The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-08-11
| The Man on
| the Box
Il BY HAROLD MacGRATH
\ Author of I" The Grey Cloak, 1.-The
Puppct Crown"
CHAPTER XNII.
THE DRAMA CNROLLS.
Copyright, 1904, The Bobbs- Merrill Company.

neSley is discovered sitting In front or
the wood fire, his chin sunk on his
breast. his hands hanging listlessly on
each side of the chair, his face deeply
lined. From time to time he looks at
the clock can imagine no sorrier
picture than that of this loving, ten
der-hearted. wretched old man as he
sits there. waiting for Karloff and the
1gnominious end. Fortune gone with
the winds, poverty leering into his
face, shame drawing her red fingers
across his brow, honor in sackcloth
and ashes!
And but two short years ago there
had not been IN all the wide land a
more contented man than himself, a
man with u conscience freer. God:
Even yet he could hear the rolling,
whirring ivory ball as it spun the cir
Gle of that fatal night at Monte Carlo.
Man does not recall the intermediate
steps of his fall. only the first step
and the last. In his wakin" hours the
colonel always heard the sound of it,
and it ratified through his troubled
dreams. He could not understand Low
everything had gone as 1t had. 1t
seemed impossible II an in two years
he had dissirated a fortune, Sullicl
his honor bsggared his child. 1t was
all so like a horrible dream. II only
he might wake: If only God would be
SO merciful as to permit him 10 wake'
He hid his face. There is no hell
ccHr. ,Dro ,,,c1.or
The music laughed and sighed and
laughed ii vas the music Of love
and youth; joyous, ,ollicking. pulsing
music.
The colonel sprang to his feet sud
denly. his hands at his throat. He
was suffocating. The veins gnarled on
his neck and brow There was in
his heart pain as Of many knives.
His arms fell: of what use was it to
struggle? He was caught. trapped in
net of his own contriving.
Softly he crossed the room and stood
by the portiere beyond which was the
mushroom. She was happy, happy in
her youth and Ignorance! she could
play all those sprightly measures. her
spirit as light and conscience-free:
she could sing she could laugh, she
could dance. And all the while his
heart was breaking. breaking!
"How shall face her mother?' he
groaned.
The longing which always seizes
the guilty to confess and relieve the
mind came over him. If only he dared
rush in there. throw himself Mt her
feet. and stammer forth his wretched
tale! She was of his flesh, of his blood !;
when she knew she would not wholly
condemn him No, no! He
could not. She honored and trusted
him now; she had placed him on SO
high a pedestal that it was utterly
impossible for him to disillusion her
young mind, to see for ever and ever
the mute reproach in her honest eyes,
to feel that though his arm encircled
her she was beyond his reach +.
God knew that he could not tell this
child of the black gulf he had digged
for himself and her.
The bell sang it's buzzing note; there
was the sound of crunching wheels
on the driveway; the music ceased
abruptly. Silence. A door opened and
closed. A moment or SO later Karloff,
preceded by the girl. came into the
study. She was grave because she
remembered Mrs. Chadwick. He was
grave also; he had various reasons
for being so.
Hn ,yf fn11 %1,ot l,<,
has an engagement with you," she
said. She wondered il this appoint
ment In any way concerned her.
1T is true, my child. Leave us and
give orders that we are not to be dis
turbcd"
She scrutinized him sharply. How
strangely hollow his voice sounded!
Was he i'll?
Father, you are not we'll Count,
you must promise me not to keep
him long, however important this in
terview may be. He is III and needs
rest, "--and her loving eyes caressed
each line OF care in her parents fur
rowed cheeks.
Anneslcy smiled reassuringly. It.
took all the strength of his will, all
that remained of a high order of cour-
age, to create this smile. He wanted
to cry out to her that IT. was q lie, a
mockery. Behind that smile his teeth
grated.
II shall not keep him long, Mademoi-
selle," said the count. He spoke gent.
ly, but he studiously avoided her eyes.
She hesitated for a moment on the
threshold; she knew not why. Her
lips even formed words, hut she did net
speak. What was it? Something OPP
pressed her. Her gaze wandered indie
cisively from her father to the count,
from the count to her father.
when you are through" she finally
said, bring your cigars into the music.
room"
with the greatest pleasure,
Mademoisclle," replied the count.
and play. if you so desire; our bust
ness is such that your music will be as
a pleasure added"
Her father nodded: but he could
not force another smile to his lips.
The brass rings of the porticre ratified,
and she was gone. But she left be-
hind peculiar tableau, a tableau such
as is formed by those who stand upon
Ice which is about to sink and engulf
them.
The two men stood perfectly still. l
{ doubt not that each experienced the
! same sensation, that the same thought
-
from different avenues: love and