one word to brea
down the barrier and have you tax
me to your heart forever. / did nc
sneak that word. Though my heal
cried out to you l could not tell yo
that | loved you well enough to sha1
your burden. l did not speak thf
word. | am married now. My hui
band loves nre, and l am rich beyon
nv fondest expectations. / have a
those things which my luxurious an
expensive tastes craved-yet l am n,
happy. This is indeed my farewe
dear one. You know now-every wol
In this letter has told you-what yC
are to me. You will not misunde
stand-you will not come to me. 1t
over, Tom, and"
Here the writing ended abruptly.
Robert Malcolm was a loyal ma
and though the evidence was again
her he refused to believe his wife gu
ty Of all that the letter implied. I
told himself that If he dared to ask Il
for an explanation she would give
and it would be satisfactory. To a
her to confess a dishonorable act W
also to confess lack Of confidence
her.
While he was sitting there the do
opened noiselesly. A slight girlish f
ure stole across the thick carpet a
behind his chair. Two soft small han
were clasped before his eyes and
voice whispered:
"Guess who 1t is."
His heart gave great bound a