Show aaa I 1 from a dead self to I 1 higher things W V WW ww vs the room was silent with the intensity of the same game four hours the play had been fast and furious though gerald wade was consumed with an inward fever of recklessness he be played its his game with an outward calm the day before he had discussed the evils of gambling with the woman he loved she supposed he played in a general sort of way but she had no notion of the he time he had given over to it many A night he had left her exalted tor for the moment by her love vowing he would I 1 e worthy of her ideal of him but the ip lifting was only coly transitory in the early spring they were engaged but though gerald urged all his loquence eloquence uly lily would not hear of their marriage she wanted to live in the resent present she said ceremonies and trousseau could wait so they idled I 1 now and then through the lovely pring it had taken her some time to convince nee him that he could not escort ier er about the slums that his appear I 1 ilace there would binder not help her work ork he was eventually pacified the he many sidedness of lilys life was a 1 reve revelation latton to him the last week he had found an un an bucky one financially all that time lie had avoided the club but this even ing ng with lily tar far away he had wandered aimlessly towards it and up to i he card room he was greeted with acclamation the old instinct gradually asserted itself he left the club beaten and practically ruined he jumped into a hansom and bade the driver go round the park nark he wanted time to think he was hopelessly in debt and in one bight he had drifted so far from lily hat ahat she seemed a beautiful spirit beyond his reach A hundred impulses urged surged through his brain as the hanom bore him away along the smooth I road oad the thought of lily in the end kae gave him strength he would find gome way of retrieving himself honorably and not disgrace that better part of him which she knew and loved he drove back to his rooms and found a wire awaiting him my aunt has rallied and wants to see you ou come immediately I 1 L gerald scrutinized the paper and round found it had been delivered early in ahe evening lily must have been expecting him for hours he pulled out his watch and found it was 5 two hours later he found himself I 1 being driven along the country road that led to the house where lily was staying in spite of his perturbed spir its he was waa impressed by the beauty of the morning he seldom saw nature at that early hour and the sweetness of the earth appealed to him it was like lily he thought fresh and fair and giving of her wealth of treasure abundantly could he go on and bring an ugly blot into her life he who loved her so dearly for a moment he wavered then set his teeth and drove on A few moments later he found himself lf trembling as he waited tor for lily in the drawing room in the solemn hush be knew that the shadow of death hung over the house Z tat 4 THE PLAY HAD BEEN FAST she came in presently through a aar behind him and he felt her arms bout about his neck before he realized realize d slie she was there re gerald ral d gerald how good it la is to BW go you he drew her into his bis arms am I 1 la in time dear 7 1 I 1 do not know she has sunk again bm the nurse will call me the moment she he ig ia edacious she took a sudden notion that she wanted to see the man I 1 am going to marry you know she is queer dear and she has not been out of the house or seen any one for nany many months she drew herself out a of f his arms and put her bar hands on his face to wok took at him gerald she he exclaimed noting for the first time the drawn haggard expression P e ion you are ill whit Is it dear you yon should not have come he told her the whole story lily darling I 1 have been try frying ing to think this morning e ely early ly I 1 was filled with the blackness of despair then I 1 came to you because what remnant of decency was left in me prevented my running away like a coward though it did not seem as it if I 1 could ever look in your dear face A again gai n 1 I 1 am going away to begic beat all over again gerald continued and take courage from the strength you have given me this tb last hour perhaps I 1 may never conquer myself but I 1 shall never cease to try the thought that I 1 have brought sorrow borrow into your life drives me mad he paced the room restlessly 1 I would not have my life all sunshine shine the girl said vehemently and you fou have haire made me so very happy all these weeks and now now that you a ore going away I 1 shall be happy still BUIL knowing that you are going to reach out am of the darkness and be worthy of y it is you who are pulling me up dear no I 1 will not have it so it la is your ciry 7 nature as az erting itse itself if and it conquer bouer 4 in the end and then r aipa an J n the man began eagerly but not let her answer forgive me dear I 1 will not let you be so generous one can never be too generous to those w we e love lae herald ah my dear there was never any one like you and the leaving you is like death he hid bid his face in his hands the girl took some paa ies and put them into the lapel of his cost coat her fingers trembled so that she could scarcely cely fasten the flowers but she spoke to him bravely there is hearts ease tor for you dear a little sweetness and color i to take away you will write me your plans I 1 think I 1 would like to have you go 90 now the man held her hands and kissed them reverently 1 I may come back in a year deax dear it may be two or three I 1 want to leave you free to make your own life I 1 do not mean to make my fight with the hope of the reward that might come to me but for the sake of my honor and manhood the things you have roused in me gerald bear I 1 I 1 cannot think beyond ond today you seem to have come and to be going so suddenly but I 1 want you to go and 0 0 my dear she cried iad flinging her arms about his neck 1 I have such faith in you the girl raised her head and looked steadily at him for a moment h her er eyes glowing with the light of her high belief in him then she slipped from his bis arms and turned away that she might not see him go from her A moment later she heard the door close and knew that he was gone A great sob burst from her but as it if she felt that even yet she had no right to think of herself she went rapidly into the sick room and knelt by the bed her aunt opened her eyes and spoke feebly has gerald come behas he has been called away unexpectedly t the girt girl replied with an effort but the man I 1 love will come bal again and he came indi indeed d a ref ormed man to her funeral six months later london sun |