Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-03-12


ready made and had dared TO mas
querade before his own soul as a man
free to come, to go and free to love
could not alter what had been done.
Back far back. Of it all lay the death
less pact-for better or for worse.
And now, alone, abandoned, help
lessly sick, utterly dependent upon the
decency, the charity, the mercy of her
legal paramour, the young girl who
had once been his wife had not turn
ed to him in vain.
Before the light Of her shaken mind
had gone out she had written him in
coherently, practically in extremis, and,
if he had hitherto doubted where his
duty lay, from that moment he had
10 longer any doubt. And very quiet
ly, hopeleSsly and irrevocably he had
crushed out Of his soul the hope and
promise of the new life dawning for
him above the dead ashes of the past.
1t was not easy to do. He had not
ended 1t yet. He did not know how.
There were ties to be severed. friend
ships TO be gently broken, old scenes
to be forgotten, memories to Kill.
There was also love-tO be disposed OF.
And he did not know how.
First Of all. paramount in his hope
less trouble, the desire TO save others
from pain persisted.
For that reason he had been careful
that Gerald should not know where
and how he was now obliged to live,
lest the boy suspect and understand
how much Of Selwyn's little fortune Il
had taken to settle his debts of hon
or" and free him from the sinister
pressure of Neergard's opportunities
For that reason, too, he dreaded to
have Austin know, because If the truth
were exposed nothing In the world
could prevent Il violent and final sep
aration between him and the foolish
boy who now at last was beginning to
show the first glimmerng traces OF.
character ard common sense.
So he let it be understood that his
address was his club for the present,
for he also desired no scene with
Boots. whom he knew would attempt
to force him to live ~ him in his
cherished and brand new house. And
even II he cared to accept and permit
Boots to place him under such obliga-
lions it would only hamper him in his
duties. because now what remained OF
bis income must be devoted to Alike.
Even before her case had taken the
more hopeless turn he had understood
that she could not remain at Clifton
Such cases were neither desired nor
treated there He understood that.
And so he had taken for her pretty
little villa ut Edgewater, with two
trained nurses to care for her and a
phaeton for her to drive.
And now she was installed there.
properly cared fol surrounded 10y every
comfort, contented exceptin tie black
and violent crises which still swept her
liz recurrem storms-indeed tranquil
ana happy, for through the troubled
glimmer Of departing reason her eyes
were already opening in the calm, un.
earthly dawn Of second childhood. Out
side OF that dead garden Of the past.
peopied by laughing phantOms ot her
youth. but one single extraneous mem
DRY persisted-the memory Of Selwyn-
curiousiy twisted and readiusted to tho
comprehension OF childs mind. vague
ar times. At times wstfully elusive and
incoherent, but It remained always
memory and always 4 happy one.
He was obliged to 60 to her every
three Or four days 10 the interim she
seemed quite satisfied and happy. busy
with the simple and pretty things she
now cared for. but toward the third
day OF his absence she usually became
restless. asking for him and why he
did not come And then they telegraph
ed him. and be left everything and
went white faced stern of lip, to en-
dure the most dreadful ordeal man
may face--to force the smile to his lips
and gayety into the shrinking soul OF
him and sit with her in the pretty. sun
ny room. listening to her prattle. an
swering the childish questions, watch
ing her, seated in her rocking chair,
singing contentedly to herself and play
ing with her dolls and ribbons-dress-
ing them, undressing. mending, ar
ranging-until the heart within him
quivered under the misery of it and he
turned to the curtained window. hands
clinching convulsively and teeth set to
force back the strangling agony in his
throat And the dreadful part Of it all
was that her appearance had remained
unchanged unless. perhaps she was
prettier, Iove.ier of face and 6gure than
ever before.
Thinking OF these things now. be
leaned heavily forward. elbows )n The
little table And suddenly unbidden
before his haunted eyes rose the white
portico OF Siiyerside, and the green
sward gimmered. drenched 10 sun.
shine. aud a sim figure 10 white stood
there. arms bare, tennis Dat swinging
IN one tanned little hand.
Happily for Eileen, happily Tor him,
alas love IN its full miracle had re.
NAMED beyond her comprehension
That she cared for him with all her
young heart he knew; that she had not
come to love him he knew too. So that
browning misery of happiness was
spared him. Yet be knew, too. that
there had been q chance for him; that
her awakening had not been wholly
impossible.
And now. leaning there, his face
buried in his hands, hours that he
spent with her came crOwding back