The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1909-08-18
it could be killed so easily?"

it could be killed so easily?"
He drew away gently.
Don't let us make it painful, Margaret.
Let me go now-perhaps in a day or two"
Mono, you must not leave me like this! |
cannot bear it haven't the strength
She sobbng convusively now-her face
against his arm.
Listen, Margaret, listen Don't you see you are
only making it more difficult for both?'
But she sobbed on unheedng. He led her
to couch. AS she lay there trying to smother
her sobs in the pillows, she could hear him walk
ing up and down the room. At last he over
and stood beside her.
Margaret it is very hard for me to leave you
like this, but l know it is best Won't you say
good night-dear?"
The low, halfreluctant tone of the last word
the concession to her Indebtedness. She
clenched her hands.
He was waiting for answer. She did not
move or speak Then, very quietly, he said, Good
night" She heard him cross the room The door
opened. He going-he was leaving her
With piteous cry she ran after him, and threw
her arms around him.
Margaret"
Gently, but firmly. he was releasing her hands.
Again he turned toward the door. And then in
frenzy OF grief and despair, she flung herself at
his feet If he had not drawn back quickly in
her wild abandonment, she would have clasped
his knees. But he saved her from that.
The whole room seemed quiverng, throbbing
as for moment he stood her as she lay
with her face against the rug He stopped and
lifted her to the couch Then, without a word he
left her.
I N the hours that followed she knew that she had
reached the depths of shame-burning scorch-
ing shame. The abasement of that night would
be with her through the years to come. She had
felt on the train that she had reached the limit
OF suffering, but she knew that she had not
There is no anguish great the anguish
OF shame. Grief, remorse, suspense have untold
suffering. But shame-the shame of woman
who has degraded herself before the man she
loves-than that there is no greater anguish
When at last, she rose, pale and grey as the
dawn that shone from beneath the shades the
lines of suffering in her face lines of reso-
luton too
There was so much to be done-would she have
strength for it all? The note to him was first
Il am going away. After last night you must
know it is all there is left. AS pitiful conces-
sion to any pride may still have ask that you
do not try to find follow in any way Should
you wish to write, the Fealty Trust company will
forward any letters"
1t was Wednesday, The Nord-Deutscher LLOYD
line sailed at half day to engage pas
sage arrange a credit, and make all preparations
and worn as she was, her desperate need for
strength gave it to her-kept her up.
That she broke down on the steamer did not
matter; nothing mattered, she told herself as she
lay in her berth all through the long voyage moth
ing mattered but that she putting the ocean
between them.
For weeks after she landed she was ILL., Partly
from the physical strain of it all, and partly be-
cause she made no effort to get we'll 1t was Just
month after the voyage that letter came from
him, STERN unyielding letter. expressing cold
disapproval of her action-as she had chosen to
take matters into her hands in this way, he of
course had choice but to submit A formal
inquiry after her health, and that was all
Her first impulse to leave the letter UNI
answered; but to cut herself off from him entirely