The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-01-05

II knoR-aImost all I ever need to
know. But there are some things you
must tell me now This is the first
and the 1ast-time that I shall ever
speak to YOU OF these things. I know
enough-things ] have stumbled upon
and have built them up until
see the horror. the blackness. And
want tn feel sure that you. too, see
the pity Of it ALL"
Her note Of subdued passion reused
him now to earnestness, and he
framed a disavowal Of the worst she
might have imagined. He could calm
her fears at once, and the lines I'm his
face relaxed at the thought that #
was in his power to afford her this
relief.
Il marned\ your mother. There
was MOTIFS wrong about it. 1t was
all straiaat-'
And you thought. oh. you thought
I came for that-you believed I came
to have you satisfy me OF her honor!
I never doubted herr and she lifted
her head proudly. And that IS what
you thought I came for?" The in
dignation that flashed IN her first
stammered sentences died faIteringiy
in a ocntemptuous whisper,
Her words had cut him deep: he
turned away aimlessly. lingering some
papers on the table beside him. Then
he plunged to the heart OF the matter
as though IN haste TO excuIpate him
self.
II never meant that It should
happen as it did. 7 knew her I'm New
York when We were both students
there Ny father had been i'll a long
time; he was bent upon my marrying
the daughter Of his old friend Single
ton, a man of wealth and influence in
our part or the State. I persuaded
your mother to run away and we
were married. under an assumed
name.-but IL was a marriage good IN
law. There's no question of that
you understand Then I left her 1-n
there in the Adirondacks, and went
home My fathers illness was pro
icnged, and his condition justified me
In asking your mother To wait. She
knew the circumstance and agreed to
remain away until saw my way
clear to acknowledging her and
taking her home. You were born I'D
there. Your mother grew iYnpatie1f
and hurt because I could not go back
TO her. But I could mott would have
ruined all my chances at home. When
1 went to find my wife she had dis
appeared. She was a proud woman.
and I suppose she had good cause
for hating me-
He told the story fully, filing IN
the gaps IN her own knowled-e. He
did not disguise the fact Of his own
haf-hearted search for the woman he
had deserted. He even told OF the
precautions he had taken to assure
himself OF the death OF Edna Keltou
by visiting Montgomery to box at
her grave before his marriage 10 Hal
lie Singleton. He had gone back
again shortly before he made the Of
fer to pay for Sylvia's schooling. and
had seen her with her grandfather
in the little garden among the roses.
Outside the guard slowly passed
hack and forth Sylvia did not speak.
her seeming tnattention vexed and
perplexed him. He thought her lack
inC in appreciation OF his frankness
Thatcher knows much OF this
story. but he doesn't know the whole. BE-
he went on. He believes Il was ir-
regular. He's been keeping It bacl,
TO spring as a sensation. He's told
those men out there that he can break
me. that at the last minute he VII
crush me. They're waiting for me
now-Thatcher and his crowd; proba-
bly, chUckling TO think how al last
they've got me cornered. That's the
situation. They think they're about
rid Of Morton Bassett-"
You left her; you deserted her;
you left her to die alone, unprotected.
without even a name. You accepted
her LOYALTY and fidelity. and then
threw her aside; you skunk away
alone 70 her grave to be sure she
wouldn't trouble you again. On. It
IS black, II Is horrtble"'
Sylvia was looking at him with a
kind Of awed wonder in her eyes. For
an instant there had been a faint
suggestion Of contrition in his tone,
but It was overwhelmed by his de
sire Tor REPRESENTATION. IL was OF
himself hs was thinking, not Of the
deed in itself. not of the woman he
had left to bear her child in an alien
wilderness.
II tried to DO what could for you.
want you to know that I meant
to have cared for you, that no harm
should CONC TO you" he said. and the
words Jared upon his own ears as
he spoke them.
In her face there was less Of dis
dam than OF marvel. He wished to
escape from her eyes, but they held
him fast. Messengers ran hurr1edly
through the corridors; men passed