Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1932-06-23
TWELFTH INSTALLMENr

man, undergoes nervous collapse and
is sent to the country to recuperate
under the care of DR.. Donald Rath-
bone, who lives near the cottage where
she stays. She finds herself falling in
love with the doctor, but still trying
to hold Dennis affection. Linda, Den
mis- wife, tells her that she offered
Dennis a divorce but he would not
accept it; he would have felt COM
PEELED to marry Diana. Diana's love
for Doctor Rathbone is tempered by
jealousy of a woman named Resale,
who lives in the doctors house. At
last Rathbone finds that he is deep
ly in love with Diana. but he con-
fesses to her that Rosalie is his wife.
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
Il was terribly sorry for her, too,
and perhaps-flattered that she should
think anything of me, but ! did not
love her, Diana, and we were just
friends until 3. until / got an ap-
pointment abroad When l told her
about it she . it was the first time
anything really definite was spoken
between us. Perhaps / didn't really
care for her sufficiently well, but /
tried to show her how impossible it
was-that could not n. There is no
need to tell you every detail, and God
knows am not blaming her any
more than / blame myself, but with
out my knowledge she told her hus-
band that she cared for me, and she
asked him to divorce her. He re-
fused have often wondered why,
seeing how he had always neglected
her. Then, after a short time, she
left him. Diana-if you knew how hard
it is for me to tell you this"
He broke off agitatedly, but Diana
did not speak, and after moment
he went on again:
In the end :. =. in the end .
agreed to take her away. We thought
it would force her husband to divorce
her. =. She was SO different in those
days, gay and reckless, never count
ing the cost of anything living
for the moment. :. Then-the night
before we were to have gone she was
nearly killed in motor accident
She was driving her own car, and she
was alone. She was unconscious
for days, and when she recovered
she was as she is now-like child.
She recognized me, as she still recog-
nizes me, but only as an affectionate
child might, and that is ALL The rest,
everything that has happened in her
life, is gone from her.
Il paid visit to see her husband
she had nobody else who cared or who
could have looked after her-and ]
remember that he laughed in my face
He was much older man than I,
and he said to me, Well, you've begun
to pay already, Rathbone, and you'll
60 on paying for the rest of your life
!. 1t seems that he was right =.
brought her down here to my house,
and hirs. Farmer came to look after
her. Two years later her husband died
n. and / married her, Diana. You
see, I'd always promised her that if she
was every free would gave my
word, and / felt that / must keep it.
There was always thought at the
back of my mind that perhaps some
day she might get better--and know!
] didn't tell anybody-it wasn't any
body else's business, SO she's still al
ways Miss Rosalie' to Mrs. Farmer
and Hobson-and to the rest of the
household. But she is my wife, Diana,
though I--we-we've never lived to-
gether as man and wife.
That's all. .. Perhaps | was stu
pidly quixotic, but | was-fond of her,
and besides had given my word
She's like a gentle affectionate child
always happy asking nothing except
that people are kind to her. She made
very little difference to my life one
way or the other till-till / met you,
and then | realized what / had done
-. Even then ! thought it only meant
that ! should be the one to 60 on
suffering. You seemed SO much
younger than / feel never imagined
you might-might grow to care for
me, and when ! realized that perhaps
quite unconsciously-you !. had, ]
tried my best-a poor best, ! can see
now-to keep you from realizing the
truth ! don't think you will ever
know what it meant to me !. how
-. when Nero hurt you, and after
wards, when you =. when you asked
me to tell you not to go away with
Waterman. ! could have borne it for
myself, but to know you were un-
happy-perplexed that you didn't
understand why / should seem SO
unkind :"
CHAPTER XVIII