Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-26
Author of THE Gold Trail"
and "Sea Plumber"

ing at him with that scared, hunted
expression.
Il want to say just this" said Jones.
Right through this business from the
very start I have tried to play
straight game. can guess from your
face that you fear me as IL were
you. ] ask you to listen to me.
Your husband took advantage OF
two facts: the fact that / am his twin
image. as he called 1t, and the fact
and stranded in London. l am not q
drunkard. but that night I came unp
der the influence of strong drink. He
took advantage of that to send me
home as himself. 7 am going to say
a nasty thing that was not the action
of a gentleman"
Never" went on Jones, would I
say things against man who 10
dead. yet am forced to tell you the
as he was-wa!t."
He went to the bureau and took OUT
some papers. He handed her one,
She read the contents:
stick to tiff you can You'll see
why l couldn't. "ROCHESTER.
That is your husbands handwrit<
ing?"
Now think for a moment OF his
act as regards yourself He sent mG
a stranger, home. never thinking
thought about you"
Her breath choked back.
LAS for me-" went on Jones, from
the very first moment saw you, I
have thought of you and your weN
fare: ! told my story for your sake,
so that things might be cleared upI
and they put me In an asylum for my
pains. I escaped. / am here. and foJ
your. sake l am saying all this. Doe4
1t give me pleasure to show YOU
your husbands character? ! wOul4
sooner cut Off my right hand, but thai
know. else cannot possibly get out OF
this. Read these"
He handed her the Plniin,on letters.
She read them carefully. Whilst shS
was doing SO. he sat down and waited.
THESE were written two years ago.g
said she in sad voice. IS she folded
them together. "a year after we were
1t was the tone Of her voice that did Il
AS she handed the letters back to HIND
she saw that his eyes were filed with
tears.
He put them back In the bureau
without a word. He felt that he had
struck the innocent again and most
cruelty.
Then he came back to the chair on
which he had been sitting and stood
holding it's back.
you see how we are both placed,n
said he. ITO prove your husbands death
all my business would have to be raked
Up. | don't mind. because have acted
straight, but you would mind. The fact
of his suicide, the fact Of his sending
me home-everything. that would hit
you again and again. Yet. look at your
position do not know what we are to
do. If go away and go back to the
states, l leave you before the world al
the wife of a man still living who ha3
deserted you: If stay and go on being
the Earl OF Rochester, you are tied to .
He paced the floor, head down, wrsst,
ling with an insoluble problem, whilst
she sat looking at him.
which is the easiest for you to dom
asked she.
"Oh, me- said he: 'I'm not thinking
OF myself-back to the states. of COURSE,
but that's out of the questicn-there are
lots of easy things to do. but when my
case comes in contact with yours. there's
nothing easy to do. Do YOU think it was
easy for me to go Off that night and
leave you waiting for me. feeling that
you thought me skunk? No, that was
not easy"
She had been sitting very calm and
still up till now. then suddenly she look
cd down. She burst into tears.
"Oh." she cried, why were YOU NOT
him--if he had only been you He cared
nothing for me, yet loved hinl-you-S
you -
II care for nothing at all but you, j
said he.
She shuddered all ever ar d turned hep
head away.
That's the mischief OF it as far as 7
am concerned" he went on. II can't
escape without injuring you and SO N.Y.
se1-yet don't wonder at your hating
ne."
She turned her face to him, 1t was
flushed and wet
II do not hate you," said she; Won
are the only man ever met--unselfsh,1
NO" he said, I'm selfish. It's iIat
because l love you that / Think OF yott
more than myself. and love YOU ber
cause you are good and sweet / could
not do you wrong just. because of that.
If you Were another woman, 1 would
not bother about you. I'd be cruel
enough, reckon, and go off and
leave you tied up, and get back
to the states-but you are Won.
and that's my bother. / did not know
TIL now how I was tied to you; yes.
terday at that asylum place and ali
last night l did not think of you Ny
one thought was to get away. / came
here today. driven by want of money.
1 was SO angry with the whole busis
ness l determined to go on being
Rochester--then you came into nv
mind and l sent Church to ask YOU
to come and see me---much good it has
DONE"
Il don't know" she said.
he looked at her quickly. IIee
glance fell.
Next moment he was beside her,
kneeling and holding her hand,
For a moment they said fYSt ono
word. Then he smoke as tbot,pb ono,,a,