The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1914-05-30

kets Of the western city: but Halsey
had never had many Investments. had
watched the markets little: and now.
isolated at Graystone Hall almost as
much as though upon a desert island.
and too much disturbed and distracted
In his own mind to find any definite in
terest in business matters. was hardly
conscious of the storm that ragged. He
simply waited on. unhappily. 1t seemed
to him there was no place for him In
all the world Why did Virginia re-
main aloof?
Rawn. absent. in New York, imag-
ined his wife engaged continuously in
the struggle OF persuading Charles
Halsey to see the light of reason. al
though he did not know Halsey was
living under the same roof with her.
As q matter of fact. Halsey and she
met but rarely. Virginia breakfasted
for the most part In her own rooms,
and found. or pretended to find. some.
thing to occupy her for the most part
of the day. Not once did she ask his
attendance. not once did she speak
with him. when by chance she saw
tional matters. She seemed always to
evade him; and because she did this
he. rebelling. sought her out all the
more. even while continually resolv-
ing to take his departure. and never
again to see this place. or her. again
He wondered at her reticence. heI
avoidance of him. He wondered why
she was SO pale. He loitered about
unhappily. in this or that common
meeting ground OF the great mansion
house. waiting to hear the rustic ol
a gown upon the stair. the sound Of 8
light foot on a foor. the touch of Z
white hand. the sound of a voice-al
things belonging. not to his wife. but
to his young stepmother by law.
Yes. Without his wish. in spite Of
her wish. these had become things de
sired. the only things desirable any
more In his distracted life. He liveC
under the same roof with two women
saw either rarely. and rarely thought
of but one-the wrong one. To atone
Halsey lavished all his time and care
on his little hunchback daughter. ant
had her with him as much as the nurse
and doctor would allow. The child
understood, pale, deformed, silent anC
wistful, and pathetic always, now wal
listless and weak. obviously very seri
ously i'll. 1t wrung her fathers hear
to see her. But Charles HaIsey want
ed it wrung. He wanted to do bitter
est penance for what he now knew
was his secret sin. So the ways O
inordinate power. tbN consequences
for this one or that one. which follow
on inordinate greed, worked them
selves out toward their sure and log
ical ending. the mill OF fate grinding
those primarily. secondarily, even Incl
dentally guilty.
At this time. had Virginia Raw
| asked of him to recant. to relent, t,
change. there is likelihood he woul,
have done 30. John Rawn. cuckold
was right in his despicable reasoning
There are many prices which purcnas
principles. The weakness which ha,
prompted Halsey to remain at Gray
stone hall on such a tenure-whicl
held him there now, waiting for
voice. listening for footfall-was tn
ancient weakness Of youth befor
youth. Of strength before beauty, O
the empty heart before one offerin
love. OF the mind finding perfect ech
| In another mind.
With all his starved heart, all his re
| pressed soul. all his mutinous body
Charles Halsey loved Virginia Rawn.