The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1925-07-30
Face In
The Mirror

been too quick
After seven years faith you are
false to the vow you made. My dead
brother viii turn in his grave"
Vows are silly things to make at
any time of life, Ruth. and it is a good
deal easier to make them at eighteen
than to keep them seven years later.
All the same, dear, that terrible morn
ing that should have been my wedding
morning, and yours. when we found
poor Gilbert dead in the library and
old Adams dangerously shot beside
him, when / Joined with you in VOW
ing never to marry until Gilbert's muir
derer was found and punished, !
meant to keep my word.
1--WE did all we could ,abut were no
nearer discovering the murderer. You
parted from the man you loved, and
we were miserable together for five
years in the old house at Byttishaw.
Then, when the new railway turn
ed us out, and you came here, making
this house as much like the old house,
this. room as much like the room
where we found Gilbert dead, would
have. come, too. only had to go and
take care of my brothers children.
"When my brother married again,
the dear girl he married would make
me go into society with her. and then
/ met Mark"
"And at the first word from new
lover you could forget my brother and
his horrible death. You are not wear
Ing mourning any more"
"No dear; I couldn't Directly
began to be glad about MARI / gave
it up. Forgive me-"
Madge laid her hand coaxingly on
the other woman's shoulder, and the
action brought out the contrast be-
tween them With force that pleaded
for happiness more than words.
Both women were of exactly the
same age, and both handsome; but
Madge, in her fresh, bright frock. With
curly hair and delicarely flushed face,
looked the very impersonation of life
and happiness. The other, In her
close dull, black gown. with close
drawn hair and pale, strained face.
seemed only ghost Of dull past
Instinctively Ruth dropped her eyes
at the sight of the contrast presented
In the antique mirror.
well, I'm not surprised" she said.
adams heard of. your engagement,
and told me. He was shocked"
SIN sorry the faithful Adams is
shocked. He has been your trusted
servant for so long"
"He.is more than a servant now. I
have made him my steward. He man.
ages all my afairs."
~All the same, Adams was little
premature. / am not quite engaged.
told Mark that | could not be until
you released me from my promise.
You will. won't You. dear? That is
why asked him to come down here
and meet you. / am sure. when you
see him. you won't want to make him
miserable"
"He wouldn't be miserable long.
lNen soon forget
Then how silly it is of women to
Cocoon remembering. And yet, Ruth,
yon are the last who should taunt
men4with, dckleness. A man has been
very faithful to you"
R,nh smiled bitterly.
''He&has tired of faith, as you have.
Ishad a<letter from him this morning.
appealing to me, he said for the last
time, to forget my murdered brother
and marry him. And for the last time
/ refused. He via read my refusal
tomorrow"
Before MHdge had time to express
the regret she felt her lover arrived.
and was shown into the room. He
was a. big, sunburnt, healthy man. To
Ruth he was like real life breaking
through her environment of gloom
and sentiment, and demanding SYM
patty
AS she held out her hand, with
pleasant word or two of welcome and
congratulation. she half forgave her
friend Next moment, as he turned
in response to her invitation 10 be
seated, the room, the old furniture,
the dlLA4uG uiF2OE, Will ANo bHO
branching candelabra, met his eyes,
his face grew as pale as her own. and
he recoiled with look of amazement
more startling than cry.
Mark, you are ill!" cried Madge.
mo, not i'll, 1t was only-only .
coincidence. This room Is curiously
like one where I once saw a very pain
full sight"
~Ten us about it," said Ruth.
"Oh, no." Mark said, making an
effort to recover his selfcommand 81
really mustn't tell you ugly stories on
my first visit 1t would be a bad omen.
and the-the incident Of which this
room reminded me happened long
time ago-at least seven syears-and
long way of, in a little Welsh
village"
Ruth gave little cry.
q must really apologize. Mark said
again, but was 30 utterly taken by
surprise. II Is a chance likeness to q