Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-12-22
CHAPTER XLNI
The Truth at Last

~. "a think Of one word with Which 10
I .nl.in my extraordinary visit.
nod no hat or coat, and my thin
i,,n1 shoes were wet through. was
ma nnd-oh, so miserable!
And soid with choking sob:
"oh ..sI wish ] hadn't come
N,rt sbut the door behind him and
.,r,nced a little way into the room.
w, any.hing the motterT' ne asked
,r.t,,y. "Ycu haven't any hat or
49, Did you ' you didnt
r,lk all the way?"
~ did. Yes, did I said, and then
n. de,ncration Of my position came
IT,. n me-, and knowing that now 1t
,,, he the truth, and that nothing
-. ,ould ever serve between us, ]
ven, on toncleasly;
Tt,s my wedding day tomorrow.
..s After tonight - It viii be too
,,,s to change = anything, so
tsousht ' = thought ~ Ny
.,,e died away, and it was only with
r,,, effort found it again. "Oh,
III, rsu see that I'm Offering myself
,o,-.if you want mc?"
III don't know what I had expected
k,r ~ ssy or do, but for long moment
be neither spoke nor moved. linen nc
IA IN n voice that was so strange that
hardly recognized It: You re ofef.
las yourself to me
LN.r all that's happened--after every.
kaiug Champion said the other night
81 don't care what he eaid,' whis'
Ir.rd. / felt as II we're dying. =.
Ia came a step nearer, but dared
sot raise my eyes to his face.
aWbat Champion said was true '
mast Of IT," Mark said painfully.
II don't care" whispered with cold
Sp,, II don't care ut all II you
you love me- ~
Iesd round, and disappeared again.
fHI can't talk to you here, Mark said
iSuptly. ITS too public, Sally
Il ne take you home"
Take ME home That was his way
N falling me he did not care; his way
irving TO save me shame and hu-
Initiation. After moment ! forced my
kelf to move. :,
bald.
Tsct as far as the door before MY
ktrenyth failed, and / swoyed and al
most fell.
Mark put out his hand, but I shook
lay head. please, leave me alone.
Nm oil right"
Then the taxi came. We went out
Ia Inc cold street. and I turned to Mark
khMy. -.
sure, Il was good-by. ] should never
ke him again. =,
But he ignored the trembling hand I
bfsrsd; he answered me roughly:
~ am coming with you"'
"There is no need" I tried to say.
but be took no notice, and. we drove
kway together.
don't think suffered very much
was too numbcd with pain to suffer.
Then, abruptly, Mark began to speak.
II dou't suppose we shall ever meet
tsain--So there can be no great harm
for once, tell you the truth. i"
When'I first knew you, down in Devon /.
hire was a ruined man. Everything
had touched during the last five years
bad failed and had lost what little
fapitsl ever possessed, besides being
kp to my eyes In debts and mortgages.
We'll, thought you had money. his
Folce was hoarse and defiant, as X every
wsrd hurt him as badly as It was hurt
vng me, but he went on, hardly paus-
lng: ~ thought 1t would be easy to
kake you like me 80 And now
cr moment he did stop, aud I
ard him draw his breath with sound
bat was q sob, but almost immediately
ewas speaking again. After you had
promised to marry me, your father came
see me. Hs told me you had no
honey Of your own, and he put It to
be that ! was doing an unfair thing to
barry you and expect you to rough II
fth me. told him, what was then
he truth, that did not love you
tly" lie spoke my name with note
anguish as q cry of intolerahle pain
4Eaped me, and be leaned forward. his
snched hands pressed bard against his
|ya .
But did not speak, and presently be
lugged on once more:
Champion came with your father,
md be offered to release the mortgage
held on he-farm and surrounding
hds II ] would give you up 1t
tned-it seemed an easy thing to do
pen, and I agreed. Then I sent you
hat letter and then Oh,
God ] was punished for it, for that
gnt, when you came through that rain
~ storm Sally, ! knew that ]
'ed you. knew that you were more
me than anything in the world. !
ould have given my soul for the power
nave sundone what I'd done.
Hnt Champion back his deeds, but !
.aht the courage to tell you the truth.
not blaming him. He cares for
N, and he's better chap than l am.
pe you'll be happy with him. hope
HnkVL