South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-11-18

"Mouktar. send the donkey man to the noun
tains for more snow. We shall short in
this heat"
"Ahi Monsieur Hearn," for Hearn was now
beside her. II had not remarked you. Do
not think am agitated l am a little unquiet,
that is all Our dear patient does not go alto
gether well Also she is too sad What will
you? Sometimes IL is like that. Enfin. i
have sent to find my husband. He will be
here at once"
The sight of Marionka beckoning from the
doorway of the boat-tent put stop to Madame
Bertin's utterances, and she hurried back to
her charge.
"Du courage, Monsieur Hearn, du courage"
she cried over her shoulder as she shuffled
across the sand.
Godfrey Hearn returned to the office tent
and paced the mud floor back and forth. He
heard the old doctors arrival, and Madame
Bertin's greeting of him, and the confused muir
muir of the rapid talk that passed between them
Then silence fell once more, and for a long time
he continued to walk to and fro.
His pacing took him always past his desk,
and at length mechanically and unthinking, he
picked up another letter from the new arrivals
and opened il.
His eyes had read the first page before his
brain had realized his wife was the person ad
dressed. But having grasped that fact he read
on to the end.
II was terrible letter
my darling" it began, and then followed hot
words fiery utternnces of delirious love, and
interspersed with them yelled, half-contemptu-
Gus illusions to an unnamed person in whom
he recognized himself.
my darling," and the woman thus adored.
herself, too, evidently adoring, was his wife.
Hilda Hearn. He read the letter through, and
again and yet again once more.
1t told him much-nay. if man might ever
get to the ultimate depths of woman's heart
it told him everything, and made quite patiently
and even amazingly clear poor Hida's conduct
throughout and their past unhappy years.
1t was the old story, Of course. She had loved
Leslie-Norman Leslie, who had nothing-and
had married him, Godfrey Hearn, because he
was heir to many thousands year and title
"Of course, Uncle Charlie would come round"
That was the keynote to everything. And
Uncle Charlie had not come round; and exile
and almost poverty had pressed on the heels Of
his relentlessness, and thence three years Of
miserable unhappiness.
He read the letter again
Yes; Leslie had now come into fortune-a
wholly-unexpected benefce.
And, yes! there were the damnng words.
Leslie expected her TO join him in England,
so soon as "the hateful child should be born"
You cannot travel now, my dear one" said
the letter, but so soon as you can. / am wait
ing"
The night shadows began to close around the
camps. The old stork on the minaret kicked
aside few fax twigs and bedded down in his
q
resting place on the sand and Topped there,
grousing low and inharmoniously.
Away IN the distance an angry wolf barked
loudly at some other wolf. II was their mating
season.
And Godfrey HeaIn sat still and silent in
his long hair his head sunk forward-the
letter in his hand-thinking and thinking and
thinking.
To him OF a sudden came NJ Berth, the old
French army doctor. whose heart was as big
as his mustache was fierce, and whose manner,
acquired at Sidi-bel-Abbes and other Algerian
schools Of politeness, had the abruptness Of that
Of a Tartar camel driver.
Hearn did not see him enter, and was only
reused when the old man placed kindly hand
on his shoulder
Then he looked up
''Mon ami" said the doctor in tones where
sympathy and kindliness struggled for repres-
sion. Mon ami, du courage. You must be a
man now. il ever. have come to place a
proposition before you; il is matter for dread
full consideration"
He understanding for fit phrases-and
mopped his bald head with silk handkerchief
"My good friend" he went on hurriedly,
madam, your wife, is in a bad way; so bad. in
deed that / am forced to put to you an aterna-
tive.
Il have no time for lengthy explanation. as
you know. | am here alone, ami there is no aid
within FIVE hundred miles
But brusquely, brutay, the alternative is
this-and you must give me your decision at
once. l cannot humanity hope to both
mother and child. Oh. l know what you viii
say. l have noted your attitude OF devotion
But you are, know. man of family There
are perhaps, questions OF inheritance. and IL il