The San Francisco call., 1907-03-03
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has gone cut"
Yes she said quietly; he has gone
to that woman al BTaSter Grange.
wish J. knew what brought her into this
part Of tho country
looked round az the biLliard-iabie.
Did YOU sBesn that you wopid Re
> gamer I asked. Il am rather out
OF practice. bat l. used 70 fancy myself
8 little"
= have 10 doubt she answered.
sinking into low Chair. that you are
an excellent player. but 1 am willing 10
take ii for granted. do not wish to
.plsF Billiards. Draw that chair Up 10
the ere end talk 20 me-"
II was OF ali things what I wished
to avoid that night. But there was
no escape J obesed her
What your hnother has told me is.
presume. no secret" said II am
10 wish y-u happiness, am notg'
She locked up at me in quick SUR
Did Blensyon tell YOU"
That vou. had promised TO marry
Colonel. Mostsn Ray. Yes"
That is very strange" she said.
fhoughtfuliT-- ''Isieuavon IS not as a
rule nsedIessiv communicative, and at
present II is almost = secret"
-'NeV eTtholess. I said. turning slowly
toward her. Il presume that II is true
+ 1T is r,erfectir true. She answered.
There was silence between US for
several minutes. One OF the fnotmen
came softly in II sec whether We re-
qrired = marker. and finding US talk
ing. withdrew. T. vas determined that
the onus OF further speech should re-
You are surprtsea?' she asked at
last
'-Very.'
And -Ehy?"
i scarcely know" answered. "ex-
oept that ] have never associated the
thourit Of marriage with Colonel Ray,
and he is very much older than you.
Yes, he Is g great deal older, she
answered. I think that his history
has been rather sad one He was IN
love fcr many years with a woman who
narrled--soune one else. 7 have always
felt sorry for him ever since was
DO you know who that woman
wss2"
= have never heard her name" she
/ found courage to lift my eyes and
look AZ her.
MAY ask when you arc going to be
Her eyes fell The question did not
seem 20 please her.
7 do not know" she said. We have
not spoken Of that yet. Everything is
very vague"
acolonei Ray IS coming down here,
OF course remarked
Not TO my knowledge" she declared.
Net at any rate until the next meet
ing OF the Council I shall be back II
town before then
!, 81 begin 10 believe" ] said. with a
grim smile, that your brother was
ssAfv brother rightg
HE ends you enigTnatic. You be-
come engaged 10 a man one day, and
you leave him the next-without ap-
parent reason"
She was obviously disturbed
slight wave Of trouble passed over her
face. Her eyes failed TO meet mine
That ] cannot altogether explain 70
Won" she said. There are reasons
why I should come. but apart from
them this place is very dear 20 me
think that whenever anything has hap
pened 20 ME ! have wanted to be here
You are q man. and you VIII not alto
gether understsDd this"
why not?" L protested We too,
have our sentiment. the sentiment OF
places as well as OF people. II ] could
choose where TO die 1 think that u
would BE here. with my windows wide
open and the roar Of the incoming tide
in my ears"
For 2 young man." she remarked,
looking across At me, 4 should con-
slider yeu rather = morbid person
There are times" ] answered, when
] feel Inclined to agree with YOU To-
night is one OF them"
That" she said coolly. lis unfortun-
ate. You have been overwcrking
Il am worried by problem" ! told
her Tell me. are you great believer
IN the ssnctity OF human nfeT'
.-I-,- Fs-srf fssrs1ra nd
MY own life. at any rate. seems 10 me
10 be a terribly important thing"
Suppose you had q friend" I said.
ssyvho was one night attacked in
nuiet spot by a. man who sought his
life. say, for the purpose OF robbery.
Your friend was the stronger and easily
defended himself Then he saw that
his antagonist was man Of III repute.
an evildoer a man whose presence upon
the earth did good TO no one. So lie
took him by the throat and deliberate
" crushed the life out OF him. Was
your. friend murderer
She smiled at nle--that quiet. intro
spective smile which ] knew so well.
Does the end Justify the means2
No. of course not. ] should have been
very sorry FOR my friend; but Il indeed
there is = Creator. il is lie alone who
has power TO take back what lie has
given.
Your friend, then-"
Don't call him that
rose up and moved towards the
door. ] think that she saw something
in my face which checked any attempt
she might have made 10 detain me.
You must forgive me-" ! said. II
cannot stay"
she said nothing ] looked back at
her from the door Her eyes were
fixed upon me. little distended. full
Of mute questioning only shook my
head. So I left her and passed out
into the night
CHAPTER xyII
More Tasachery