The Washington herald., 1912-10-27
CHAPTER vn.-continued.

- But Peggy was between. She
placed her hands on his breast and
gently backed him to the door of his
own room and opened it. With last
glance of fury at Admissions tense fig
ure he passed out. =
IF you want me, Peggy" he said
in a low voice, I'll be in here" And
he shut the door.
Peggy ran back to her husband with
outstretched arms. /.
George. you are not going to send
me away?" she cried piteously.
But he drew away. "You lied. Peggy
You lied to. me! Oh, Peggy" The
stern voice trembled as the anguish of
the thought stabbed him to the heart.
"Oh, Peggy, what have ever done to
your"
George, did lie! Yes, did" she
sobbed But only that l am your
wife! Believe me, believe me =
my wife!" he echoed bitterly. mo,
no! How can l believe that? How can
/ know that is not lie?'
Its the truth! / swear i'll! cried
Peggy, and she turned her swimming
eyes and tear-dampened face up to her
husbands gaze Il am as much your
wife as | was the day you married me-"
Admission turned his eyes away. i
was fool to leave you alone. But l
trusted you" The voice broke slightly
again 4 laughed at the gossip. The
ridicule only made me trust you the
greater My whole aim in life was to
win you by doing great things-big
tllings-for you! And now it is all
turned to-desecrationw
The girl clung desperately to his
rigid arm ''Oh, George, forgive mel"
she sobbed Il am humbled, not you!
Struck down-crushed! But / will be
your slave! Oh, George. l am still
your wife, on my soul
No" he interrupted harshly. "You
love Collingwood." i
No, George; no! | love you! Last
night | knew that, if never knew it
before"
Il don't believe you." he declared,
brutally. You and he were alone to-
gether when l telephoned. Was he
with you. when l teleplloned at i
o'clock?"
"Alone from 10 o'clock until y" His
voice rose.
Alone from the time / telephoned
until"
No, no" she broke in desperately.
mot after that! | swear itT
And the girl sank to her knees beside
him and clung to his hand with both
of hers.
q know too much to believe one
word you say" he cried. You were
alone with him then! Well, by ="
he tore his hand from her grip. You
stay alone with him!"
The next instant ne was gone. Peggy
sank forward with her face against the
rug.
How long she laid there-stunned,
broken, crushed, she never knew AT
last a touch on her shoulder and Col
lingwoods voice, low and griefstricken,
partially reused her from stupor
Peggy, Peggy. Peggy! he was muir
nuring Unresisting, she allowed him
to raise and half carry and half lead
her to the sofa As she sank unsteadily
to the seat he dropped on his knees
beside her and pressed her cold hand to
his cheek Something warm and moist
dropped upon it, and Peggy vaguely
wondered.
You'd better go, Colling." she said
DULY.
Peggy, my dearest. my dearest he
whispered brokenly. Il can t leave you
this way. Please don't look that way.
Speak to me, Peggy! Forgive me, for
give mep
Did you-" she began in the Same,
dull voice
Yes; | heard, heard! Oh. Peggy,
/ would give anything in this world or
the next if had not done it. If had
not believed that you loved me!
know YOU don't now, and-you neverl
will But my life is yours, Peggy! l
would give it gladly to save your hap |
piness"
Slowly the pain and terror crept back
into the girls eyes. Her lips trenbled, |
and she shivered as she drew her hand |
gently out of his clasp.
Il am alone now, Colling," she muir
INJURED, hopelessly. He sprang up. |
Alone! No, no Peggy" he cried !
feverishly. "He is mad with things he
has imagined! He did not mean what
he said. He mustn't. He shall not.
I'll see him and"
Go, Colling," she begged, looking up |
at him. white and piteous. Then she
suddenly pressed her hands to her face.
"T-I-can't stand it! CO."
He gazed down at her pathetic, shak-
ing little form for moment. Then,
with a quick breath he stepped over and
touched the bell and walked swiftly |
out of the room. A minute later Peg
gy was sobbing in Pauline's arms. And
Pauline wept with her.
at will come out all right, madame.
1t will; it will. He loves you! He
loves you!"
Twilight had fallen and the first stars
of the night were lit in the soft black
sky. A moonbeam stole down through |
the open window and with it came the
low, sad strains of an air of Bach.
Peggy raised her head from Pauline's
shoulder Her sobs had ceased
Magical Bach! Great homeopath of
human hearts! The hideous ghosts of
evil passions that had held high carni-
val there fed before him. The song
might have crept down the silver path
way from beyond the stars, for it told
of pain too exquisite for our earthly
knowing. but pain we must yearn to
know Of a divine grief that our petty
souls are open only to our petty woes-l
of a universe cropping blindly through
the ages seeking for that place wher
Peace embraces Sorrow, and Joy is
born-Joy that even to dream of would
burst our feeble little hearts.
Her head sank back with tremulous
sigh And Peggy slept.
George Admaston was the kind OF
man that we all like to talk about and