The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-02-03


Rupert Carroll walked back to his
office in the city like a man in a dream.
1t was late in the afternoon. yet he
would not go back to his home-the
shock OF what Dessinger had told him
overwhelmed him. and he felt that he
must be alone.
she loves me Still-in spite of ev-
erything," he said to himself: and al
though there was certain secret and
guilty joy at the thought. there was
at he same time, to do him justice, 4
far greater amount of considerable
ar l distress. 1t seemed to him that
he mad never realized till this moment
the magnitude and the bitterness of
the loss of her. For now, he must
never see her again.
He realized that London could no
longer contain them both. that TO
breathe the same air. to inhabit the
same city. where at every street cor
ner he ran the chance of meeting her
face to face was now fraught with
deadly peril for them both.
1t was for him to save her from such
a position. He made up his mind rap
idly what he would do-he would
throw up his employment in the city
on some pretext or other. and as soon
as his wife's health admitted of il. he
could take her and the infant abroad.
they should travel for a time and then
settle In some far-off country-New
Zealand perhaps. or Canada, it did no.
matter very much to him wherein
this respect ne would be guided by
Agatha's wishes-only in England he
would remain no longer.
When he got back TO his own room
at the office he found a telegram ~
ing upon the table He opened IL to
| find an exact repetition Of the message
which Agatha in her foolishness had
sent to him once before. 1t was a mes
sage telling him that his wife was i'll.
and urging him to lose no time in
| coming home.
He tossed the paper contemptuouslv
into the waste-paper basket He did
not believe in her illness. 1t was only
another trick that she was playing up
on him. She was jealous. and she be-
lieved that she had the right to pry
upon his movements and TO control his
acticnsi
| 1t was more than an hour after the
arrival of the telegram when he left
the office and turned his face west
ward. and even then he determined that
he would walk and not drive home. AT
last he turned the corner into Chester
Square. Immediately. he became aware
that something was wrong-two car
riages stood before his door; he hur-
ried forward, and as he thrust his
latch key into the door. he looked back
lapprehensively at the two carriages be-
hind him. Both were empty. but he
recognized on the box of the first. the
coachman of his wifes doctor There
was a strange silence in the house
an odd, deathlike stiffness.
| Some one came. flying down the
staircase as he entered. 1t was his sis
ter She was watching for his return.
Her face was pale as death. and dis
figured with weeping Rupert uttered
cry of dismay at the sight of her
The doctors carriage is here. Has
she been taken ILL.," he inquired.
breathlessly. whilst a sudden pang OF
fear made his heart stand still
Yes. the doctors were here-two OF
them. They sent for another. Oh. did
you not get my telegram. Rupert?
Why did you not come before? II is
all over
"An over? Do you meaa-that the
child is born?"
"Oh. my darling brother. you have
last them BOTH" she cried brokenly
Agatha is dead"
''She died ten minutes ago-in ago
nies-calIing for you-begging and
praying you to come TO her. She knew
that / had telegraphed for you. and
1 IA
fusion came TO her; she fancied that
you loved some other woman. and that
you had gone away to see her. Over
and over again in her rawlings. the poor
child repeated this unhappy idea In
vain / attempted to soothe and calm
her. to tell her that it could not be
true that you loved anyone better than
your wife. He told me so himself.
was all she would say. He is with her
now; though / am dying. he Will not
leave her to come to me- oh. Ru-
pert. why. why did you not come soon
err? How was it you die not get my
telegram"
He turned away from her in deepest
| humiliation; he could not answer her
question. Miss Carroll flung herself
| down upon the sofa. in a perfect par
oxysm of grief. The poor woman was
half distracted BY the scene she had
gone through. and by the painful death
of her adopted child; her sobs and la
mentations rang through the silent
room.
But as for Rupert. he stood motoin-
1 less and fearless. and said not a word.
Yet ten years could scarcely have add
ed a greater burden to his life than
did that moment of anguish Neither
tears nor lamentations could avail him
| 1T is my own fault-my own stupid
ity-my own blind and selfish oostina-
| cy,' said the voice of his conscience
within him. IF / had killed her with
my own hands. | could scarcely be
more culpable. can never forgive my
self
And he vas right; for the power of
repentance and reparation towards the
dead, whom we have hurt or wound
ed. is taken away from us for ever;
for that unutterable remorse there is
no consolation upon earth. and the bit
terness of it must go with US down TO
the grave.
Ito be continued)
|