The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1908-12-02


to her lips, thoughtful and silent.
Before Austin comes" he said at
length, "lets get the thing over and
buried as long as it will stay buried"
"Alixe is here" she said gently. Did
you know it?"
/ He nodded.
"You know, of course, that she's
married Jack Ruthven"
! He nodded again.
Are you on leave. Phil, or have you
really resigned?
Resigned"
II knew it." she sighed.
he said: las l did not defend the
suit l couldn't remain In the service.
/ There's too much said about US any
way-about us who are appointed from
/ civil life. And then to have that hap
pen!'
"Phil. do you still care for herr"
II am sorry for her."
After painful silence bis sister
said, Gould you tell me how 1t began,
Phnr"
"How It began? | don't know that
either. when Bannard's command
took the Geld went with the scouts.
Alike remained In Manila. Ruthven
was there for Fame, Harmon & Co.
That's how 1t began. l suppose. and
it's a rotten climate for morals. and
that's how 1t began"
''Only thatT'
I'VE had had differences. It's been
one misunderstanding after another.
II you mean was l mixed up with
another woman-no! She knew that"
''She was very young. Phil"
! He nodded. II don't blame her."
Couldn't anything have been done?"
'If it could, neither she nor did it
or knew how to do It. ! suppose. 1t
went wrong from the beginning. 1t
was founded on froth. She had been
engaged to Harmon. and she threw
him over for Boots Lansing. Then
came along. Boots behaved like
thoroughbred. That is all there is to
| it-inexperience, romance. trouble. She
couldn't stand me. she couldn't stand
the life. the climate. the inconven-
fences. the absence Of what she was
accustomed to. She was dead tired of
it all. l can understand that. And
we went under, that's all-fghting
each other heart and soul to the end.
Is she happy with Ruthven? never
knew him and never cared to. sup
pose they go about in town among
the yellow set. Do they"
"Yes. I've met Alike once or twice.
She was perfectly composed. formal,
h,,% hor ha hoc CHI fnI
her milieu somewhat. 1t began with
the influx Of Ruthven's friends from
the yellow section of the younger
married set-the Orchils, Fanes. Min
sters and Delmour-Carnes. BY the
way. Pm dipping into the younger set
myself tonight on Eileen's account. !
brought her out Thursday, and I'm
giving dinner for her tonight"
who's Ei1een?" he asked.
eileen? Why. don't you-why, Of
course you don't know yet that I've
taken Eileen for my own. Eileen is
Molly Erroll's daughter, and the courts
appointed Austin and me guardians
for her and for her brother Gerald"
"Ohv
'Now is it clear to your
EYES," he said. thinking Of the trag-
edy which had left the child so utter
ly alone in the world save for her
brother and a distant kinship by mar
riage with the Gerards.
For awhile he sat brooding, arms
loosely folded, immersed once more in
his own troubles.
"It seems shame" he said. that a
family like ours, whose name has al
ways spelled decency, should find them
selves entangled in the very things
their race has always hated and
managed to avoid. And through me
too."
But no disgrace touches you, DEAR"
she said tremulously.
1--WE been all over that, too," he said,
with quiet bitterness. You are part
ly right; nobody cares in this town.
Even though did not defend the suit.
nobody cares. And there's no disgrace.
suppose, if nobody cares enough even
to condone. Divorce is no longer no.
ticed; it is a matter of ordinary occur
renee, a matter of routine in some
sets. Who cares except decent folk?
And they only think it's pity and
wouldn't do 1t themselves. If Alike
found that she cared for Ruthven I
don't blame her. Laws and statutes
can't govern such matters. If she
found she no longer cared for me.
could not blame her. But two people
mismated have only one chance in this
world-to live their tragedy through
with dignity. That is absolutely all
life holds for them; beyond that. out
side Of that dead line, treachery to
self and race and civilization! That is
my conclusion after years expert
ence in he'll" he rose and began to
pace the floor. fingers worrying his
mustache. Law? Can a law which
do not accept let me loose to risk II
all again with another womanY
She said slowly, her hands folded in
her lap: at is well you've come to
me at last. You've been turning round
and round in that wheeled cage until
you think you've made enormous prog
ress, and you haven't. Dear, listen
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