The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-09-02
CHAPTER xxi.
w wanted most-to die"

America" continued Ken
drick after a pause. There
! ~ was no treaty Of eXtradtion.
| smoked cigarettes and drank what
passed for rum on the balcony Of IN
! impossible hotel, and otherwise grOped
about for the path that leads to the
devil. After year, | wrote to Hay
/ den. He answered, urging me to stay
away. He intimated that the thing we
had done was Oh my shoulders. | was
ashamed. frightfully unhappy. didn't
dare write to-her. had disgraced
her. l asked Hayden about her, and
he wrote back that she was shortly
to marry him. After that 1 didn't
want to come back to Reuton. l want
ed mOst-tO die.
"The years crept by on the balcony
Of that impossible hotel. Six Of them.
At last. few months ago, l wrote to
another college friend Of mine, bray
ton. and told him the whole story.
did not know that he had been elected
prosecutor in ReutOn. He answered
with kind, plying letter. and finally
l knew the horrible truth Nothing
had ever happened. The thing we had
done had never been discovered. Hay
den had lied. He had even lied about
his engagement to Myra ThOrnhill.
There, he had made reality out of
what was simply his great desire-I
came north. What happened after you
know as we'll as l."
"Yes. I think l do." agreed Mr.. Ma
gee softly.
IL have told you the whole story"
Kendrick replied. "and yet it seems to
me that still it is not all told. Why
should Hayden have killed himself? :?
He had lied to ME, it is true. but life
was always sweet to him. and it hard.
ly seems to me that he was the sort
to die simply because his falsehOod
was discovered. Was there some other
act Of cruelty-some side to the story
OF which we are none Of us aware? /
wonder"
He was silent moment.
Anyhow. / have told you all I
know" he said. shall tell it also
to the coroner? Or shall we allow
Hayden's suicide to pass as the result
Of his implication in this attempt at
bribery? l ask your advice, Mr.. Ma
gea"
/ MY advice" returned Magce. "is
that you befuddle no pompous little vii
lage doctor with the complication Of
this unhappy tale. No. let the story
be that Hayden killed himself as the
tolls closed in on him-the tolls of the
law that Furnishes the bribe giver-
now and then and occasionally. Mr..
Nendrick, you have my deepest SYM
pathy. Is 1T too much for me to hope"
he glanced across the room to where
Myra ThOrnhill sat beside the prOfes-
s0r-"that the best Of your life is yet
to come, that out Of the wreck this
man made Of 1t you may yet be
happy?"
Kendrick smiled.
"YOu are very kind" he said. "Yes,
Miss ThOrnhill has waited for me all
these years-waited, believing. 1t is
loyalty Of which / cannot speak
withOut-you understand. She knows
why ] went away-why stayed away.
She is still ready to marry me.
shall 60 again into the Suburban Of
flee and try to lift the road from the
muck into which It has fallen. Yes.
1t IS not too much for me to hope
and for you in your kindness-that q
great happiness Is still for me-"
believe me. I'm glad" replied Ma
gee with youthful enthusiasm, holding
ont his hand. "l'm sorry l spoiled
your little game up here, butt
II understand" smiled Kendrick.
IL think none the less of you for what
you have done. And who knows? 1t
may turn out to have been the wisest
course after ALL"
All. would It? Mr. Magec walked to
the window, pOndering on the odd tan
gle Of events that had not yet been
completely Strengthened out. Certain
ly her eyes were an honest blue rs
we'll us beautiful-but who was she?
Where was she? The great figure of
Mrs. Norton stirred restlessly near ut
hand; the puffcd lids Of her eyes
opened
'Mr. Magee," she said when she had
made out his figure by the window.
you've been n true friend, as might
say, to couple Of mad females who
ought to have been ut home by their
own flresidcs. and I'm going to ask
one more favor Of you. Find out
when the next train goes to ReutOn,
and see that I'm at the station IN
hour or two before it pulls out"
'T'll do that, Mrs. Norton" smiled
Mngce. "By the way. is Norton the
name"
"Yes," answered the woman. that's
my name. or course it amt hers.
can't tell that"
"NO matter" said Mr.. Magec She'll
probably change it soon. Can't you
tell me something about hcr-jlst Il