The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1912-08-12

me fhufe II broke upon cpnf ntiunA,
IDEAS ideals and obligations inlhngl-
Die to TIC naked eye, but a real an
those Iron coasts that have withstood
the waves assaults sincs the MdfId'a
morning
The man had shaped his lie upon, q
mistake. He believed absolutely in
the unauestloned devotion Of a woIi-
an to whom he had been forced 10
mete out death in an unpreced ented
and terrible manner. His unwilling
meas to defugate by his own conduct
from the standard Of devotion which
he believed had inhabited his wife's
boson. made 1t impossible for him to
allow the real love that had come into
'his heart for this new woman to have
free course; honor, pride and sclf.re-
spect scourged him lust in proportion
70 his passion for Enid Maitland.
= The more he loved her, the more
ashamed he was. BY a curious .com.
bination Of, circumstances, Enid Malt
land knew the truth; she knew that
from one point OF view the woman had
been entirely unworthy the reyetence
IN which her husband held her mem.
Dry. She knew that his wife had not
loved him at all, that her whole heart
had been given to another man; that
what Newbold had mlstaken,for pas.
slonate desire for his society because
there was no satisfaction in lie for
the wife away from him. was due to q
fear lest without his protection she
should be unable to resist the appeal
OF the other man which her heart
seconded SO powerfully. II It were
only that Newbold would not be false
to the obligation Of the other woman's
devotion. Enid might have solved the
problem In moment.
twas not so simple, however The
facethat Newbold cherished this mem.
ory, the fact that this other woman
had fought so desperately, had tried
so hard not to give way, entitled her
to Enid Maitland's admiration and de-
manded her highest consideration as
well. Change, or Providence, had put
her in possession of'this voman's se-
cret. 1t was as II she had been caught
inadyertentlys eayesdropping. She
could not ithkhonor make use OF what
she had overheard, as It were; she
could not blacken the other woman's
memory, she could not enlighten this
man at the expense of his dead wife's
reputation. "a ~ ~
Although she longed for him as
much as he longed for her, although
her love for him amazed her by It's
depth and intensity, even to bring her
happiness, commensurate with her
feeling. she could not; betray her dead
sister The imposts Of honor, how
hard they are to sustain when they
conflict with love and longing.
Enid Maitland was naturally not q
little thrown OF her balance by. the
situatlo1and the power, that was hers.
What she Gould not. do ssiierself she
could not allow Anyone else 70; do.
The obligation upon her must be ex.
tended 10 others. Old Kirkby had mo
right to the .woman's secret any more
than she; he must be silenced, Arm.
strong, the only other being who was
privy to the truth, must be silenced
too.
One thihgFat least arose out OF the
sea OF trouble in a tangible way; she
was done with Armstrong. Even II
she had not SO loved Newbold that she
could scarcely give a thought to any
other human being, she was done with
Armstrong;. s.. &
A singular. situationl Armstrong
had loved another woman $50 had New
bold; and; the latter had even married
this other woman; yet she was quite
willing to forgive Newbolds she, made
every excuse for him. she made none
for Armstrong; She was an enlinently
sane Just person, yet as she thought
of'the situation her anger against
Armstrong grew hotter and hotter. 1t
was a safety valve to her, feelings al
though she did not realize II. After
all. Armstrong; actions rendered her
a certain service; IL she could get
over the objection in her soul, II she
could ever satisfy her sense of honor
and duty and obligation, abe could set.
tie the question at once. She had
only TO show the letters to Newbold
and to SAYS fThese were written by
the man Of tha?picture; It was he, and
not YOU, your wife loved" and New.
bold would take her to his heart IN
stantlS! "@ u's.a, $50 : .t;S1sjs,..
These thoughts were not without q
certain comfort to. her. All the com
pensation Of self sacrifice Is in tic
realization. That she could and did
not somehow ennobled her love for.
him. Even women are alleged with
base metal. In the powerful and
universal appeal Of this man, to her,
She rejolced at whatever was OF the
soul, rather thant,of the body. To
possess power to refrain from using
It in obedience to some higher law, is
perhaps to pay oneself the most fiat
toring, of compliments. There was:
satisfactionJto her soul in this which
was Yet denied him.
Her action was quite different from
II. 81