Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-08-14

Wv ~ eiAhS AeiIeii tiitsAil ut INOhttS Satio
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 how
everything had gone as it had It
| seemed impossible that in two years
he had dissipated q fortune, sullied
his honor, baggared his child It was
| all so like horrible dream. If 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
| save conscience makes it.
The music laughed and sighed and
laughed. 1t was the music OF love
and youth; joyous, rollicking, puls!ng
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 a 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 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 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 w:s 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
study. She was grave because she
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 i'll?
Father, you are not we'll. Count
/ w II oAulSG IIlG llOl W keel
him long, however important this in
terview may be. He is i'll and needs
rest, and her loving eyes caressed
each line of care in her parents fur
rowed cheeks.
Annesley smiled reassuringly. 1t
took all the strength of his will, al
that remained of a high order of cour,
age, to create this smile He wanted
to cry out to her that it was lie. &
mockery. Behind that smile his teetl
grated.
Il shall not keep him long, Mademoi
selle,' said the count. He spoke gent
~, but he studiously avoided her eyes
She hesitated for moment on tn
Threshold; she knew not why He
lips even formed words, but she did no
speak. What was it? Something op
pressed her. Her gaze wandered indie
cisively from her father to the count
from the count to her father
When you are through she finall.
said, bring your cigars into the music
room"
with the greatest pleasure
Mademoiselle," replied the count
"And play if you so desire; our bust
ness is such that your music will be a
a pleasure added"
Her father nodded; but he coul,
not force another smile to his lips
The brass rings Of the portiere ratified
and she was gone. But she left be
hind peculiar tableau, tableau sucl
as is formed by those who stand upol
ice which is about to sink and engul
them.
The two men stood perfectly still.
doubt not that each experienced tn
same sensation, that the same though
occurred to each mind, though it cam
from different avenues: love an
shame. The heart Of the little clock OF
the mantel beat textbook. textbook;
log cracked and fell between the iron
sending up shower of evanescen
sparks: one of the long windows Civ
ing out upon the veranda creaked mys
teriously