The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1909-03-25
By ROBERT w. CHAMBERS S
Author Of The Fighting Chance" Etc.
Copyright, 1907, by Robert w. Chambers
30 8


ing the law the better for-somc peo-
pie. You'll agree with me- dare say.
| And now. concerning your friend Ger
aid Erroll-l have not the slightest de
sire to see him play cards Whether
or not he plays Is matter perfectly
| Indifferent 10 me- and you had better
understand IT, But if you come here
demanding that ] arrange my guest
lists to suit you YOU are losing time"
Sclwyn, almost stunned at Ruthven's
knowledge Of the episode in his rooms.
had risen as he gave the man the lie
! direct.
For an instant. now. as he stared Il,
him. there was murder i'm his eye.
Then the utter hopeless helplessness
of his position overwhelmed him as
Ruthvcn. with danger written all over
him. stood up. his soft. smooth thumbs
hooked in the glittering sash Of his
kimOno.
"Srowl If you like" he said. backing
away instinctively. but still nervousl"
impertinent. "and keep your distance.
II you've anything further TO say to
me. write IT," Then. growing bolder
as Selwyn made no offensive move
Write to me" he repeated. with n
venOmous Smirk. ITS safer for you
TO f1gure as my correspondent than as
my wife's correspondent. L-let go OF
me! W-what the devil are you d.d-do.
ing?"
For Selwyn had him fast. one sinewy
hand twisted i'm his silken collar. hold.
ing him squirming at arms length
"M.murder!' stammered Mr.. Ruth.
ven.
NO" said Selwyn, mot this time.
But be very. very careful after this"
And he let him 20 with an involun.
tary shudder and wiped his hands OH
his handkerchief
Ruthven stood quite still, and after
a moment the livid terror died out in
his face and a rushing flush spread
over it-a strange, dreadful shade
curiously opaque-and he half turned,
J dizzily, hands outstretched for self
| support.
Selwyn coolly watched him as he
sank on to the couch and sat huddled
together and leaning forward. his soft.
ringed fingers covering his empurpled
face.
Then Selwyn went away with a
shrug of utter loathing, but after he
had gone and Ruthven's servants had
discovered him and summoned a physi-
clan their master lay heavily amid his
! painted draperies and cushions, his
congested features set, his eyes partly
open and possessing sight, but the
whites of them had disappeared, and
the eyes themselves, save for the pu-
| pills. were like two dark slits filed
with blood.
There was no doubt about It. The
doctors, one and all, knew their bust
ness when they had so often cautioned
Mr.. Ruthven to avoid sudden and ex-
cessive emotions.
That night Selwyn wrote briefly to
Mrs. Ruthven:
saw your husband this afternoon He
is at liberty to inform you of what
passed. But In case he does not there is
one detail which you ought to know-your
husband believes that you once paid a
visit TO my apartments. II is unlikely
that he will repeat the accusation, and
| think there is no occasion for you to
worry. However. It is only proper thar
you should know this which is my only
excuse for writing you a letter that re-
! quires no acknowledgment. Very truly
yours, PHILIP SELWYN.
To this letter she wrote an excited
and somewhat incoherent reply, and,
rereading It in troubled surprise he
began to recognize in II something of
the strange, illogical, impulsive atti-
tude which had confronted him in the
first weeks Of his welded life.
Here was the same minor undertone
OF unrest sounding ominously through
every line; the same Illogical, unhappy
attitude which implied so much and
said SO little, leaving him uneasy and
disconnected, conscious Of the vague
recklessness and yelled reproach,
dragging him back from the present
through the dead years TO confront
once more the old pain. the old bewil-
derment at the hopeless misunder-
standing between them.