the notch on the ax and on being found out-第92章

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conflicting　emotions。　　Alan　pressed　me　closer　to　him；　while　the
silence　seemed　to　throb　with　the　beating　of　his　heart　and　the
panting　of　his　breath。　　But　except　for　that　he　remained　motionless；
gazing　at　the　golden　message　before　him。　　At　length　I　felt　a
movement；　and　looking　up　saw　his　face　turned　down　towards　mine；　the
lips　quivering；　the　cheeks　flushed；　the　eyes　soft　with　passionate
feeling。　　〃We　are　saved；　my　darling；〃　he　whispered；　〃saved；　and
through　you。〃　　Then　he　bent　his　head　lower；　and　there　in　that　room
of　horror；　I　received　the　first　long　lover's　kiss　from　my　own　dear
husband's　lips。

　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。

My　husband；　yes；　but　not　till　some　time　after　that。　　Alan's　first
act；　when　he　had　once　fully　realized　that　the　curse　was　indeed
removed；　wasthrowing　his　budding　practice　to　the　windsto　set
sail　for　America。　　There　he　sought　out　Jack；　and　labored　hard　to
impart　to　him　some　of　his　own　newfound　hope。　　It　was　slow　work；　but
he　succeeded　at　last；　and　only　left　him　when；　two　years　later；　he
had　handed　him　over　to　the　charge　of　a　bright…eyed　Western　girl；　to
whom　the　whole　story　had　been　told；　and　who　showed　herself　ready
and　anxious　to　help　in　building　up　again　the　broken　life　of　her
English　lover。　　To　judge　from　the　letters　that　we　have　since
received；　she　has　shown　herself　well　fitted　for　the　task。　　Among
other　things　she　has　money；　and　Jack's　worldly　affairs　have　so
prospered　that　George　declares　that　he　can　well　afford　now　to　waste
some　of　his　superfluous　cash　upon　farming　a　few　of　his　elder
brother's　acres。　　The　idea　seems　to　smile　upon　Jack；　and　I　have
every　hope　this　winter　of　being　able　to　institute　an　actual
comparison　between　our　small　boy；　his　namesake；　and　his　own　three…
year…old　Alan。　　The　comparison；　by　the　way；　will　have　to　be
conditional；　for　Jacketthe　name　by　which　my　son　and　heir　is
familiarly　knownis　but　a　little　more　than　two。

I　turn　my　eyes　for　a　moment；　and　they　fall　upon　the　northern　corner
of　the　East　Room；　which　shows　round　the　edge　of　the　house。　　Then
the　skeleton　leaps　from　the　cupboard　of　my　memory；　the　icy　hand
which　lies　ever　near　my　soul　grips　it　suddenly　with　a　chill
shudder。　　Not　for　nothing　was　that　wretched　woman's　life　interwoven
with　my　own；　if　only　for　an　hour；　not　for　nothing　did　my　spirit
harbor　a　conflict　and　an　agony；　which；　thank　God；　are　far　from　its
own　story。　　Though　Margaret　Mervyn's　dagger　failed　to　pierce　my
flesh；　the　wound　in　my　soul　may　never　wholly　be　healed。　　I　know
that　that　is　so；　and　yet　as　I　turn　to　start　through　the　sunshine　to
the　cedar　shade　and　its　laughing　occupants；　I　whisper　to　myself
with　fervent　conviction；　〃It　was　worth　it。〃





End