The Washington times., 1918-08-09

She rose, trembling still, and
stood beside her husband. @You
will protect me, Harold?" she asked.
~I have felt myself in greater
danger during these days OF your
absence. / do not know-and now
do not ask to know-what the
secret is that has wrought such
havoc upon you. nor who the living,
horrible thing may be who plays
DEVILS part with our lives, but IL 1
need protection IT is you, my hus-
band, who should give IT to me, and,
in spite of all, will come to you
rather than to my friends, who
would separate me from you"
Thank you. Esther" he said.
There would be grave danger for
you new anywhere but at my side
You would not even be safe with
your friend, Mrs. Willoughby. Stay
with me, and In the future, per-
haps"
@Is there nothing that will kill
the kurse?" she interrupted.
Nothing but the extinction OF the
Borradales."
'1fhank God, thenp Esther
breathed a deep sigh. ut is well
that the family should become ex-
tinct"
she turned to Harold, for once
more that strange sound came from
his throat. and she could not say
whether It was a laugh or a SOB.
call back your friends" he said
after a pause, "and let us arrange
TO be going. Everything is pre-
pared for you at the Madison ave-
nue. house, have seen to that
You have all that you need there p
Esther nodded assent.
Anything else can be packed
and brought up to you by your maid
tomorrow"
"You VIII not object to Lillian
Mrs Willoughby-being with meT
asked iIBther. A sudden fear of
being alone with this man-even
though he ERs her husband-had
come upon There was some
thing that o. lied her vaguely in
his expressioniess face. She could
not Judge the measure OF his sin
eerity. The last time that he was
: Helm he had been almost rough
nth her, and she had read anger
m his eyes. She remembered how
she had implored him that day in
TO save himself, and to let her act
the part OF a dutiful wife to him
and he had repulsed her savagely.
And now, barely a fortnight later.
he had come to her Of his own
accord. he had promised her protec-
tion against the horrors which had
oppressed her, he had begged her to
soothe the last months of his life.
Why should she doubt his sin
certify? It must be because she
read his mind. His grip upon her
had been no light one-so was he as
I'll as he professed-R dying man
Mr.. Probyn-the late vicar Of Helm
had looked as I'll; his face had
been, IL anything. more CHASTITY
than Harold's. yet 1t had not been
suggested that he was near to
death And Harold was a young
man-till quite lately filled with the
strength Of his thirty years. Why
did she fear him now when she had
not feared him a fortnight ago?
Why did she shudder at his touch,
whilst her whole heart rose In re-
vulsion against his suggested en-
brace?
81 thought" he said, shat you
would not need a companion under
the new circumstances that we pro-
pose to establish. But, OF course,
Esther, II you wish It"
"oh, yes" she cried, ''for a little
while, at any rate. Let me tell
Lillian that she may be With me"
"As you please he Returned.
Mrs. WiIloughby and I, as you
know. are not attached to each
other. She did her best to prevent
our marriage. It would, no doubt,
have been a good thing for you
had she succeeded, but, neverthe-
less. have never forgiven her.
Also, she has just tried to prevent
the reconciliation between US.
However, Esther, I suppose am in
no position to dictate, so, by all
means, let her accompany u.s.
Thank you" said Esther. 'I VIII
tell her. She was moving to the
door when he called her back
~One thing more, Esther. This
man, Fleetwood-what are you
going to tell him?-
what should I say?' asked the
girl "He has his practice to at
tend to-he will return to that"
May I ask how you came to dis
cover that he was the real man
with whom you went through the
form OF marriage at Adderley old
church,"
~He told me the story quite un-
consciously. He wanted me to
know the truth about himself. He
has been a very good friend. Harold
kind and honorable"
"Of course" 1t was impossible to
gay whether Harold was speaking
ironically or no. "And in what
relation do you hold him? Does the
fact Of this marriage. farce as il
him? ! think I have the right to
know"
~1f I had known that the man
with whom I went through that
ceremony was alive, Harold, I
should not have married you, pas
sionately and devoUtedly as I loved
you. You may consider that TO be
merely Il sentimental notion, but
indeed, II is part OF my creed. part
Of my very religion"
@Yes-yes" He muttered a few
unintelligible words to himself.
you consider yourself his wife?"
Not legally-and he has never
claimed such a right over me. /
TIM yours by law.
u am glad you admit that" He
laughed again, the laugh which
caused Esther TO shUdder. 'And
for a little .while ] am.Poing to
claim my rights. But only for a
little while, Esther. / shall not
trouble you for long. And when
you are free"
"HushT" she cried. You must
not speak like that. 1 hope 1t will