Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-22

follows the unexplained. AS time pass
ed and the peculiar look which betray
the haunted soul gradually became visi
BILE in the young widowers eyes. doubt
arose and reports circulated which cas-
strange reflections upon the tragic ent
of his mistaken marriage.
Such was the gossip which had reach
ed Vfolet's ears in connection with thi
new client, prejudicing her altogethe
against him till she caught that bean
of deep and concentrated suffering II
his eye and recognized an Innocence
which insured her sympathy and lee
her to grant him the interview fol
which he SO earnestly entreated.
He came prompt to the hour. ant
when she saw him again with the
marks of sleepless night upon hin
and all the signs of suffering intensi.
fed in his unusual countenance she fell
her heart sink within her in a way she
failed to understand.
Il find myself Obliged TO break a vow
| have made to myself" he told her al
the outset. You cannot understand m,
need unless l show you my heart. Ny
trouble ia not the one with which mer
have credited me. Personal dishonor
have deserved in a greater or less de-
gree. but the trial which has come to
me now involves a person more dear to
me than myself. and is totally without
alienation unless you" He paused
choked. then recommended abruptly,
My wife"-Sioiet held her breath
was supposed to have died from heart
disease or-or some strange species OF
suicide. There were reasons for this
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES which l accepted
without serious question till some five
weeks ago when l made a discovery
which led me to FEAR
The broken sentence hung suspended
You feared that the event called for
vengeance and that vengeance would
mean increased suffering to yourself as
we'll as to another"
Yes: great suffering. But | may be
under most lamentable mistake II
my doubts have no real foundation
If they are simply the Offspring of my
own diseased imagination what an in
suit to one ] revere. What a horror of
ingra tttude and MISUNDERSTANDING
Relate the facts" came in startled
tones from Violet. They may enlighten
us"
Il came here to do SO and do SO I will.
But where begin. Miss Strange you
cannot be ignorant of the circum-
stances, open and avowed, which at
tended my wife's death. But there were
other and secret events in its connec-
ton which happily have been kept from
the world. hut which l must now dis
close to you at any cost to my pride
and so-called honor This is the first
one: On the morning preceding the day
of Mrs. Epjohn's death an interview
took place between us at which my
a weakness ii Is for my little boy
Roger. in whose promising traits he
sees the one hope which has survived
the shipwreck of all for which our
name has stood. Knowing this, and
realizing what the child's presence in
the house meant to his old age, / felt
my heart turn sick with apprehension
when in the midst of the discussion as
TO the terms on which my wife would
consent to a permanent separation the
little fellow came dancing into the
room. his curls atoss and his whole
face beaming with life and joy
She had not mentioned the child, but
i knew her well enough to be sure that
at the first show of preference on his
part for either his grandfather or my
self she would raise a claim to him
which she would never relfnquish
dared not speak. but l met his eager