The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-04-19
CHAPTER Z
0Il%AI 1 En-
DIED From Wounds"


Mary Furnival opened her eyes to
the angry sting of chill raindrops on
the window, and the sullen breath Of
October wind shaking the easement.
Nearly a month had swept itself.
away since that day when they heard
Of Nigel's death.
Died from wounds
Mary wondered, as she lay back on
the pillows with closed eyes. if she
would ever be able to get those
words out Of her brain-her heart!
Nigel was dead: the brief chapter of
his life was written and finished. A
kindly comrade had sent back his
few little possessions; they still lay
on the table in the pretty drawing
room across the hall-a few letters.
pocket-case, a broken pipe.
A clock on the shelf struck s.
Mary sat up in bed, and looked
through the window at the drenched.
weeping world.
Some one tapped softly on her door.
She reused herself.
The little maidseTvant entered.
"Oh, please. miss. the mistress is
not in her room"
! Mary smiled involuntarily.
I expect she is in the dining-room
or she may have got up early and
/ gone out"
But, oh. please. miss. her bed
hasn't been slept in; it's all just as 1
turned il down last night"
For a moment Mary sat very still,
/ then she threw back. the bedclothes.
/ She put on her dressing gown and
/ crossed the narrow hall to- the open
door OF Dollys room.
| She looked around the room with
dread in her eyes.
It was quite tidy Nothing had
been disturbed, but on the mantelsheh
she felt suddenly weak. as if she
must fall. for there. propped up
against the clock. was a letter, direct
ed in Dolly's fourishing hand.
Mary
Her own name stared at her across
the gray light of the room she went
over and took it down with a shak
ing hand.
From the doorway the little maid
watched her with scared eyes.
She broke the seal, and read the
/ first few lines-there was no begin
ming.
Il know you will hate and despise
me for what I am going TO do, but
can't see that it matters.
| Nobody cares what becomes Of me
except Robert, and he has always
loved me. He is going to leave Eng
land today. and am going with him
I ought to have married him instead
/ OF Nigel. We shall be married in Lon.
6on this morning.
You can tell people what you like.
Goodby, and thank you for all your
kindness to me. I suppose I haven't
deserved it.
DOLLY.
"P. S-Yod may have everything
/ have left The furniture is good;
sell it if you don't want it."
The voice Cf the little maid reused
Mary from the depths Of horror into
which she seemed to have fallen.
She brushed her hand across her
eyes: She tried to force herself to
speak. even to smile.
IT'S all right-Mrs. Bretherton
has gone away. She-she couldn't
bear TO stay here now-now-" shs
broke off.
Presently she went back to her
own ROOM She dressed mechanical
| ~: her brain felt numbed and dead;
she wanted to ,think--to act, but she
could not force herself.
She went to breakfast, and forced
herself to eat. Her one great aim
was to prevent people knowing the
truth; to save his memory-the
memory Of the man she had loved.
Later in the morning she forced
herself to tell the little maid a CO.
herent story-that Dolly had gone
abroad to try and forget her loss and
sorrow; that they would hear from
her soon; that she--Mary-was short
ly going out TO be with her.
The day PASSED like a dream. She
was afraid 10 go outside the fat; she
was sure that If she nest anyone she
knew Der face would give away the
secretz-he was so jeaIously deter
mined 70 guardl In the evening she