The Washington herald., 1908-08-07

Frank Tisdale.
She was thinking Of writing him a let
ter asking him TO come over. when she
heard the familiar toot OF his motor out
side the rectOry gate. A moment later
the parlor maid ushered him into the din
ing-room. already dismantled- In her
plain black dress, absolutely unrelieved
by any touch OF white. she looked pale
and thin When TisdaIe gazed into her
eyes she turned them aside as II afraid
that he might read something in their too
transparent depths. Immediately she be-
gan 70 talk Of her plans speaking IN a
! quick. emphatic tone. as II she were
wearied TO tears by protest and advice
I am going 10 travel for few months.
Pragson VIII take care OF the dogs. and I
am storing my furniture with him You
know have FIVE hundred year I'm
! quite rich"
When do you go?"
As soon as I can There is going to be
a sale OF the furniture 7 don't value. The
aunts are furious and Uncle Giles has
/ pronounced sentence: 7 am not Motifs
font And vet" for The first time she
laughed, you scs that I live Sit down,
Smoke, Il you ike, Il may calm my
nerves I let myself go with you. be-
cause I dare not talk freely with them
/ You are friend Il IS good 70 have such
a friend"
I'm glad you realize that"
Why didn't you come before2 You're
always horribly busy. still
7 thought that at FIRST
She interrupted him irnpetuously
It's at first that we want a friend.
After the funeral. when I came back 10
/ this room" She paused and in a firm
I er voice continued Wen. you are here.
and I can thank you for all your kind
ness" She put out both her hands. which
7 he took and held Then she Whispered
softly Z don't regret that the end came
so swiftly He wished II so. Several
/ times he spoke OF you Hes a good feI-
[ low. Frank Tisdale: a capital fellow I
I should have liked to have had a son Ike
/ Frank Tisdale.' Can't you hear him say
( ing thar2"
Yes"
He held her hands tighter. looking hun
grily into her face
I had TO tell you that. Il meant a
great deal from him"
Perhaps II meant more than you think.
joy
He had never called her b. her Chris
tan name before
'EhE--
You see your dear father was a BIT
{ OF a diplomat And ne could handle men
and women as deiicately as he handled
butterflies. I'm sure that he knew that
would give the world 20 have the right
/ 10 call myself his son Joy. let ne take
care Of you, Come and share my Ifer'
His voice trembled oddly. IN be 50 good
10 you. And there'u be 50 much for YOU
TO do You don't mind a dght, DO youe
[ You aren't AFRAID Of work.
He drew her toward him, but she re-
sisted. With q sigh he released her
Tears were IN her eyes and IN her voice
when she said 7 wish I could come 10
you but can't. can't. And now-'-her
voice brolze-'I have lost you. too
no. no.. he whispered
She turned and went 10 the mantel-
piece. leaning her elbow upon Il. showing
her fine, deIicately-cut profile After q
pause, she said slowly. IL firm voice
II we are 10 remain friends I must
tel YOU something II viii hurt YOU. but
II VIII make our friendship possible IN
the future Sit down and don't look at
me-
He sat down
Il loved a man who was not worthy"
she mUrmured- so low that he could hard
y catch the words "Ee IS dead. and.
perhaps. Il is well il is 50. for now can
think OF him kindly. think Of the good
that was in him and not of the evfl.
I Don't ask ne any questions. please
Tt isn't necessary said T.sdale. You
are telling me what 1 know already"
/ She gave a faint cry OF establishment
'You-kn0w2''
Yes"
She did not speak for a few moments.
Z trying TO rally her powers. wondering
what Re knew and how much Tisdale
! said nervously- Now that the ice IS
I broken. I can mention something else
When Charteris''-at his name she turned
Z her head entirely-''was asked By vou TO
come up 10 the rectory he wanted 10 tell
I you who he was
Why didn't hep"
Z prevented him
You prevented him. She repeated
the phrase Tisdale gave his reasons,
rather haltingly; then. as she said moth
I ing. he added with a gesture OF depre-
cation You must remember that he be-
| lieveG you were engaged 10 Esme Bur
CESS"
With her face hidden. she asked another
/ question
You and he have talked this over.
| When -
Upon the night the Luna went down
You saw him that night7-
Yes
Her face. white and piteous. flashed
upon him He could see that she scented
mystery. that her instinct was alert.
ready 70 swoop upon every word he Ut
III
Did he tell you that he wrote TO meT'
''Yes-and he showed ne your answer.
/ Because OF that. because I had heard
from his own lips that there was no
chance for him. 7 thought. I ventured to
hope. that there might be a chance for
ne"
She came close and laid her hand upon
his shoulder
Now that he IS dead I shall ask YOU
one question Ought I to have forgiven
him2''
How can I answer that7~
you have answered II. In your heart
being a man you think that real love
ought to be able 10 pardon anything
After slight pause. she continued
vehemently- If he had run away with
that woman, could have forgiven him
But TO stay on in her husbands house.
his companion. his friend Oh, how
| shameful. how abominablel and it went
on for years"
Yes; a purgatory.'
Why do you plead his case2" She
looked at him keenly- "Is K because he
| Is dead?"
No"
You are not Ike the Afottisfonts. who
think only good should be spoken OF the
dead2''
Certainly not"
IN a case Of this kind, one wants TO
know the truth He did not look as IL
he had suffered At the trial he behaved
brazenly."
his judgment because she mistrusted her
{ a-F-