Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-02-12


week end ut Siverside was what he
needed to avert physical disintegra'
ton.
"What is there to keep you in town.
she demanded. 1.-THE children have
been clamoring for you day and night,
and Eileen has been expecting a let
ter. You promised to write her,
Phil"
I'm going to write to her." he said
impatiently "Wait moment, Nina.
Don't speak Of anything pleasant Or
or intimate just now, because-because
I'VE got to bring up another matter
something not very pleasant to me or
to you. 1t is about-Alixe. You knew
her in school years ago. You have al
ways known her"
Yes
''You-did you ever visit her-stay
ut the Varians' house?"
Eyes"
"In-in her own home in Westches-
ter?'
Eyes"
There was silence. His eyes shifted
to his plate; remained fixed as he said:
"Then YOU knew her-father?
eyes, Phil" she said quietly, II knew
Mr.. Varian."
"Was there anything-anything I'M
usual-about him-in those days.?
Have you heard that for the first
timer" asked his sister
He looked up. eyes. What was it,
Nina?"
She became busy with her plate for
awhile. He sat rigid, patient, one hand
resting on his claret glass. And pres
emily she said without meeting his
eyes:
at was even farther back-her grand
parents-one of them She lifted
her head slowly. "That is why 1t so
deeply concerned us, Phil, when we
heard of your marriage"
what concerned you"
''The chance of interchangeable risk
of the taint-of transmitting it. Her
fathers cratic brilliancy became more
than eccentricity before l knew him.
would have told you that had
dreamed that you ever could have
thought of marrying Alike Narian.
But how could know you would meet
her out there in the orient? 1t was
youc cable to US was like thunder
bolt. And when she-she left you so
suddenly-Phil, dear-I feared the true
reason--thc only possible reason that
could be responsible for such an insane
act"
"What was the truth about her ia
ther?" he said doggedly. "EIe was &C.
centric. Was he ever worse than that"
THE truth was that he became men
tally irresponsible before his death"
"You know this?
"Alixe told me when we were school
girls. And for days she was haunted
with the fear Of what might one day
be her inheritance. That is all know,
Phil"
He nodded and for awhile made some
pretense Of eating, but presently lean
cd back and looked at his sister out Of
dazed eyes.
do you suppose" he said heavily,
''that she was not entirely responsible
when--when she went away"
Il have wondered" said Nina simply.
austin believes it."
Il can't believe it," he said, staring
at vacancy. Il refuse to-" And, think
ing of her last frightened aud excited
letter imploring an interview with him
and giving the startling reason, What
scoundrel that fellow Ruthven is" he
said with shudder.
That night he wrote to Alike:
II Ruthven threatens you with divorce
on such a ground he himself Is likely to
be adjudged mentally unsound. 1t was
brutal stupid threat, nothing more, and
his insult to your fathers memory was
more brutal still. Don't be stampeded by
such threats Disprove them by your
calm self control under provocation. Dis
prove them by your discretion and self
confidence. Give nobody a single posi-
bic reason for gossip. And, above all.
AllXp, UOl DecO1le WOITleu anu
over anything you might dread as In
heriianCe. for you are as sound today as
YOU were when I first met you, and you
shall not doubt that you could ever be
anything else. Be the woman you can
be. Show the pluck and courage to make
the very best out of life. have slowly
learned to attempt it, and it is not diffi-
cult if you convince yourself that it can
be done
To this she answered the next day:
1 will do my best. There is danger.
treachery everywhere and If ii becomes
uncomfortable 1 shall put an end to it in
one way or another. AS for his threat
incident on my admitting that did go to
your room and defying him to dare be-
levc evil OF me for doing it'll can laugh
at it now. though when 1 wrote you
was terrified remembering how mentally
broken my father was when he died.
But, as you say, am sound, body and
mind, knoY it. ] don't doubt it for one