The Red Cloud chief., 1906-11-30

man named Vansittart. Within a
month his wife died. There was some
fever about the place. and l became
frightened. A longing for the old life
seized me, and / went east. but not as
Mrs. Brand, the name which I always
bore In Nebraska. | had done with 1t
and with you, as l thought-Constance
never entered my mind save as Il fee
BILE m~emory-so l became Mrs. Eta
Vansittart."
Brand raised his head and looked at
her again. She was speaking now In
q curiously subdued tone. She was
giving evidence against herself and
giving 1t truly.
"In Newport, Saratoga and the Adj
rondacks in summer, in New York
during the winter, l lived In a drowsy
content. People who take drugs must
reach that state, but their condition Is
pitiable when they are aroused. Many
men asked me to marry them. ! laugh
ed ut the idea. At last l met Mr.. Trail.
We were friendly for quite five years.
l came to Europe. to the Engadine,
where | found that Mrs. Stephen
Brands troubled life was forgotten,
but Mrs. Vansittart, the rich widow,
was popular. There l saw Mr.. Trail
again. He offered me marriage, and l
fancied 1t would be well to ally my
self with a man sc distinguished and
widely known on both sides Of the At
lantic. l did not love him. / respected
and admired him-that was all. l ac-
| copied him, but stipulated that l
should 60 back to the States and wind
| up my affairs there, returning to Paris
for the wedding. That was necessary
IL I would maintain my deception. So,
Stephen, after a lifetime of vagary and
wandering, this Is the result. I am be-
spattered by the mud OF my w acts.
! see my forgotten daughter grown to
beautiful womanhood. ! meet my hus-
band, whom l might have loved and
honored, patiently following the path
into which my neurotic impulses drove
him. Stephen, do you think my punish
ment is complete?"
The bitter self condemnation in her
voice was not defiant, but subdued.
She had Travelled far in spirit through
the vale of tears since the Gulf Rock
barred her onward progress.
Though she asked a question she
seemed to expect no answer. Brand,
thinking to render her task less trying,
was still looking through the window
and watching the steady churning Of
the tender toward earn du and thence
to the lighthouse.
At last he spoke.
guvlo, \ o,tn,oI tJ;a ,nn,,, - hn cnt1
II meant to avoid a scene which must
have been as exhausting to you rs 1t Is
painful to me. Yet as it happens 1t is
well for both of us that you have lifted
the veil from what has gone before.
Now it should be dropped-forever."
Tell me what you wish to do. I
will obey"
"Don't you think 1t will be better II
we defer a final settlement? You have
already taxed your frail powers be.
yond their limit"
"No, Stephen. Speak now. I will not
faint nor yield to weakness. l will
live. Have no fear. Death does not
come as a skillful healer of he wound
ed conscience. 1t may be sought, and l
have thought of that. But Constance
would suffer, and if it will spare her
pain / will endure to the nd. Surely I
owe her that re%paration. l committed
moral suicide once in my life. Let it
suffice!"
The fixed plan of the study, with its
carefully arranged phrases, was not SO
readily acceptable to the man now.
What would become of his wife If he
drove her forth this time of his own
accord to live In mournful solitude,
brooding over q wasted life and look
ing forward only to an occasional visit
from her daughter?
A host of impossible ideas jostled In
his brain. He strove desperately to
find some easy way Of suggesting the
settlement which appealed to him as
the fitting one, but his soul revolted
from the notion of formulating a de-
cree Of Punishment against this ethe-
real, ghostllke creature who had been
thrust back into his very keeping from
out the heart OF the storm.
, He stood up and faced her, careless
whether or not the stress Of inward
conflict In his eyes belied the calm
!, gravity of his words.
perhaps you are stronger than IT,
: he said. 1--WE must meet again, to-
{ morrow or next day. Some of the
!. young people will be returning soon.
, If you wish 1t l will not tell them ]
, have seen you"
{ ut Is for you to decide, stephen"
She seemed to be quite hopeless, re-
signed to any twist or turn O fnte.
I Here was a broken woman Indeed. and