The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-21
(Continued from Yesterday
CHAPTER xI.


apartment of my friends at Nine
Brossarti's. | went with reluctance.
but there was no choice. Keredec mad
sent for me.
Keredec had told bis. tragic ward too
little. The latter bad understood but
vaguely the nature OF the catastrophe
which overriding his return to France.
aud definite The guardian was forced
into fuller disclosures. every word
making the anguish of the listener
more intolerabie. 10 him It seemed
:hat be was being forced to suffer for
the sins of another man.
do you think that you can make
me believe l did this" he cried-.that
! made life unbearabie for her. drove
her from me and took this hideous.
painted old woman in her place? It's
lie. You can't make me believe such
4 monstrous lie Al thatI You can't.
You can'ty'
He threw himself violently upon the
couch. face downward, shuddering
from head to foot.
my poor boy. 1t is the TRUTH" said
Karedec. kneeting beside him and put
ting great arm across his shoulders.
ut Ia what thousand men are doing
this night Nothing .is more common
or more unexpiainable-or more simple.
OF ali the nations 1t IN the same, wher-
over life has become artificial and the
fuh frr,
much money aud nothing to do. You
do not understand 1t, but our friend
here. and /, we understand because we
remember what we have been seeing
all our lives. You say 1t IL not you
who did such crazy, horrible things.
and you are right. When this poo
woman who Is SO painted and greasy
first caught you. when you began to
give your money and your time and
your life to her. when she got you
into this horrible marriage with her,
you were bffnd-you went staggering
in a bad dream. Your soul hid away,
far down inside you. with its bands
over Its face. IL 1t could have once
stood straight. IL the eyes Of your body
could have once been clean for 1t TO
look through. IL sou could have eaee
been as you are today or as you were
when you were little child. you would
have cry out with horror both OF her
and Of yourself. as ron do now, aud
you would have run away from her
and from everything you had put In
your life. But In your suffering You
must rejoice. The triumph is that
your mind hates that old life as great
ly as your soul hates 1t. You are rs
good as r you had never been the wild
fellow-yes. the wicked fellow--that
you were. Fer man who shakes of
his sin Is clean. He stands as pure
as IL he had never sinned."
The desperate young man on the
couch answered only with the sobbing
Of a broken hearted child.
came back to my pavilion after
midnight. but did not sleep. though
I lay upon my bed until dawn, Then
went for long. hard walk, break
tasted at Dives and begged ride back
to Nine. Brossard's In a peasants
cart which was going that way.
found George Ward waiting for
me on the little veranda Of the pavil-
ion. looking handsomer and more pros
perousiy distinguished and distinguish
edly prosperous and generally well con-
ditioned than ever. as l told him.
II have some news for you" he
said after the hearty greeting-.an
announcement. in fact. Elizabeth's go
ing to marry Cresson Ingle"
That Is the news-the announce
ment-you spoke OFT"
Yes. that IL It."
To save my life could not have told
at that moment what else had ex-
pected or feared that be might say.
but certainly took deep breath OF
relief. Il am very glad" said. .It
should BE- happy alliance"
ION the whole, think 1t will be-"
he returned rnoughtfully. '.lngie's
done his share Of hard living. and
once had nouon"-he glanced smil-
lngiy AT Newell. dare say you
know my notion. But IL Il q good
match for Elizabeth and not without
advantages on many counts. You see.
It's time married. myself. She feels |
that very strongly. and | think her
decision to accept Ingle Is partly due
to her wish to make ,tH clear for Z /
new mistress of my household"
He laughed again. but did not. and.
noting my silence. he turned upon me
a more. scrutinizing look than he had |
yet given me and said:
you look quite haggnrd. you
haven't been III"
e mo: rye had bad night. That's
ALL"
''Oh. heard something Of . riofous
scene taking place over here" he said.
zone Of the gardeners was talking
Rbont It to Eiixabefh.@
what was 4 you heard 7" ] asked
quickly.
HE said that there was great excite
ment 81 Nine. Rr0ssard's because
strange woman had turned up and
claimed an insane young man for her
...Dainnafi0n! i started from my
:hair. ~Did Mn. Harman hear this
ltoryr'
~ ~ ai1at In essss,.. -
IS III ssS sss & sssz|s