The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1913-11-17

SeN~p eAa Aa1u lOuhu-tHlb.
That next hour left its perman-
emit mark on those two faces;
agony and shame were cut into the
wincing flesh, as by some mighty
die. At first Fleming was all rage;
then rage turned into sullenness,
and sullennsss to explanation and
excuse. But as he Gained down,
shame. an old, old shame, that he
had loathed and lived with for a
dozen years, a shame that, except
when Amy was too tenderly proud
of him. he was sometimes able for
days. and even weeks, to forget
the old shame reared its deadly
head, and looked out of his abased
and shifting eyes.
After some miserable and futile
explanation had been repeated and
repeated. he stopped to get his
breath; and then still pulling the
hem of her handkerchief straight
In her knee. his wife said, in a life
less voice:
Need we talk about 1t any more?
On Tuesday we will send 1t back.
(Monday is a holiday. You can't
send 1t until Tuesday, Then we
will never talk about 1t any more"
Send what backY
"The money. To Mr.. Hammond"
Are you out of your senses?" he
said, roughly.
She looked up. confusedly you
can't send 1t until Tuesday," she
repeated, mechanically.
He brought his fist down vio-
lently on the table. st will never
send 1t back! Never! You are in
sane! Why. 1t would be acknowl-
edgins-"
1T would be confession" she
agreed.
We'll! that would be ruin"
"Ruin?'
Why, If people knew" he be-
gan.
TT is ruin. anyhow" she said,
DULY. Don't you see? The only
thing left is restitution"
II can't make what you CALI
restitution" without-ruin; abso-
Lutte ruin! Do you realize what 1t
would mean to me, in this town, to
have 1t know that borrowed
from the trust, and-and had not
yet returned It? On the stand, of
course. had to protect myself; and
that would be-against me. And 1t
WOULD be known. Hammond
would never let 1t be settled pri-
vately! He couldn't prosecute me
on the old charge; but I suppose
he might make claim of--of per-
jury. Anyhow, just the publicity
would ruin me. And he would
make 1t public. Trust Harmon!
Besides. I've given 1t back ten times
over in unpaid-work to the estate
=" He stopped abruptly. Amy had
Sunday was a long day of strug-
gle. The immediate horror of vio-
lence was over; he was ashamed;
and he loved her, and he was
frightened. But he was immovable
His hardness was worse than his
violence.
Monday, the holiday-Monday,
they struggled to the death.
1t was in the afternoon that she
suddenly tagged. She had been
kneeling beside him. entreating
him; and he had been hard and vio-
lent and childish by turns; but he
would not. And toward dusk there
came a dreadful pause. 1t was a
sudden blasting consciousness that
~
soul. If she forced him to make
restitution, the restitution would
not be his, but hers. No, he must
save himself. She could not ssve
him.
She drew away and looked at
him; then she covered her face
with her hands. II am DONE" she
said. family.
The afternoon was very long;
once he went and walked drearily
about the snowy lanes. avoiding
passersby as well as he could. But
for the most part he sat in the
library and tried to read or smoke.
1t was late at night that his wife
came back into the room. She
stood in the old place, on the
hearthrug. Very gently she told
him what she had to say.
II have thought 1t all out" she
began In a low voice; land see
was wrong" He started. II
was wrong. You must save your
own soul. can't do II for you.
Oh, / would but I can't. I shall
not ever again insist"
Amy" he began. but she check
ed him.
"Pleasel--I am not through yet.
I shall pay the money back. some
how, sometime. ooh. wait--wait;
DON'T interrupt meD OF course.
shall not betray you. My paying
1t shall not tell the truth. because.
unless the truth is from you, IL