Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-12-04

III sue ndppy VILE huS -. .
knew him and never cared to. sup
pose they 90 about In town among
the yellow, set Do theyT
"Yes. I've met Alike once or twice.
She was perfectly composed. formai:
but unembarrassed. She has shiftea
her mflieu somewhat 1t began Win
tbe influx of Ruthven's friends from
the yellow section of the younger
married set-the Orchils, Fanes, Min
sters and Delmour-Carnes. by Tue
way. I'm dipping into the younger Sc.
myself tonight on Eileen's account.
brought her out Thursday. ana LID
giving dinner for her tonight
"Who's Eileen" be asked. :!
.Eileen? Why, don't Jou-why, OF
course you don't know yet that I'VE
taken Eileen for my own. Eileen IS
Molly Errolps daughter, and the courts
amounted Austin and me guardians
for her and for her brother Gerald"
"OhI'
.Now is 1t clear TO your
ayes" he said. thinking OF the trag'
edv which had left the child 80 utter
10 alone In the world save lot ne'
brother and distant kinship BY mar
rage with the Gerards.
For awhile he sat broodins' arms
loosely folded, immersed once more LII
bis own troubles.
ATT seems a shame" he said, "that O
family like ours, whose name mas Ill
wavs spelled decency. should find them
selves entangled in the very thlnss
their race has always hated ana
ged to avoid And through "e
too"
.But no disgrace touches you, DEAR
she said TREMENDOUSLY.
1--WE been all over that, too" ne 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
! suDDose. If nobody cares enough even
to condone. Divorce Is no longer no
t,ced. It ia a matter of ordinary occur
renee. a matter of routine In some
sets Who cares except decent folkI
And they only think it's pity ana
wouldn't do It themselves. Ii Alike
found that she cared for RuthVen l
don't blame her. Laws and statutes
can't govern such matters. II sne
found she no longer cared for me.
could not blame her. But two people
m;smated have only one chance In TINS
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 10
self and race and civilization! That ID
nv conclusion after a years expert
ence In hell" He rose and began 10
mace the floor, fingers worrying MS
mustache. Law? Cen law which
I do not accept let me loose to risk it
all again with another woman?'
She said slowly, her hands folded IN
her lap: at Is well you've come 70
me at last. You've been turning round
and round In that wheeled cage untli
You think you've made enormous prog
ress, and you haven't. Dear, listen
to me. What you honestly believe 70
he unselfsh and high mi2ded adher'
ence to principle is noting but the
.. circling reasoning of hurt mind-an
intelligence still numbed from shock,
mental and physical life forced py
sheer courage into mechanical routine
I tell you your life is not finished. Il
Is not vet begun! You need new du
4 ties. new faces, new scenes, new prop
4 lens. You shall have them. Dear oe
A lieve me. few men as young as YOU a
v attractive, as human, as loVaDie, u
4 affectionate as you, willfully ruin thei
lives because of hurt pride whicl
a they mistake for conscience. You WI
. understand that when you become col
e yalcscent. Now kiss me and tell III
you're much obliged, for hear Aus
% tins voice on the stairs" :,
e "Well, we've buried 1t now breati
:. al se,wyn. You're all right. Mn;
" from your own standpoint, and III
not going to make stalking nuisane
!. Of myself No fear, little sister, lie
lo"-turning swiftly-"here's that pr
posterous husband of yours"
" They exchanged firm hand cias
II Austin Gerard, big, smooth shaVen' ~
a morously inclined toward the fudo
~ heayiness Of successful middle az
: selwyn. lean, bronzed. erect and are
!, IN all the powerful symmetry ana pc
VI feet health Of man within signt
CO maturity.
"Nina's good enough to want me
II, a few days. began Selwyn. out
cd big brother-in-law laughed scornfuhy
IN. "A few days! We've got you now v.
nd And to his wife: nina, ! suppose !
due to lean over those infernal klos
at fore | can have minute WIN 70
nd, brother. Are they In bed yett
J, right, Phil. Well be down IN ~
Nd nte. There's tea and things IN tue
brary. Make Eileen give you some