The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1909-10-22
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y, Through a Wo1nan'S y
=, = Heart. y
~ Dy Sidney Warwick. TT
Observation-Disclosures
Heart
Dy Sidney Warwick.

-
he knew now would come sooner o.
later up the drive.
Presently the servant. all uncOn-
scious Of tragedy in the air. vas hold.
ing the front door open. speaking 70
two men:
yes. the masters returned. I'll tell
him y0S-
mo need to announce ". my girl"
said the superintendent. "ln the u.
brary. did you say?'
He strobe forward. followed BY his
subordinate.
The room was almost dark ~ he
flung open the door without ceremony.
He could only see dimly the figure
sitting in the chair and the white faces
OF the scattered playing-cards on the
foor cleaning family through the
dusk.
There was something In the attitude
Of the figure that made the officer start
forward with . sudden cry; he FUN.
bled with q match.
The flickering light fell on the grey.
distorted face OF the huddled-up figure
In the chair and on little green bot
tie that winked evilly In the momen-
tary g.eam. lying on the floor BY the
dead mans side
/. The week-night service in the church
was nearly over: the rector came
slowly down the pulpit steps, ~ the
voices Of the sprinkling Of people that
formed the congregation rose In the
closing hymn.
In spite Of himself the grave-faced
man In the surplice. whose hair had
grown noticeably greyer during the
past six months. had found his
thoughts wandering strangely through.
out the service tonight. He had
thought. ~ he delivered his address.
Of that night many months ago when.
as he stood in that pulpit, the wind
sweeping over from the moors beyond
Wildfell had beaten against the loaded
windows: that night when the woman
Of his broken dream had come back
to him with the storm. out Of the q.
tcuCC vi yCutSs W
breath Of storm across his life.
The benedicuon vas spoken: the
congregation passed out of the church.
Stephen walked thoughtfully to the
vestry. thinking OF many things.
In the church the music from the or.
gan still rose and fell In waves. beat
ing like a triumphal march-an echo
of the stately wedding march that had
been played in the church that morn.
ing. when Hilda and Jack Lathom
were made man and wife.
They had gone away. radiant and
happy. on their wedding tour: Stephen
had said goodbye to them at the sta
ton. and had gone back with a strange
new sense of loneliness to the house
where henceforth he would be alone
this man whom the great. wonderful
happiness that Hilda and Jack had
found had forever passed by. For him
love had brought only sorrow and
disillusion.
This woman he had loved 80 deeply
deeply enough to have made that
sacrifice Of honour and duty and faith
for her sake: that sin against his con.
science to be paid for In the bitterness
of suffering and remorse-how far
apart their lives lay now. and must
always lie!
Her claim to be the widow of Philip
Hume had been definitely established,
thanks to the efforts OF Anthony
Strangways. But she never came near
Wildfell. or the great house on its out.
skirts where Bonholt Hume had died.
that was hers now. The place had .
horror for her.
Stephen saw Olives name some
times In the papers-sEe had leapt
into swift. amazing success on the
stage. London was crowding to see
the new star In the theatrical frma.
ment. For this woman. who had been
the one love OF his lifs-the incense
Of popular adulation. the glitter Of
lights and music: for him-the broken
dream. with the sweetness. even Of IL
memory. marred and made bitter.
Stephen Ruthsn hung up the sur.
plice with . sigh and passed out
through the vestry door. He walked
slowly back to his lonely house.
The End.
onexeueaoie.