Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1906-02-23
CHAPTER XIII

wen. with the llgnt of the lamp shining
full upon him, she could see that he was
very much altered. He was thin, and
worn, and aged; his broad, manly figure
had shrunk; his shoulders stopped the
eyes that used to be brave and buoyant,
now looked weary and lifeless. She was
shocked to see him so changed. He
laughed shortly and bitterly as he look
ed at her.
Il have come half across Europe to
see you, travelling night and day through
all this frost and snow. l have taken no
rest, and scarcely any food for four
days. and all you can find to say to me
at the end of it is to revie me for not
keeping out of your way"
What have you come for" she re-
peated more gently.
What have | come for? To see you,
ROsamond-to still the raging hunger at
my heart. Because when found out
where you were, | could not rest until
l saw you again"
How did you hear where l was?"
she said wOnderingly.
There was a man, poor fellow from
this part of the country-he was con-
sumptive, 7 think-who met us. heard
1t from him at Mentone."
Mary's brother! She understood it
then. There was sort of fatality about
it. She sat down wearily.
What have you been doing with your
self, Brian? You look fearfully i'll"
Il have been i'll for months. We
started, my cousin, Edgar Raikes, and l.,
TO go to China, Australia, heaven knows
where. We began by a fortnight in the
Austrian Tyrol, and there | got laid up
with sort of fever. | have been there
ever since till month ago, when | man
aged to get down to the Riviera. l am
getting right now, only bit weak and
pulled down"
"And journey like this across Eu-
rope, in such weather and in your pres
ent state! What madness, Brian! 1t is
enough to kill you."
She looked at him with a kindly pity
ing concern. What surprised herself
more than she could account for was
the utter calmness and Indifference with
which she saw him. Save in the first
moment of surprise, her pulses had beat
no faster for his presence. His voice
had no power to thrill her.
when trust is gone" she told herself
as she looked at him, then the founda-
tons of the building are undermined
and with time and absence the idol it
self soon crumbles into powder" Aloud
she said to him. with a kindly reproach
in her voice: "What folly could induce
you to undertake such a journey for
nothing, Brian?'
''Do you call it nothing, then, that
am here, that | can see you once more
hear your voice, touch your hands?"
He knelt down before her on the
hearthrug, and took her hand-hls own
trembled and shook, hers was as cold
as ice and as perfectly unresponsiye.
''Rosamond, tell me once again-let me
hear from your lips-that you love me
still. Then l will go. | ask for nothing
more. That will be enough for me. Tel
ME that, once, and | will leave you"
IL cannot tell you that l love you
Brian she said coldly, wondering, as
she spoke, at the fearful evidence OF
selfshness of which such words, from
this man to her whose life he had spoil
ed, gave evidence.
"You cannot say so Do you NEAR
that you do not love me, Rosamond? Ii
is impossible! You cannot have ceased
to care for me-"
She withdrew her hands from his. ant
reached them up behind her head with q
weary action. Her eyes wandered away
from his pleading, earnest face that was
haggard with passion and misery. For 8
moment or two she was silent, then very
slowly she said
''The one thing under the sun which
Is absolutely impossible, Brian, is to re
kindle the ashes of dead fire."
He rose from his kneeling attitude al
her feet, and stood with his back to thu
mantelpiece. Then he drew a long, shiv
ering breath.
"Ah! it is dead, then" he said, almos
In whisper.
"Yes," she answered, still not looking
at him. st is dead. Thank God! thanl
God!'
There was silence between them fol
the space of four or FIVE minutes-abso
lutte silence, during which the clock tick
ed steadily and the fire logs sparklec
and cracked, and Brian Desmond faceC
the bitterest and cruelest moment of hi
whole life.
1t was Rosamond who spoke first.
'You have left your wife, Brian, a
MentoneW
He started.
'My wife! Good heavens! Surely yol
know-you must have heard!'
She looked at him with interest.
"What is it? / have heard nothing.
'Is it possible that you do not know
that my wife left me before l wen
abroadT'
"Your wife left you" she repeated il
voice of dismay. "Do you mean tina
you are not living with her-that yol
are separated from her"
"She, at all events, has separated her
self from me-" he said bitterly. 81
seems that no woman can stick to mi
now. Very likely deserve it."
"But, Brian" she cried eagerly, I"