The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-04-06

see her. why, that is absurd. l hate
illness of all sorts"
The woman looked at him steadfastly,
! looked at him as though she had CONS
into contact with some strange creature.
"Do you understand what it is | am
! saying?" she demanded. This girl was
once your little friend, is it not so? 1t
| was for your sake that she gave up this
simple life she was living when you first
, knew her and went upon the stage. Ths
! life was too strenuous for her. She
/ broke down. took no care of herself, de-
| veloped cough and alas tuberculosis
The man sighed He had adopted an
4 expression of abstract sympathy.
"a terrible disease" he murmured
"A terrible disease, indeed Nine.
/ Christopher repeated do you not un-
I derstand what | mean when | tell YOU
4 that she is dying OF it! Very likely she
I viii not live week-perhaps not a day.
! She lies there alone in the garden OF
/ the hospital and she is afraid. There is
no one who knew her. whom she cares
4 for, to take her into their arms and to
/ bid her have no fear. Is it not your
/ place to do this2 You have held her in
/ your arms in life. Don't you see that
/ il is your duty to cheer her a little way
on this last dark journey?'
| The man threw away his cigarette and
moved to the mantepiece, where he
! helped himself to a fresh one from tho
! box.
Madame" he said, 81 perceive that
! You are sentimentalst."
| She did not speak-she could not. She
, only looked at him.
Death he continued, lighting his
cigarette, SIS an ugly thing. Ii it came
to me | should probably be quite as much
| afraid-perhaps more--than any one else.
| But it has not come to me Just yet. 1t
has come, YOU tell me, to little Lucie.
| Well. ! am sorry, but there is nothing |
can do about it. / have no intention
whatever of making myself miserable.
do not wish to see her. do not wish to
look upon death; | simply wish to forget
! it. II it were not, madame" he added,
with bow and a meaning glance from
his dark eyes, that you bring with you
something of your own so well worth
| looking upon, | could almost find myself
regretting your visit"
She still regarded him fxedly. There
was in her face something OF that shrink
ing curiosity with which one looks upon
an unclean and horrible thing.
That is your answer2" She murmurcd
The man had little understanding ami
he replied boldly:
1T Is my answer, without a doubt
Luce, if what you tell me is true as 10
not for moment doubt, is dying from a
disease the ravages of which are hideous
to watch, and which many people believe.
too, to be infectious. Let me advise you.
madame. to learn also A little wisdom
Let me beg of you not to be led away
by these efforts of sentiment. however
picturesque and delightful they may
seem. The only life that is worth con,
sdering is our own. The only death
that we need fear is our own We ought
to live like that"
The woman stood quite still She was
tall and she was slim. Her figure WAC
exquisite She was famous throughout
the city for her beauty, The mans eyes
dwelt upon her and the eternal express
sion crept slowly into his face. lie
seemed to understand nothing of the
shiyering horror with which She waa
regarding him.
If it were upon any other Grand
madame" he continued, leaning toward
her. believe | pray you, that no ont
would leave this room to become your
escort more willingly than L.
She turned away.
You will not leave me already?' he
begged.
Monsieur" she declared, as she threw
open the door before he could reach il,
III | thought that there were many men
like you in the world. if | thought
She never finished her sentence. The
emotions which had seized her were en-.
tirely ineXpressibe He shrugged hi:
shoulders.
MY dear lady" he said, "let me as.
sure you that there is not man of tht
world in this city who. if he spoke hon
estly, would not feel exactly as | do
Allow me at least to see You to yom
automobile"
IF you dare TO move" she muttercd
"if you dare"
For the continuation of this great
0ppenheim serial, see the Boston Sunday
Globe of April 7. Don't miss "Ihe Mis-
chief Maker" 1t is THE 0ppenhein
serial Order Sundays Globe at once.