Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-08-30


game! 1t can't be trueF'
I'm secretly married." she con-
fessed.
He looked at her in amazement.
Secretly? But why-why?"
Il can't explain. even to you, Larry
except that it's for my happiness TO
keep it secret. now"
Bitter realization came to him then
But he would not press her further
And you're happy?" His eyes sought
hers sadly
She could not keep back the whole
truth from him. no matter how much
she wished TO. Larry Redmond's hon
esty was too patent to make dissem-
bling an easy matter in his presence.
'oh. yes, Larry! l was happy-un-
til you came back just now" she said
Then why did you marry him?'' he
demanded. There was no anger In his
voice-only regret and wonder.
Because when you left / was-des-
perate," she admitted
"You!" he exclaimed, more than ever
at loss to understand her.
"Yesw Ethel said. ~ waited-wait-
ed for you until month ago. I'd
never heard from you-never heard of
you. | thought you were dead. II
you'd been alive, l felt that my love.
my wanting you so very much would
bring you back to me-"
Dear Godr' There was no mock
reverence in that soul-wrung wall.
straight from his Celtic heart.
And all my money had gone Oh!
it doesn't matter now! And | came
here as goyerness to Sir Georges
daughter. He's been very helpful
And this NANNY husband
came along. He seemed very fond of
me" she smiled wanly-"quite des-
perately in love. l was wretched, mis-
cradle, lonely, and OH so tired.
wanted someone to take care of me-
And so, | married"
And it's all my faultr' That was
like Larry Redmond--to condemn him
self instead of her.
She could not bear to hear him up
braid himself.
please. aren't we suffering enough
now?" she protested.
He made up his mind, then, that for
her sake he must put things in differ
ent light. And goading himself to his
| duty, he sat down and looked at her
YEARLY.
But you've got to realize" he be-
gan, you've got to realize that it's
best you shouldn't have married a
coward-and l was that. Two months
ago nearly finished it ALL
Larry" Ethel exclaimed in sudden
fear. The mere mention of such a
thing shocked her inexpressibly.
"Ah, yes! l meant tor. he continued
ruthlessly. "And it was another man
almost stranger-who stopped me-"
when was it," Anxious as she
was, she could not forbear asking him
that. 1t seemed inconceivable that the
g"J Larry she used TO know should
ever have been near self-destruction.
1.-TWO months ago" he said. And
he stopped abruptly then. as if his
thoughts had momentarily taken him
far away. 1.-TWO months ago, in Ber-
lin," he resumed, pulling himself to-
gether by a visible effort at was one
of those gorgeous, moonlight nights.
was thinking of you. my dear, and
thinking how futile it all was. What
was the use? 1t was In one
Of those little side streets off Unter den
Linden. | stood there behind tree
when suddenly this fellow came up
from behind and grabbed my re-
volver."
All at once his recital BROUGHT back
to Ethel's mind another simila1 story.
In her agitation she could not at first
recall exactly where or under what
then, In a flash. she remembered. Her
husband had told her a tale like that
only an hour before.
I'm Berlin this was-not PARISH she
asked him quickly
"No-Berlin."
That's curious" she said 81 heard
just such another story a little while
ago"
Not such as this" he continued I'M
thinkingly. First l fought with him:
and then, to him. almost a stranger.
there l stood in the moonlight. quite
mad l guess, and poured out my heart.
l told him about you. I'd been so
lonely it was good to talk to this man
Ito talk to anybody that night. But
at last | promised the chap I'd quit"
what made you promise?"
He gazed into space, as the scene
became vivid in his mind.
"Ah! suppose twas the sentiment
the Irish in me. He appealed to my
love of country-to my patriotism. /
was an officer in his majesty's service
and some day England might need me
and I'd not be there. 1t hit me. And
curious twas, it should be a German to
stop mev'
She had listened to him with increas-
ing wonder. His very words were al
most duplication of Henry Street
mans. There could be no doubt that IT
was the same episode. The long arm
of coincidence could scarcely stretch
that FAR. And now. at his final SEN
tence, Ethel started.
"a German?" she cried in quick sur
prise
Yes! Heinrich strassmanr
Ethel gasped.
Heinrich Strassman! Are YOU |
sure|' She could not believe that she |
heard him Alright ii
"0h, I'd not be likely to forget /
him." Captain Redmond assured her