Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-01-18
Chapter NlN-Cuniinued.

during the winter. lived in drowsy
content People who take drugs must
reach that state, hut their condition Is
pitiablr when they are aroused Many
men asked Ime to marry them. | laugh
I'd at the idea. At last | met Mr.. Trail.
We We're friendly for quite five years.
l came to Europe. to the Engadine.
where found that Mrs. Stephen
Brands troubled life WAS forgotten.
but Mrs NanS1tart. the rich widow,
was popular. There | saw MIR. Trail
again He offered me marriage. and
faucied It would be we'll to ally my
self with q man SO distinguished and
widely known on both sides of the At
lantic. did not love him. l respected
and admired him-that was all. / ac-
cepted him, but stipulated that l
should 60 back to the States and wind
I'D my affairs there. returning to Paris
for the wedding. That was necessary
If I would maintain my deception. SO.
Stephen. after lifetime Of vagary and
wandering this is the result. l am he
spattered by the mud Of my own acts.
see my forgotten daughter grown to
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
%J,o 10 of e-i C,,1p
barred her onward progress.
Though she asked 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.
"When entered this roorn," he said,
Il meant to avoid a scene which must
have been as exhausting to you as it 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 it will be better IL
we defer q final settlement? You have
already taxed your frail powers be-
yond their limit"
mo. 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 the wound
ed conscience. 1t may be sought, and I
have thought Of that. But Constance
would suffer. and If it will spare her
pain will endure to the end. Surely I
owe her that reparation. I committed
moral suicide once in my life. Let it
sufficer'
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 II he
drove her forth this time of his own
accord to live in mournful solitude,
brooding over a 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 lis soul revolted
from the notion of formulating q de-
cree Of Punishment against this ethe-
real, ghostlike 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 l."
he said. 1--WE must meet again, to-
morrow or next day. Some of the
young people will be returning soon.
II you wish 1t will not tell them I
have seen you"
1T Is for you to decide, Stephen"
She seemed to be quite hopeless, re-
signed to any twist or turn Of fate.
Here was broken woman indeed, and
the spectacle was torturing. He had
never understood her as bright young
girl and bride of nineteen. He did
not understand her now. A man Of his
oaklike qualities could not grasp the
nature of woman who bent as q reed
before each puff of wind
1t was hard to utter even a common
place farewell. She held him by her
very helplessness. But the rapid trot
Of horse caught his ears, and while
he stood irresolute he saw Constance
alighting from the dogcart. His wife
looked out too. They heard their daugh-
ter laughingly regret that she could not
aak Mr. pvno fO lupchoo,,-r,oo lu ,xxo,,
irregular events just then.
Brand felt timid hand grasping his,
and choking sob proclaimed that Con-
stances mother was crying.
He stopped with a motion that was
almost caress.
Don't cry" he said. II cannot bear
It"
Il can bear anything. Stephen" she
sobbed, IF only you will let me stay
with you forever"
DO you mean that, Nanette?" he
gasped incredulously.
Il have prayed, yes, dared to pray,
that it might be 30 ever since I saw
my child. She has brought us togeth-
q again. Let rs not part, for her sake
and for mine, Stephen, If it is not too
late"
So Constance. Fastening up the gar
den path, could not believe her eyes
when she saw her father lift her moth
or into his arms and kiss her.
Mary. the maid, never ceased won
dering why every other member of her
sex In Laburnum cottage should be
fearful yet ridiculously happy that aft
ernoon. Mrs. Vansittart wept and Miss
Constance wept, and Miss Enid wept
when she came in, while Mrs. Sheppard
was weeping at intervals all day.
Nevertheless they were all delighted
In their woe, and Mrs. Sheppard, al
though she cooked a tremendous din
ner, never scolded her once.
1t was also q remarkable thing that
the Invalid lady should insist that she
was strong enough to come downstairs
that evening. She did not eat a great
deal, poor thing. but she looked ever so
much better and seemed to find ell her
pleasure In gazing alternately at the