Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-06-15
ruth; this was the unreality.

Perhaps she saw something Of what
was passing in my mind, Tor she
shook her head. Don't think that
because had no heart to mar your
outing. I did not mean what nad
said. It was easter to be friends Tor q
little-easier for both Of us. But sure
ly you should have played your part
At the Ainslies' wanted to treat you
as should have treated anybody. DO
you think that you have been fair
Do you think you should have risked
following me? For 1t was risk. You
have come back here where we are
the only people you know, and as soon
as you come you ask for me. ] don't
like to say 1t, Mr.. Crosby, but you
have acted inconsiderately. am very
anxious that this time you should
clearly understand"
got to my feet in silence. Some
thing had happened that could not
help; and as I stood there, l knew
that my world had come to an end,
and as in the first shock of physical
injury, felt numbly conscious OF the
deliberate suffering that was to follow.
She had risen too, looking somewhat
curiously small and frail. Then, Of q
sudden, my manhood caught at me.
The wall was without seam or crevice,
darkening the sky; and knew that
I could break 1t with breath.
II will 60" said, when am sure.
Look at me, Lady, for you know that
l know"
There was sharp snap. She glanc
ed at her hands, then dropped the
broken paper knife at her feet and
faced me haughtily. Know" she said
with dry tension in her voice, II on.
ly know that this Is to be good-by."
She held out rigid hand.
l took it and stood looking soberly
down at her.
SIS that all?" I asked.
eyes," she answered. Don't make
It hard for me-" Then her eyes grew
suddenly afraid She caught away her
hand and shrank back a step, catch
ing at the chain about her throat.
"Oh, don't DON'T" she begged.
please, please go-you don't under.
stand"
l held myself with all my strength.
mo, l don't understand" whispered.
She caught her breath with half
sob, forlornly and as child might.
you must not understand. You
are never to see me again.
"You know I can't do that" said.
"You must do it," she answered very
gravely. BE kind to me-" she
paused, because it's hard for me to
send you away"
"You must tell me one thing more
than that" said I; us there's there
any one else?"
Her eyes fell. THAT is It," she said
at last, there is somebody else"
THAT Is all, then" said quietly. II
shall stay away until you send for me-"
and left her.
have no remembrance of the walk
back to the inn; but closed my door
softly as II were shutting door up
on my dreams. Now l knew that the
dull round of daily life, Of little hap
penings and usual days, stretched be-
fore, weary aud indefinite. 1t made
little difference to think that might
some day be sent for. Evidently 1t
was to be Europe this summer after
all. My only desire was to make my
going thing immediate and COM
plete; to rupture 80 absolutely the
threads of the wool that we had
woven that could feel myself separat-
ed from all, enough aloof from love
to think Of life. I did not stop to ask
myself questions or to wonder precise.
ly what was the nature of the impos-
sibility that was driving me away.
There would be time enough for that.
began to pack feverishly, gathering
my belongings from their disposition
about the room. I felt tired, as man
feels tired who has lost battle; 80
that after had packed little sank
YEARLY into the chair before my bu-
reau. Then after what may have been
minute or an hour of dull uncon-
scious thought, fell again to my task;
pulling open the drawers from where
sat, and searching their depths for
little odds and ends which piled upon
the bureau top. The bottom Of the
second drawer was covered with an
old newspaper; and | smiled as l no.
ticed that It's fabric was already turn
ing brittle and yellowish, and read
the obsolete violence of the headlines.
Then name halfway down the page
caught me with a shock. and l slowly
read and re-read the lines Of tiny
print, forming the empty phrases In
my mind with no clear sense Of their
meaning. They were like the streams
of silly words that run through ones
head in a fever, or halfway along the
road to sleep; and it was an eternity
before they meant anything.
"Reid-Tabor. On May "a, at the
home Of the brides parents, Miriam,
daughter Of George and Charlotte Ben.
nett Tabor, to Doctor Walter Reid"
CHAPTER VIII.
Very carefully, and wondering the
while in listless fashion why l
should do so at all, tore out the no.
tice and put it carefully away in my
pocketbook. l had the explanation
now; | understand it all-the hidden
ring at the end of the chain, and the
shadow of which it was the symbol,
the mystery and disturbance Of the
house, the continual pretexts to get rid
of me, the effort : to disguise any
strangeness of appearance in the life
of the family. And understood why
it was true that I must go away and
utterly forget. And yet-was the ex.
PLANTATION so perfect, after all? Me-
chanically pulled the paper out OF
the drawer, and searched for the date.
It was only three years back; but even