South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-12-30

We went to the mere. the three OF us, and I
found other men waiting. IL was a small pool
Of water on the estate, not a hundred yards
from the house. willow-fringed and pleasant TO
look upon. But my heart was heavy as lead as
| first set eyes upon it.
They began to do their grim work, and for a
long time they worked with no result. And
then ! heard a shout, and saw that as they
pulled the rope Il was taut and firm. ] stood
and watched them as they drew James Chaid-
rake TO the messy bank and as his head and
shoulders came into view 1 bit my lip. The
pity an dtragedy Of It all had gripped me Just
then
And then / heard another shout, a shout
of unbelieving horror. l looked and saw that
with James Chaldrake-undemeath James
Chaldrake, held in his arms-was something
that once had been a man.
The chatter died away, and those silent vii
lage men drew slowly TO the bank James
Chaldrake and the burden that James Chal-
drake held in his arms And the next thing
was that they had cleared a little space for
me. and I kneeling.
My work with James Chaldrake was soon
finished He was dead, and had been dead for
a long time 1t was my work with James Chsl-
brakes burden that chiefly mattered, for be-
fore 7 rose I had taken. unseen, a ring from
what had once been the hand Of man
An hour later gave that ring to woman
and I said this:
NO one will ever know II you would rather
not tell me anything ! will 90 away"
She was silent for moment, and then she
told me al-tOld me with no tremor OF her
voice from first to last, and yet with something
in IT, and something I'm Ter face and eyes, that
showed me how she had suffered.
They loved each other, those two brothers
Of mine" she began. And then they quarTelled.
They quarrelled about a girl and do not think
she was worth It; no girl could have been
worth such a price that. She was going 70
marry Hugh after he had been a year in Cey
Ion He was TO sail on the twenty ninth OF
juno on the Laventc.
"The day before he came from London 10
saw goodbye TO me, James was away for the
day-that is why Hugh came. He left me in
the evening, and went past the mere on his
way TO the road. He stopped there for time
and the reason was one Of sentiment; II had
been a trysting place for him and that girl who
made two brothers hate each other. And while
he was there James came upon him as he re-
turned from his business"
She stopped and looked at me steadily.
Hugh turned and him, an5 be gave
little cry. He slipped. and a moment later be
was in the mere. It is deep ard he could not
swim"
She vas silent again, and suddenly ! felt
most passionately soTry for her. And then
heard again that mechanical lifeless voice.
The devil came 70 James Just then, and the
devil won. He. too. could not swim, but If the
devil had not come 20 him he would have
Jumped into the water 20 try and have the
brother he had once loved. But 7 told YOU
the devil won. James stood there on the bank.
He stood there. seeing picture he saw ever
afterwards. That was his pensnce" she added
quietly And il was part Of his penance that
he could never tear himself away from this
spot not even for my sake. and oh. how /
bag~ed him 70 come away. But he stayed-near
Hugh. s@s4s3k<4 -
listen! I knew all this three years later
James vas ill-we thought he was dying-and
he told me. Others never knew IT, and yop
know why. Tweutyfour hours afterwards the
Laventic went down IN md-Channel, and my
brother was supposed be on board. He wasn't.
He was lying in the mere, hundred yards from
this house"
She had finished but after time. in which
struggled vainly 10 ind the right words, she
asked me question
Were they-were they together" she
whispered.
Yes. they were together" / said. James
had his armand / could not finish.
And at that, mercy was shown az last and
the woman came 20 silent weeping.
a rough intruder upon grief such as that
l stole away.