The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26

ii
She had been beside foated out to
meet the horizon, and then giant had euried
over, sweeping me back shore. The murmur of
a surging still in my
tried to raise myself Then acute physical pain
hurled me back to familiar surroundings The strange
figures resolved themselves into physicians and
nurses; the shore and the sea vanished Only my
mothers face remained, and dimly my father
at the other end of the closed my eyes, try
ing to shut the reality of failure. 1t moro
unbearable than the bodily suffering each second of
consciousness intensified
Death had been comparatively peaceful and
this was indicative of life-these ugly means of
foraton this helplessness, the awakening pain In
fash it recurred TO nne-al that the return would
mean. 1 didn't want to lve-the words kept ringing
IN my ears. I lay limp resisting the inclination to
move struggling to lose myself again in insensbility
But there was no release. Fate had decreed that
should go on and on, pawn in the endless gamel
must go back to the treadmill Life closing
me in as surely as the grave. was the crowning
irony Death had tossed willing victim, while
others were probably clnging desperately the last
breath.
During the week of uncertainty that followed-of
torture for me- prayed for relief from the passion
of memories forcing to the edge of chasm that
meant chaos to leave suspended there. And all the
while felt the physician watching curiously,
If were specimen worthy of experiment.
IT'S harder tussle than it ought to be-" he told
one Of the nurses; "but wen win out"
They exchanged gances and he came over to the
bed rnuttering something about "hysterical women
who had nothing better do than kill themselves"
So he knew-they all knew probably Oh, yes,
was bungler, hopeless My mothers face,
with that strange look of anxiety, told that she
suspected Ny father-I could guess his thoughts.
And Dick-why was he not there1 Where had he
gone after the interview with Grant Haywood What
had happened to Doly7 A thousand questions
haunted me Ike specters.
But one afternoon Dick came tearing in, dshev-
eled, dusty from travel
Good God, you let me hear news like this from
strangeri" came from the next room eff it hadn't
been for Stead
you forget you made attempt to leave an ad-
dress" Ny mothers voice quite famiiariy cold
what has happened to herr She we'll
enough" The next moment gathered into
his arms
BROTHER AND SISTER
Then for the first time tears came sobbed against
his shoulder every breath rackng bending breaking
me I was clinging to Dick trying to make out the
lines Of his face mark the changes in it. asking my
self rnutitudes of questions about him. The fires
were commencing burn where before had been
dead ashes.
How do you think found you l1" he
asked few days latei He wa. sitting beside me.
resigned her post as sentinel, 1t the first time
my brother and had been les together 81 was half
way to the coast when message from Bob
Stead
$50 you and 1 were both-running away, Diekf"
His eyes tossed me two queries at once.
answered the first "Yes, 1 know-about Dolly"
"You know?" He looked at me, ineredulous for
instant then held me close that I might his
face.
forced myself to go back over the details of that
hour at his ofice-for they written In blood.
"I wanted to tell you but ddn't dare. / tried TO
keep it from Nela, but she found out too Think
what it meant for her to learn that she'd been tho
tool of her father I've lived through every minute
as If I'd been with her.
Dick had risen suddenly and stood over me. The
lines of his face craven hard stone the veins
n his hand rose like blue wets IT'S been hell that's
the simplest way 10 put IL "Heli One oA tue iO"ci
animals is danger to the community he's put out of
the way But man who's lower than any of them
rosrns at WILL protected by. the law-particulary if
he's one of the kings of this country and enjoys their
divine rights. England sets the pattern-we follow
suit Royalty do wrong, and the kings favor
:ites come under the immunity. Unfortunately,
Dolly Brooke missed your society womans schooling.
c7e has 2 conscience" He brought letter from
his pocket and handed it to Il to give you
this if ever you should learn the truth about her. 1t
was inclosed in mine.
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