Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1906-02-02
CHAPTER XVIII.


suredly leave their stamp upon the
health and constitution more certainly
than many a weeks indisposition which
our friends reckon as a legitimate ILL
ness.
She knew very well what was before
her, what struggles with her own heart,
what battles to regain her peace of mind,
what frequent and ptiful relapses into
abject despair and misery; this is al
ways the womans portion when man
aims against her; and Rosamond by bitter
experience understood that 1t was her
fate
Worn out and exhausted, mentally and
bodily, by the long hours of agony she
had undergone, she lay upon the stiff
hot sofa with closed eyelids, and face as
leaden-hued as any corpse. Her boxes
lay packed and strapped up in the ad-
Joining room. Everything was ready for
departure: but Mrs. Earle did not yet
know where she was going
IL must have peace" she said to her
self half aloud, rest and peace"
Poor woman, she had to learn that
there is no such tranquil spot under the
face Of the sun where q heart that car
ries about its own mortal wounds within
Itself can know either rest or peace.
She was tired of trying to settle where
she was to 60 Then some one came
with quick step across the room and
knelt down beside her sofa.
Mrs. Earle! Rosamond. You are
running away from me, Is this treating
me fairly or like friend? But-what
Is the matter-surey you must be ILL.,"
81 am ill.," she repeated, in a dull
voice, striving very hard not to break
down under the kindness of his voice
and eyes.
He knew instinctively that this trouble
was of the mind and not Of the body.
Lovers find out these things.
And you are going away? Where?"
81 don't know-I don't care; some
where uiet-anywhere. l can't settle
on any place"
He got up from her side and walked
impatiently about the room.
"Oh, this will never do!' he cried in
much distress. II cannot let you go
away in this state of uncertainty. You
are evidently ill-not fit to be alone; you
want a man to take care Of you"
Men, men!" she repeated, little
Are they not all alike-false and cruel
and treacherousW
Dear Rosamond," he said, holding
her hand with reverent tenderness be-
tween his own. "Is this home coming
alone so very terrible to you? Pour out
your heart to me, my dear; do not con-
slider me; l shall not be hurt by any
thing you can say. Do you miss your
poor husband so very dreadfully? Do
not think of me-"
How blind-how almost stupid he
was! She, who was breaking her heart
for the love Of her life, and he talked to
her about her husband! She could al
most have laughed.
"Oh, don't you understand-don't you
seel" she cried, despairingly. "You think
me good and faithful you look upon
me as a model wife; you imagine that l
am like the typical widow in ST. Paups
epistle. Should l grieve like this-sor-
row SO wildly-so desperately-if 1t were
merely death that had stricken me down?
All, death would have been nothing
nothing at all! Cannot you guess that it
Is not because l am a widow, but be-
cause l have always loved one man
always-all my life; and l have come
back free-free to love him, to claim his
love-to be happy at last-and l have
found him-married!
And in the wildness of her sorrow she
flung herself back again face downward
upon the cushions, convulsed by an agony
of sobs and tears
Colonel Trefusis sat. still-quite, quite
still. He felt numbed and cold. His
fingers, that were loosely locked together
between his knees, did not tighten their
grasp upon each other, neither did they
tremble. His kindly blue eyes did not
contract with pain nor open with dismay,
only they fixed themselves a little blind
ly upon the pattern of the carpet. For
a minute or two he did not speak
you see that l must CO." she cried
despairingly. "Oh, help me to get away
to go where cannot see him! Tell me
where to go. Help ,me, l entreat your
This appeal touched him and went
straight to the earnest, practical nature
of the man.
Yes my dear. l will help you," he
answered simply. you shall go to
Dunsterton."
"To Dunsterton In Yorkshire, do you
meanT she cried.
"Yes. l have cottage there merely
a six-roomed cottage with a tiny garden,
upon the outskirts Of a village green. /
had an old aunt who lived there, and
who has died lately and left 1t to me,
furniture and all, just as it stands. l
should never go there, 1t is utterly useless
to me. 1t will hold you, and your child,
and your servant You shall 60 there, l
will lend 1t to you."
"But-but-" she cried, confused
and trembling. II know 1t very we'll
1t is but three miles from my old home
from Ksppington."
Col. Trefusis continued to plead for
his cottage, and Rosamond pondered.
Finally she accepted his offer, on one
condition only; she must pay him rent
for hia house. To this he WAS oonatra In