The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-02-17

Dt, SDullCu SAStCA'
He looked up at her. "Do you mean
that anybody else is guest at Brook
minster?"
"Yes, Phil"
"AlixeT
YES"
He looked down at the book on his
knees and began to furrow the pages
absently.
"Phil," she said, "have you heard
anything this summer-lately-about
the RuthvensP
mo"
Nothing at all?"
mot a word"
"You knew they were at Newport as
usual?"
II took 1t for granted"
"And you have heard no rumors-
no gossip concerning them-nothing
about yacht"
"Where was I to hear 1t? What gos-
sip? What yacht"
His sister said very seriously, "Alixe
has been very careless"
Everybody is. What Of it?"
"It Is understood that she and Jack
Ruthven have separated"
He looked up quickly. "Who told
you thatF'
"a woman wrote me from Newport.
And Alike is here and Jack Ruthven is
In New York. Several people have-I
have heard about 1t from several
sources. I'm afraid it's true, Phil"
They looked into each others trou
bled eyes, and he said: eff she has
done this, it is the worse Of two evils
she has chosen. To live with him was
bad enough, but this is the limit"
IT know it. f'he cannot afford to do
such q thing again. Phil, what is the
matter with hcr? She simply cannot
be sane and do such thing-can she"
81 don't know" he said.
"Well, do. She is not sane. She has
made herself horribly conspicuous
among conspicuous people. She has
been indiscreet to the outer edge Of eff
frontery. Even that set won't stand it
always-espec tally as their men folk
are quite crazy about her, and she leads
train of them about wherever she
goes-the little fool!
"And now, if it's true that there's 60
ing to be separation, what on earth
will become Of her? I ask you, Phil, for
I don't know. But men know what be-
comes eventually of women who slap
the world across the face with over
ringed fingers. .
"1f-if there's any talk about it-i1
there's newspaper talk-if there's a di
vorce, who will ask her to their houses
Who will condone this thing? Who viii
tolerate it or her? Men, and men only
the odious sort that fawn on her now
and follow her about half sneeringly
They'll tolerate 1t, but their wives
won't, and the kind of women who vii
receive and tolerate her are not includ
ed in my personal experience. What q
fool she has been! Good heavens, what
FOOL"
A trifle paler than usual, he said
''There is no real harm in her. know
there is not"
You are very generous, Phil"
"No, l am trying to be truthful. And
say there is no harm in her. l have
made up my mind ON that score" He
leaned nearer his sister and laid one
hand on hers where it lay across the
hammock's edge.
nina, no woman could have done
what she has done and continue to dC
what she does and be mentally sound
This, at last, is my conclusion"
"It 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 hel
father
II know"
She said again: SIT was slow at first
brilliant eccentricity that gradually
became something less pleasant. Oh
Phil, Phily
"It was softening of the BRAIN" ht
said, was it not?"
"Yes; he entertained a delusion o,
conspiracy against him, also compla
cent conviction of the mental insta
bility of others. Yet at intervals h,
remained-clever and witty and charm
ing"
"And then?"
"Phil-he became violent at times"
Eyes. And the end" he asked
quietly.
"a little child again, quite happ!
and content, playing with toys, yer!
gentle, very pitiable." The hot tear
filed her eyes. "Oh, PHILIP she sob
bed and hid her face on his shoulder.
Over the soft, faintly"fragrant hal
he stared stupldly, lips apart, chill
loose.
A little later Nina sat up IN the ham
mock, daintily effaclng the traces o
tears. Selwyn was saying: "If this 4
so, that Ruthven man has got to stan'
by her. Where could she 60 II sucl
trouble Is to come upon her? To whom
can she turn II not to hlm2 He is re
sponsible for her-doubly 30 II her con
dition is to be-thatl By every law o
manhood he Ii bound to stand by he
now. By every law Of decency ant
humanity he cannot desert her now
If she does these-these indiscree
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