Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-02-26

what she has done and continue to do
what she does and be mentally sound
This, at last is my conclusion"
1T has long been my conclusion" she
said under her breath.
He stared at the floor out Of gray
eyes grown dull and hopeless.
"Phil." whispered his sister. sup
pose-suppose-what happened to her
father
81 know"
She said again: 1T was slow at first,
brilliant eccentricity that gradually
became something less pleasant. Oh,
Phil, Phiw
at was sOftening Of the BRAIN" he
said, was it not:"
Eyes; he entertained a delusion of
conspiracy against him, also a compla'
cent conviction of the mental insta-
bility OF others. Yet at intervals he
remained clever and witty and charm
ing"
And them"
"Phil-he became violent at times"
"Yes. And the end? be asked
quietly.
"a little child again. quite happy
and content, playing with toys, very
gentle, very pitiable." The hot tears
filed her eyes. "Oh, Phil" she sob
bed and hid her face on his shoulder.
Over the soft, family fragrant hair
he stared stupidity, lips apart. chin
loose.
A little later Nina sat up in the ham
mock, daintily effacing the traces of
tears. Selwyn was saying: "lf this is
so, that Ruthyen man has got TO stand
by her. Where could she go if such
trouble is to come upon her? To whom
can she turn if not to him? He is re-
sponsible for her-doubly so if her con-
dition is to be-that! By every law of
manhood he is bound to stand by her
now BY every law Of deeency and
humanity he cannot desert her now,
If she does these-these indscreet
things, and if he knows she is not alto
getber mentally responsible, he can
not fail to stand by her! How can he,
in Gods name|
phil" she said, you speak like q
man, but she has no man to stand 10y
ally by her in the direst need human
soul may know. He is only thing
no man at all-only loathsome acct
dent of animated decadence."
He looked up quickly, amazed at her
sudden bitterness, and she looked back
at him almost fiercely.
Il may as well tell you what I've
heard" she said. 81 was not going to
at first, but it will be all around town
sooner or later Rosamund told me
She learned-as she manages to learn
everything a little before anybody else
hears of it-that Jack Ruthven found
out that Alike was behaving very care
lessly with some man-some silly, cal.
low and probably harmless youth. But
there was a disgraceful scene on Mr..
Neergard's yacht, the Nobrara. I
don't know who the people We're, but
Ruthven acted abominably. The Mo.
brara anchored in Widgeon bay yester-
day, and Alike is aboard, and her hus-
band is in New York, and Rosamund
saws he means to divorce her in one
way or another. Ugh, the horrible lit
tie man, with his rings and bangles?
She shuddered. "Why, the mere
bringing of such suit means her So
cial ruin, no matter what verdict is
brought in. Her only salvation has
been in remaining lnconspicuous. and
sane girl would have realized it..
But''-and she made gesture of de-
spair-"you see what she has done
And, Phil, you know what she has
done to you, what mad risk she took
in going to your rooms that night"
"Who said she had ever been 10 my
rooms?" he demanded, flushing darkly
10 his surprise
did you suppose I didn't know itT
she asked quietly "Oh, but did. and
It kept ME awake nights worrying
Yet knew it lslust have been all right
knowing you as | do. But do you
suppose other people would hold you
as innocent as | do? Even Eileen
the sweetest, whitest, most loyal little
soul III the world-was troubled when
Rosamund hinted at some scandal
touching you and Alike. She told me,
but she did not tell me what Rosa
mund had said-the mischief maker"
His face had become quite colorless.
He raised an unsteady hand to his
mouth, touching his mustache, and his
gray eyes narrowed menacingly.
"ROsamund-spoke C. scandal to-
Eileenr be repeated. as that posi-
BILE"
How long do you suppose girl can
live and not hear scandal Of some
sortT' said Nina ITS bound to rain
some time or other, but prepared my
little ducks back to shed some things"
You say" Insisted Selwyn, that
RoSamund spoke of me-in that way
70 Eilecnf"
Yes. 1t only made the child angry
Phil, So don't worry"
mo; won't worry. No, II won't.
You ar6--u,site- right, Nina But the
pity of it. that tight, hard shelled wo-
man of the world to do such thing
A ~ ..a,.ssa .:.i