The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1908-12-31

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the bed covers unul II touched and
ughteued over ners Aud in silen, e
sut raised IL 10 her lips.
/ they remained so Tor awhile. he still
! pJuIy turned from her. his perpleXed
AMI narrowing gaze dXcd on the win
/ uuw. she pressing his Clinvhed hand
/ To her lips, thoughtful ana silent
Before Austin comes. he said at
length. "lets get the tuiug over and
burned AS iUug as II viii S,ay buried.
Alike is here. she said gently. Did
you know az
lie nodded.
You know, of course, that she 5
married Jack Ruthyenr
lie nodded again.
Are you on leave. Phil, or have you
really resignedY
Resigned
Il knew IT," she sighed
He said AS dill not defend the
suit 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
peu,'
phil. do you still care for herr"
81 AIN sorry for her"
After painful silence his sister
saId. Gould you tell me how It began
ldAf"
How Il bcgnuf | don't know that
either when Runnurd's command
touS the field ! went with the scouts
Alike remained In Manila Ruthycn
was there tor Fame, Harmon ~ co
That's how ii began. suppose and
it's n rotten climate for morals and
that's how 1t began"
"Oniy thatT
I'VE had had differences It's been
one misunderstanding after another
II you mean was miXpl up with
another wOmau--no' She knew that
"She wan very young Phil"
He nodded II don't blame her"
Couldn't anything have been done?"
"If 1t could, neither she nor did il
or knew how 10 DO 1t, suppose II
went wrong from the beginning II
was founded on froth she had been
engaged TO Harmon, and she threw
him over for Boots Lansing Then
came along Boots behaved like a
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 incouven
fences, the absence of what she was
accustomed to She was dead tired Of
IL all can understand that And
we went under that's all-.fghtiug
each other heart and soul TO the end
Is she happy with Ruihycn? never
knew him and never cared to sup
pose they go about in town among
the yellow set 10 theyW
Yes. I've met Alike once or twice
She was perfectly composed formal
but uneubarrassed She has shifted
her milieu somewhat II began with
the influx OF Euthyon's friends from
the yellow section of the younger
married set-the Orghi!s, Fanes, Min
sters and DclmOur-C Carnes By the
way, I'm dipping into the younger set
myself tonight on Eilecn's account.
brought her out Thursday, and I'm
giving Il dinner for her tonight"
who's Eueenf" be asked
"Eieeuf Why don't you-why, OF
course you don't know yet that I've
taken Eileen for my own Eileen is
Molly Errolrs daughter and the courts
appointed Austin and me guardians
for her and for her brother Gerald"
OH
Now is 1t clear to you"
Yes" he said. thinking Of the trag
edy which had left the child so utter
ly alone in the world save for her
brother and distant kinship by mar
riage with the Gerards.
For awhile he sat brooding, armL
loosely folded, immersed once more in
his own troubles
"lt seems shame" he said, that a
family like ours whose name has al
ways spelled decency. should hnd 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 tremuluusly
I've been all over that. roo. f." he said
with quiet bittcrGcss You are part
ly right; nobody cares In this town
Even though I did not defend the suit
nobody cares. And there no disgrace
! suppose, II nobody cares enough even
TO condOne Divorce Is no longer no.
ticed; II is matter OF ordinary occur,
renee. matter OF routine In some
sets Who cares except decent folkT
And they only think it's a pity and
wouldn't do II themselves II Alike
found that she cared for Ruthven |
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 onlv 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 hell He rose and began to
pace the floor fingers worrying his
I