The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-03-17


PROFFERED IT.
overlooking something. I am no long
er in your debt [ have paid it in
another and a fuller way AS you
saved my life, so have l since saved
yours. We are quits now, Randall.
no longer owe you anything. I have
repaid you: therefore 1 am no longer
under any necessity to be grateful
You cannot deny that"
Il would not if l could.
Then. don't you see? Without in
debtedness between US, no longer I'M
der any obligation to you, I have
given you my forgiveness freely,
frankly, and fully. Your offense, after
all, was not really against me -"
1T was, 1t was" he interrupted
fierCely. ut was against you mas
much as it was against my own honor.
1t made me unworthy"
Even so. you had my complete
forgiveness from the moment that l
came to know how cruelty you had
been driven"
A little flush came to stain the pal
Tor which his illness had left upon
his cheeks. He bowed his head.
Il bless you for those words. They
will give me courage to face
whatever may await me 1 shall
treasure the memory of them, and of
your sweetness always
But still you do not believe mel
she cried out. Still you think that
behind it all there are some dregs Of
. . of resentment in my heartr'
No, no, Nan, l believe you
And yet you will persist in going?"
What else? You who know all
now must see that there is no place
for me in England
| She drew from the bodice OF her
gown a rubbed and faded tasseled
glove. She held it out to him, looking
up at him, and he saw that her eyes
were wet.
Here is something that belongs
/ to you. at least. Take it, Randall.
Take it, since it is all that you will
have Of me-"
Almost in hesitancy he took that
little glove, still warm and fragrant
from sweet contact with her, and re
tanned also the hand that proffered
It.
'Tt it shall again be a tails
man." he said softly, ito keep me
once" Then he bowed over the hand
lie held. and pressed it to his lips.
'Good-by. and God guard you ever
Nan"
He would have disengaged his
hand, but she clutched it firmly now.
Randall she cried sharply, des-
perately driven to WOO this man who
would not WOO her despite her clear
invitation. In gentle, sorrowing re-
Duke she added: Can you, then,
really think of leaving me again."
His face assumed the pallor of
death, and his limbs trembled under
him.
He disengaged his hand from her
clasp at last. "Oh, why do you try
me, Nan?" he cried out, like a man
in pain God knows you can not
Tneed me. What have I to offer-I
that am as bankrupt Of fortune as OF
honor?"
do women love men for what they
bring?" she asked him.
He looked at her steadily now, a
man redeemed, driven back into the
hard ways Of honor by the scourge OF
all that had befallen him.
Abruptly he swung on his heel, and
left her, so abruptly, indeed, that his
departure took her by surprise, found
her without word in which to stay
him.
CHAPTER xXvIII
Testing Fortune
Testing fortune had not yet done
with Colonel HOLES
A month later, toward the middle
of September, without having seen
Nancy again-since that, of course
would have been denied him, as it
would have nullifed his sequestration
from infected persons and surround
ings-he found himself at liberty to
return to the ordinary haunts of man,
supplied with q certificate of health.
So within an hour of his discharge
he found himself tramping along the
empty streets of the city, bound for
distant Wrapping. He must go afoot,
not only because he lacked the means
to go otherwise, but because there
We're no longer any boats plying for
hire at any of the steps along the
river. nor any hackney-coaches re-
manning in the streets. More than
ever was London become city of the
dead.