The Washington herald., 1907-10-18
CHAPTER XI.

passed through the hotel lobby, where
/ everybody stared AT him open-mouthed'
and went out into the streets. The sun
lay low in the West, ana the streets were
fun Of people walking and driving. Many
/ persons turned and looked at him, some
with pity, some with contempt. some with
/ incredulity. In ten minutes he reached
his own door; as he entered it he said 10
the footman:
Don't admit any one tonight and
passed upstairs.
He knocked at the door OF his wife's
boudoir, but receiving no answer, en-
tered the luxurious little room and found
it-empty, but through the door leading
into her bedroom he caught sight Of Ali
cia walking up and down the floor. She
had not removed her hat or even her
gloves. and was nervously twisting the
handle Of her lace parasol as she walked
restlessly about the room. The bedroom.
if possible, was more luxurious than tie
boudoir, The red SAX hangings which
had once belonged to the Empress Eu-
genie, had been paid for. not by Senator
March's money, as he had imagined, but
with money made by the alleged sale Of
stocks by Colegrove. The mantel clock
and candelebra, real Louis QUinze gems,
had come from the same source, as did
the great silver-framed mirror on the
dressing table which reflected Alicia's
pale face.
Senator March entered the room with
out ceremony. and took from his breast
pocket the packet OF letters and dOcu-
ments in Alicia's handwriting, and hand
ed them to her silently She took them
in her trembling hands, glanced at Them
and then gave them back 70 him. His
face. although perfectly composed had
the same strange greyness about 1t,
which she had noticed as they sat to-
gether on the bank of the stream IN the
park. For the first time In her life Alicia
March felt a desire 10 throw wide the
doors of her soul ana make a confession
She was frightened at the impulse, and
would have restrained il, but her will
power usually 50 strong was as feeble
over this impulse as a hand OF the child
over maddened horse. So far she had
not spoken a word since the moment less
than an hour before, when the discovery
had been made. but now she burst forth;
I don't know what 70 say-he In
breathlessly, and then went on. blunder-
ing, stammering. and sobhing. 10 tell him
her transactions with ColegTove.
Her husband heard her incoherent story
through, and when she stopped, painting
and ringing her hands. he remained silent
for a rev minutes. Alicia turned her
agonized face away from him. covering
il with her hands. Presently Senator
March spoke I'm a quiet voice:
say not one word OF this TO any one
Tomorrow I viii acknowledge everything
only saying that the money was paid 10
me instead OF % you, and that you are
innocent. I shall resign my seat in the
Senate am telegraphing tonight 20 the
governor Of the State 10 that effect II
is much better for US not 10 meet again.
] shall go 10 my ranch Ia the Sierras
I gave you a deed % this house when
We were married, you remember. SO II is
yours with everything in il, except my
books. and ] viii give you an income TO
support il and 10 supply every reasonable
wish you may have, but on one condition
only"
Alicia was looking at him with wide
wild eyes.
What f. the condition." she gasped
That you make no effort whatever TO
see or communicate with me again.
shall leave this house tomorrow morn
ing. never 10 re-enter IT,"
he turned and went into his own
study, closed and locked the door
Alicia's mood of terror changed sud
denly to one Of fury. She had heard Of
these people who had no understanding
OF the temptations that beset the weaker
ones Her husband had decided every
thing as il she were a child. or rather
as II she had not existed; he had hardly
listened 10 her stumbling regrets. her
s0bbed-Out confession. In one short hour
Il seemed as if his love had turned to
the bitterest hate. If he would but have
been reasonable something might have
been done. but without one moments
hesitation he was sacrificing himself and
her too. She threw herself upon the bed
torn with fury and remorse and a multi
tude OF emotions which she could neither
control nor understand.
The servants in the house knew that
something had happened, and when din
neT was announced did not expect either
Senator or Mrs March 10 come down.
Senator March, however, did so, with the
same extraordinary c0olness and courage
with which he would have dined the
night before his execution The door-beH
had been ringing constantly, and cards,
letters, and kilograms, had begun TO ar
mltted. but half-a-dOzen reporters were
camped out on the pavement
When Senator March's solitary dinner
was over he returned to his study and
called up by telephone his man OF bust
ness. James Watson. arranging with him
to come at 10 o'clock with his stenGg-
rapher, prepared 20 work all night #
necessary. AS the evening wore. the
ringing Of the dOor-bell, the telephone,
the dispatches. and letters, increased, but
only one person got in except Watson
who arrived punctuaIly at ten. About
il O'Clock an elderly gentleman. whom
the f0otman recognized as the Secretary
of state, called, and when the footman
gave the stereOtyped message that Sena-
tor March asked 30 be excused. the Sec
retary paid no attention TO it. walked
across the hall and upstairs into the
study. Watson and the stenographer
rose at once. and left the floor clear for
the great man and the senator.
What about this yarn in the after
noon newspap apers?" asked the Secretary
abruptly Of Senator March as soon as
the door closed.
7 have Just telegraphed to the gov
ernor of the State that a vacancy will
exist IN the senatorship after 12 o'clock
Tomorrow" answered Senator March; II
am prepared TO confess everything before
the Senate tomorrow and resign my
seat"
What have you to confess?" asked
the secretary, at was your
He had meant 20 say your wife -
but something in Senator March's eyes
stopped him
Il am the guilty person. he said, look
Ing the secretary steadily in the eye. 1T
Is better for me and better for the party
that I should get out now"
What do you mean?" cried the sec
TetaTy Of state.