Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-22
"A LOveLess
Marriage"
rs the absorbing storv Of .
soomdns heart, and begins
Friday on This Page

desk where young wharton was sup.
posed to be at work, chattering away,
asking thousand and one questions,
laughing, joking. Or at dinner, With
tie rosy light from the shaded lamps
| He would never sit at table with her
again he had cut himself of from
her; he had given her her freedom.
| She had known that he never meant
to return home, and she had said moth.
ing. He thought Of the way she had
| let him 70. never q tear, not q word
Of farewell. She had been clad to zee
the last Of him. Manor Dyke had been
her prison, 80 she had told him, and he
The afternoon dragged. He called
to see his solicitor and briefly told him
, the state Of affairs. .'.....-
| II am not blaming my wife," he said.
The fault 10 entirely mine. She 10
to have everything she wants. but II
ever she expresses the desire 10 see me.
you are to let me know at once. !
snail always keep In touch with you
wherever ! am--yes, ] shall probably
&c abroad" he half smiled, meeting the
concern In the other mans eyes. ."
am afraid was too old for her." he
said whimsically. "A girl like that
wants a boy to laugh with her and
play. with her, not stay. .at.home old
lie went away feeling as il he hso
signed his death warrant. There was
nothing to wait. for in London. He
fright as well cut his visit short,
lie looked up trains and almost de.
cided to 90 that night. but It was q
wretched afternoon, there was q gale
blowing. London seemed the most
desOlate spot on earth with the driving
rain and furious wind whistling round
every corner.
He went back to his hotel and sat
over the fire. It was the same hotel
where Molly had stayed for those few
days with Mrs. Ashford. He wondered
II any one in the hotel remembered
her. He would have given anything
for some one to talk to him about his
wlfe-his longing to see her ssain. was
She would be dressing for dinner
now. he thought: perhaps she was
making herself look prettier than usual
berunse he was not there to see her
and Wharton was. The thought drove
him to his feet: he could not rest. II
only he could have got out of London
tonight! While he was so near home
he. would never know any peace Of
mind. The only way was to put miles
OF distance between himself and her |:
perhaps that way forgetfulncss would
be won.
Years ago. when Lilith sent him out
OF her life. he had not suffered as he
was suffering now. That had been q
small pain compared with this--a boys
unreasooning passion compared with the
love OF strong man.
lie could not sleep.
| When he closed his eyes be saw
Molly's eyes against the darkness, and
| there was always that heart broken
| look in her face that he had seen there
on his wedding day.
It was long after midnight when he
| dozed off: the wind was still raging
outside. Harden's last thought was to
wonder how it sounded down at Manor
Dyke. where there were so many trees.
He knew just what myriads Of voices
must be clamoring round the old house
now.
lie woke about half an hour later
with a fast. beating heart and q choking
sense of fear. He sat up looking wildly
round. The room was quite still, though
outside the wind still swooped through
chimney stacks and around corners.
He groped for light and turned It
on. Nothing had happened. but his
brow was clampy and his pulses jerk.
ing.
Some one had called to him. He was
sure that he had heard his name. John,
John" 1t had been Molly's voice, too,
but so changed and altered as to be
almost unrecognizablc.
So full OF fear, so terrified. 1t was
dream. Of course, it could only be
dream. and yet he could not shake It
off. lie lay awake till daylight, and till
the raging of the storm died down to
a whimpering vail. like that Of a child
who has done wrong and is afraid Of,
punishment.
When the room was filled with gray
dawnlight, Harden fell asleep. He slept
heavily, and only reused when some
one came hammering at the door with
strange insistence.
He woke then. and for a moment his
dream and the old blind fear seized him.
Molly--something had happened!
He hastily threw on some clothes and
opened the door. a servant stood there
apologetic and embarrassed.
II big pardon. sir. but there's q gen.
tleman to see you. He's been here halt
an hour. but I didn't like to wake you
before. did come to the door, but you
were sleeping so heavily; but he says
that It's very urgent. Here's his card"
Harden grabbed the card up from the
tray. He glanced ut It and for 4 mo.