Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-01-30
CO.. sn, said Quickly. "retcu MI,

CO. she said quickly. "Fetcn Mise
Gordon!''
.Iocelyn came, and Maurice and Guy
DISCARD; for they had been together in
the dining room Wien Joseph delivered
Marie's message.
Nestorius was wide awake now.
When he saw Discard his small face
suddenly expanded into brilliant grin.
Bad easel" h said
1t was rather startling, until Marie
spoke.
He thinks you are Mr.. Meredith"
she said. "Alr. Meredith taught him
to say bad case
Nestorius looked fro3 one to the
other with gravely speculative eyes,
which presently closed
"He is dying-yesr said the mother,
looking at Jocelyn.
Discard knew more of this matter
than any Of them. He went forward
and leaned over the table. Marie re-
moved piece of sailed bacon that was
lying on the table near to the pillow.
With the Inconsistencies of long habit
she swept some crumbs away with her
apron. Discard was trying to find the
pulse in the tiny wrist, but there was
not much to find.
Il am afraid he is very ILL.," he said.
At this moment the kettle boiled over
and Marie had to turn away to attend
to her duties.
When she came back Discard was
looking, not at Nestorius, but at her.
I'VE spent four days ut Msala," he
said in tone that meant that he had
more to tell her.
"Yes?"
"The place is in ruins. Us you know"
She nodded with peculiar little
twist Of the lips as If lie were hurting
her.
'And l am afraid l have some bad
news for you. Victor Durnovo, your
master
Yes. Tell qulckly.'
He is dead. We buried him ut
Msala. He died in my arms"
AT this moment Joseph gave.a little
l gasp and turned away to the window,
where he stood with his broad back
l toward them. Maurice Gordon, as
white as death, was leaning against
the table. He quite forgot himself
His lips were apart, his Jaw had drop.
ped. He was hanging breathlessly on
Guy Oscard's next word.
HE died Of the sleeping sickness, y
said Oscard. 1--WE had come down to
| Msala before him-Joseph and /. ]
broke up the partnership. and we left
him in possession of the simiacine
plateau. But his men turned against
him. For some reason his authority
over them failed. He was obliged to
make dash for Msala, and he reached
1t, but the sickness was upon him."
Maurice Gordon drew n sharp sigh of
relief which was almost sob. Marie
was standing with her two hands on
the pillow where Nestorius lay. Her
deep eyes We're fixed on the English
mans sunburnt. strongly gentle face.
Did he send a message for me:
Yes?" she said softly.
NO" answered DISCARD. "He-there
was no time"
Joseph at the window had turned half
round.
He was my husband" said Marie
IN her clear, deep tones, 1.-The father
Of this little one which you call Mes.
torius."
DISCARD bowed his head without sur.
prise. Jocelyn was standing still us q
statue, with lser hand on the dying In.
fant's check. No one dared to look at
her.
ut Is all right" said Marie bluntly
I'VE were married ut Sierra Leone by
the English chaplain. My father, who
Is dead, kept hotel Mt Sierra Leone,
/ and he knew the ways of the half
castles. He said that the Protestant
church ut Sierra Leone was good
enough for him, and we were married
there. And then Victor brought me
away from my people to this place and
to Msala. Then he got tired of me:
he cared no more. He said was ugly"
She pronounced 1t "ogly," and
seemed to think that the story finished
there. At all events. she added moth
ing to it. But Joseph thought fit to
contribute Il post scriptum.
You'd better tell 'em, Mistress" he
said, that he tried to starve yer and
them kids; that lie wanted to leave yer
at Msala to be nassacred by the tribes.
only Mr.. Oscard sent yer down ere.
You'd better tel 'em that"
NO" she replied. with faint smile
No. because he was my husband
Guy Discard WAS looking very hard
at Joseph. and. catching his eye, made
little gesture commanding silence
He did not want him to say too much.
Joseph turned away again to the
window and stool thus apart till the
end.
II have no doubt" said DISCARD to
Marie, that lie would have sent some
message to you had lie been able, but
he was very 1.-The was dying-when
he reached Msala. 1t was wonderful
that lie got there at ALL We did what
we could for him, but 1t was hope
less"
Marie raised her shoulders with u
pathetic gesture of resignation.
Tile sleeping sickness" she said,
what will you! There is no remedy.
He always said he would die of that.
He feared it,"
In the greater sorrow she seemed to
have forgotten her child, who was
staring open eyed ut the ceiling The
two others. the boy and girl, We're play
ing on the doorstep with some nncon-
ridered tritles from the dust heap,
after the manner of children all the
world over.
He was not good man," said
Marie, turning TO Jo"elyn, as If she
alone of all present would rGder-
stand. HE was not good husband,
but"-slie shrugged her shoulders with
one OF her patient. shadowy smiles
at makes so title dilference-yes?"
Jocelyn said nothing. None of them
had aught to say to her. for each In
that room could lay Il separate sin ut
Victor Durnovo's dGor. He was gone
beyond reach OF h,lmnn justice to the
higher court where the cNtenmting cir
cumstance is fully understood. The
generosity OF that silence was iufer.