The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-09-09

the bare iltfeE earth the wind
Ehrilled ftful. now coming In nerce
gusts, now 4. Ing away In long
moaning walls. Within the room the
fire blazed brightly. How greedily
the flames licked up the logs, how
they went roaring up tbs chimney.
4 long, low couch was drawn be.
tween the Windows. UIol II lay a
nan soft rag was thrown ac-
A ross his knees. beside the couch WAS
q stand laden sh phials and bot
Ties, from anon which two stood
forth conspicaously in close PROV
Unity to the recumb 1T figure. one
a bottle of wine, the ,ther contain
Ing laudanum. The young mans
cheeks were followed cs by recent
illness, the long. thin fin, 70 alt r.
nately smoothed and recreased tho
letter which he held, one sidently
i but Just received, suddenly It's fing-
/ ers paused in their hitherto nj chan
/ ieal movements. then with lick,
into shreds; for moment he acid
the fragments In his hand, thea let
them tiutter to the floor. Weari he
closed his eyes. but even then, de-
spite the darkness, the words OF he
letter danced before his aching Q g.
balls as though written In flaming
characters. those cruel. heart S,s
words. The letters had read as fol-
lows: 10 Mr.. David Dalcourt:
My Dear David w.ite to tell
YOU OF my engagement to Mr.. Rich
ard Armstrong; he has asked me to
be his wife, and realizing how hope
less our engagement was, more
boy and girl affair when we par ID.
! rave accepted him. Indeed David,
! cannot but think our feeling for
one another was nothing but fool
ish fancy, a mistaken idea | feel
that in some way | have fettpred
you shackled you-aeted as a ilin-
drance to your career; doubtless you
would have done better had no
thoughts of me disturbed you, rem
dered your hand less skilful | am
confident that entirely freed from
me you will be able to devote your
time more successfully, with greater
results than any you have yet seemed
able to achieve. You remember tho
old saying. Art is long and tine Is
tieeting'; the waiting has been so
long, so purposeless. so utterIg de-
void of promise for the future, and
Mr.. Armstrong has been so import
innate of late, Ii so DESTROYS of max
Ing me his wife that | have yielded
Indeed, David, can say conGdenily
l think 1t is much better SO, and ths.t
even II you do not see II nos ii
quite the same light you will later,
In little while. Most sincerely
Evelyn Graham.
Married to Armstrong, the rich
broker A man old enough to be
ner father. A cold cynical man OF
the world: a man who had seen life
In all Its phases. who had drained
the cup to the last dregs. Nov a.
sought her out in all her youth and
beauty as the one he deemed fittest
TO preside Over his household. to
dispense hospitality at his board
Aud she. what Of her; what Of
the protestations OF love she had
,Lowered upon him, of unwayering
Affection, of love that only burned
he brighter In protracted abssaes.
Had he not noticed the srawiag
;oldness in her letters? Had they
lot come at longer, more infreaueut
intervals? His nails bit deep into
lis palms. OF what good nov was
he letter which had come last even
ng announcing his suceess Ii IN
Instant he had sprung from a poor.
obscure, unknown artist to one rich,
amous. the talk of the day. All
hree of his pictures had been hung,
wo were already sold, at VIA to
I'm seemed a fabulous price
He remembered the eation OF the
'rcyious evening when he had brok-
n the seal; in what a fever o. de-
light he had read; with % hat trans
orts Of happiness he had begun the
etter to Evelyn telling her OF his
uccess. pouring out his heart 70
err TIL at length overcome b. weaG-
ess engendered by hi severe sick
ess the pen had slipped from ais
rembling fingers.
Now he had lost her Yes, 1t was
rue that he had achieved success,
as admittedly master in his chos-
n profession; could that In time
ntlice him2 Art b. knew was
lost exacting mistress. could sire
ompensate for all that he had iostq
ong be lay there, Tho freight
layed upon the Zoo inI cast lan-
lstie shadows on the walls s,fi lao
~ motionless. The i-tle clock
cked steadily upon the mantle tell.
* OF the flight Of time The short
ecember day was drawing to
oss. gloom was enshro iding the
1ow, when suddenly the inert figure
arted into life. He sat erect unon
ne couch. the fire of determination
hone in the dark eyes. the lines
bout the clean cut mouth we're
.nse and rigid. every muscle vibrant