Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1906-09-13
CHAPTER XXI.
THE DRAMA UNRoLLs.

coming from the music room; Col. An
nesley is discovered sitting in front OF
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. l can imagine no sorrier
picture than that of this loving, ten
derhearted, wretched old man as he
sits there, waiting for Karloff and the
ignominious end Fortune gone with
the winds, poverty leering into his
face, shame drawing her red fingers
across his brow, honor in sackcloth
and ashesi
And but two short years ago there
had not been in all the wide land a
more contented man than himself,
man with a 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 waking 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 it had. 1t
seemed impossible Lat in two years
he had dissipated a fortune, sullied
his honor, beggared his child. 1t was
all so like a horrible dream. If only
he might wake; If only God would be
so merciful as to permit him to wake
lie hid his face. There is no hell
save consci ance makes it.
The music laughed and sighed and
laughed. 1t was the music Of love
and youth; joyous, rollicking, 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 arms fell: of what use was it to
struggle? He was caught, trapped in
a net of his own contriving.
Softly he crossed the room and stood
by the portiere beyond which was the
music-room. She was happy, happy in
, youth and ignorance! she could
sNIy all those sprightly measures, her
u frit as light and conscience-free;
ST. could sing, she could laugh, she
coHIId dance And all the while his
nd art was breaking, breaking!
tHow shall face her mother?' he
grbaned.
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 at 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 its 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
remembered Mrs. Chadwick. He was
grave also: he had various reasons
for being so.
Father, the count tells me that he
has an engagement with you," she
said She wondered if 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
turbed."
She scrutinized him sharply. How
strangely hollow his voice sounded!
Was he ill?
Father, you are not we'll. Count
you must promise me not to keep
him long, however important this in
tervidw may be. He is i'll and needs
rest, and her loving eyes caressed
each inc of care in her parents fur
rowed cheeks.
AM lesley smiled reassuringly. 1t
took Pill the strength of his will, all
that lemained of high order of cour-
NSN, " create tnlS SHllle. lie WduIeu
to cry out to her that it was lie. a
mockfry. Behind that smile his teeth
grated
shall not keep him long, Mademoi-
selle. said the count He spoke gent.
~, but he studiously avoided her eyes.
She Ihesitated for moment on the
threshold; she knew not why. Her
lips even formed words, but she did not
speakk What was it? Something op-
pressed her. Her gaze wandered inde-
cislFelf Arom her father to the count,
IRON tHc\count to her father.
Wh9n you are through" she finally
sad "lring your cigars into the music"
room]
WifF the greatest pleasure,
hiademPisells." replied the count.
ana Nay, if Won so de9ire our busi-
ness is lsuch that your music will be as
pleasure added"