The Washington times., 1918-06-27

1
friendship. So much he would avow
at once. She had no reason 10 fear
| him.
"If you must speak then" he
said. haltingly. struggling against
a choking sensation in his throat,
tell me the one thing only. Leave
! all the rest till we meet again. /
care for no explation. They
can walt Tell me only IL you know
| the an-Esther-with whom l
stood before the altar that night.
! and whom ] promised to love and
| cherish. Tell me that, Mrs. Bora
dale. OF your mercy to relieve my
mind OF torturinE supposition."
Drifting With the Tide.
81 know her" whispered Esther.
She had been drifting on the tide,
and now she felt great relief that
she had been thrown from the
eddy and was being washed ashore.
1t seemed a friendly. smiling shore;
perhaps she would find rest at last.
You know herr" The man came
nearer He was breathing heavily,
and his hands were stretched out to
her. In the loom they could
hardly sec each other.
Eyes. She"
"For Gods sake don't let us play
with words" he cried. Tell me
right out. for l suspect the truth.
Was II your
Yes" she murmured. and her
voice came to him as from afar,
at was l."
He fell on his knees by the side
of her chair. He took her hands,
and she did not resist him. It was
the picture as he had fancied It.
''To think OF ito thinN of it,
he cried almost Historically. "You.
Esther! II you knew how often ]
have tried TO paint Esther to my
minds eye! And / don't know why.
but her picture was like you-that
is why 1 felt so attracted to you
from the. first, that and your voice
so like the actual voice which
heard. No, don't speak. don't try
to explain: let US leave all that to
another day: it is enough for me
now to know that you are indeed
Esther. the Esther OF my dreams"
He felt her gentle attempt to dis
engage her hands. and held them
the more tightly. Don't be fright
ened OF me-" he cried. II mean
you nothing but well. swear il.
know that I have no legal right TO
you. that you are another mans
wife. in fact. But all the same il
was a priest who pronounced a
blessing upon you and me. and.
whatever the circumstances. it was
at Gods altar that he exchanged
our vows. Esther. Esther let me
be helpful. kind to you: let me fill
some place in your life; come to
me in your sorrow. and let me COM
I haF
] cannot be a mere acquaintance to
the Esther whom ! vowed to love.
You will not send me awsy?"
He had his voice under control
now, and the sound OF il was pleas
ant to Esther's ears. She had
ceased asking herself il she were
acting rightly or wrongly: she had
spoken. and she felt a great relief.
But she was tired. very tired.
Victims OF circumstances.
why should ] send you away"
she asked, and then. very gently,
she disenEaEed her hands from his
grasp. I'VE have both been the
victims of circumstances. you and l.
You will understand later on when
I tell you how ] came to be a party
to that marriage. OF course. had
not thought that the Basil of the
midnight wedding was dead
should not have married Harold
for though there was nothing bind
ing upon m" in that ceremony. I
recognize the soIemnity of the
vows We took"
Those " HON God hath Joined to
Eether." he quoted. let no man put
asunder." The very words that had
been ringing through her braini
Argue with them as she world,
those words had boon spoken by a
priest over her and this man who
was kneeIing beside her.
You must leave mr. now" she
said at lost. 81 have received a
shock. and you. too. must be up
Set
"Rut, on. 80 happy" he muir
INJURED. and at the words Esther
smiled sadly. Was there. indeed.
happiness for him in the knowledge
that he had acquired? To have
found the little Esther whom he
had desired. and to have found her
too late-what joy was there in
this7 She had never thought Of
Basil Fleetwood but as a friend
one who had been very kind to her
in difficult circumstances, a man
whom she would miss II chance
took him out of her life.
Glad at EstheFs Happiness.
Yes, I am happy he repeated:
HAPPY though you. my Esther. be-
long TO another. For know this:
You and will not cannot remain
upon the same terms OF cold for
maIlty a. heretofore. That f. not
possible, When q man and a
woman have together passed
through such experiences as were
ours that night, when they have
such q tremendous secrst between
them. they must be brought closer
to each other. Esther, I know you
are lonely; ! know you have suf-
cred, that. for Eomo reason, you ara
still made to suffer. Lot II be mine
to bring q little brightness into
your life. For every smile ! win
from you ] shall bless that wed
ding, and I shall be content and
think myself we'll repaid. Come TO
me with your troubles. Eincs you
may not go to your husband. To
gether let us night them. Let our
marriage be a marriage OF our
souls. win you do this?"
She laid her hand gently upon
his. The gesture implied consent.
He bowed low and kissed the slen-
der fingers Then he rose and
drew back from her, but his heart
beat with an emotion which he
could not control,
<NAI.I