Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1915-10-16

Alicia Learns That Esther is lynn's
Wife.
in his work. The old Felix Lynn was
gone, lost, for this recluse was not
the brilliant, powerful young Felix
Lynn.
YEARLY he closed down his desk
and left his office.
He glanced warily up and down the
narrow, winding street as he moved
swiftly toward his motor car. 1t was
as though he had tried to identify
his terror in the crowd and, not
finding 1t, sought temporary refuge
in the machine. Always he was
craning his head from side to side
with the quick, darling movements of
a frightened bird And finally, with
a weary sigh of relief, he sank back
against the cushions of the car, relief
tightening his face. His hand groped
for the speaking tube and after a
moments hesitation he directed the
chauffeur to the Halstead residence.
At the curb he leaped out lightly.
His lips moved in an exclamation of
relief and then the haunted express
sion suddenly hurled across his face,
transferring 1t. For limousine
slowly moved toward him, the face
at the glass causing him to shrink
away afraid.
Alica looked at the man, then slow
ly descended from the car and stood
before him. He opened his mouth as
though to speak but the cold, express
sionless face of the girl halted him.
Motionless she stood. Fixedly she
stared. Stared as though at an IMAM
innate object instead Of the man she
was slowly driving insane with her
torture.
He turned quickly away and, with
shrug of the shoulders, moved up
to the steps, pressing the bell rapidly,
his very back indicating his fear of
that silent woman on the walk below.
The butler deferentially opened the
door, his face expressing the perfect
mixture of complacency and defer
ence always to be found upon the
ideal servants countenance. Some
thing very like surprise crossed his
face as he saw who waited, then he
quickly closed the door, almost
slammed 1t in the mans face.
Felix Lynn's shoulders slumped
again as he half turned. He dreaded
crossing the dead icy light in the
eyes of the woman who waited below.
For months now she had tortured
him in this fashion. For months she
had appeared always beside him, star
ing, staring at him from those accus-
ing eyes, and never a word-never
word from those lips that had last
hurled at him the epithet-"thief"
Like a haunted, hunted beast he
looked toward the garden, then, in
some swift impulse, as his eyes
caught glimpse of Esther seated on
bench there, he moved hurriedly in
her direction.
She shrank away as she saw who
had caused the quick crunch of
gravel, but something on the face of
the man made her stop. He held
out his arms to her, not arms that
would embrace but arms that pleaded
for help, little comfort, and, yes, q
little protection.
For a moment he did not speak,
could not speak. then all the flood
gates were loosened, all the restraint
was shattered and the suffering, torn
and lacerated soul of the man stood
before her, unabashed at its naked
ness, only asking the balm Of forgive
ness.
mo, not even forgiveness, Esther"
he pleaded brokenly. Il only wish
the chance to try and help. l have
sinned, Esther, but God knows,
have paid, am paying and shall pay
until the memory of that sin is wiped
away from all our minds. From our
hearts 1t can never go. love you
but we will not speak of that. only
ask one little word-one little word of
comfort. And 1t will make me strong.