The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1909-02-10
Shadows
by Jean Madelin.

to keep something secret from aim.
He had the fullest confidence in his
wife and she deserved it, their eight
years of MAJ riage had beeh one con-
tinuous honeymoon. Rich, popular
and sociable, their life had been one
round Of pleasure. The only sha ow
which darkened their happiness was
that they had no children. He took
his wife's band and drew her towards
him and asked: What is the mat
ter with you tonight, Blanche? Has
anybody annoyed you?'
She looked straight at him and
said unhesitatingly: Eyes, Henry"
WAS it Philip Arnond?"
"Yes. For some time he has been
following me everywhere. At first,
| did not tn nix that it was anything
but an accident that | met him
everywhere, but tonight, there was
no mistake and he behaved in man
ner which was very apt to make peo-
pie talk. He also addressed me in
a way which / told him would not
allow. What shall | do?"
"The impudent fellow" Henry re-
piled, turning pale. do not let 1t
worry you any more, darling he
shall never do 1t again.
The next day Henry Morgis met
Arnond in the club. He went straight
up to him and asked him in very
decsled manner to stop his annoy
ing attentions to his wife. Arnond
replied that he had never behaved in
a manner which deserved any re-
proach A quarrel followed, which
endel in a challenge. Seconds were
chosen, and Arnond, who had the
right of choosing the weapons, de-
cided in favor of pistols, both par
ties to fire simultaneously at a dis
tance of fifteen PAGES.
Madame Morgis knew nothing OF
the duel until her husband entered
her dressing room early the next
morning. The sight of him made her
tremble.
Henry, darling, what has happen
ed to you?'
He stood in front of her, his eyes
bloodshot, his features distorted. He
was unable to utter a word. His
hands were trembling, he was hardly
able to stand. She tried to support
him, but felt her strength give way.
my God, what has happened to
you?"
He looked at her, with far-away
expression in his eyes and said in a
hoarse voice: 81 have killed man"
"Arnond?"
He nodded, but did not say word.
Arnond was hit by bullet, he fell
forward on his face and red foam
oozing from his lips, he drew a sigh
and was dead. The seconds did not
know what to do, but at last it was
decided that they should both carry
his dead body to his old mother,
whose only son he was.
In all the papers, colums were
written about the case, which caused
a great sensation, because of the
prominence of the parties involved
Henry was arrested and for weeks
he remained in Jail, but at last his TIL
al came up and after duel between
the most eminent lawyers in the
country, the jury acquitted him, de-
claring that he had been justified in
killing Almond, according to the
rules of the unwritten law.
In closed carriage Henry return
ed to his wife, who was waiting for
him at home, dressed in deep mourn
inE. He kissed her on the forehead
as he had done the evening she told
him about Arnond, threw his arms
around her neck and said in a tremb-
ling voice:
Let us go far away from here,
darling. | cannot bear the idea OF
living here among people who will
point me out everywhere | CO."
He could think of no better place
than a small house he owned in
Brittany, situated in the midst of
dark pine forests.
How beautiful 1t is here"
They clasped each others hands
and both of them hoped that here in
these changed surroundings, they
would be able to forget the horrid
past.
Blanche aren't we happy"
'Yes, Henry, very, very happy"
One afternoon they were sitting at
a small pond. Henry had been pick
ing flowers and laughingly he scat
tered them over his wife. But she
sat there mute and silent, her eyes
looking far into space.
Are you thinking of him?"
Yes"
They understood that they were
never more to be alone The other
was with them. He was there and
drove all JOY away, and both tremb-
led with fear. They told each other
that it was the loneliness of the place
which made them melancholy.
Let us go away from here, far,
far away"
They travelled through Spain, Italy
and Switzerland-but the shadow
followed them everywhere through
the country.
And they felt that they could not
flee from it, that their happiness was
forever destroyed, in spite of their
innocence, in spite of their love.
His Body to Science.