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diff --git a/59277-0.txt b/59277-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2dae5a6 --- /dev/null +++ b/59277-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7815 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 59277 *** + + + + + + + + + + + +[Frontispiece: "WHO IS SHE?" SHE DEMANDED ALMOST SHARPLY. +Frontispiece--Page 46.] + + + + + REDEEMED + + + BY + + Mrs. GEORGE SHELDON DOWNS + + AUTHOR OF + "Gertrude Elliott's Crucible," "Step by Step," + "Katherine's Sheaves," etc. + + + + Illustrations by + CLARENCE ROWE + + + + M. A. DONOHUE & COMPANY + CHICAGO NEW YORK + + + + + Copyright, 1910 and 1911 + By VICKERY & HILL PUB. CO. + + Copyright, 1911 + By G. W. DILLINGHAM COMPANY + + _Redeemed_ + + + + + CONTENTS + + CHAPTER + + I A WIFE REPUDIATED + II THE FINAL RUPTURE + III A BACKWARD GLANCE + IV A YOUNG WIFE'S BRAVE STRUGGLES + V FLUCTUATING EXPERIENCES + VI AN OLD TEMPTATION REVIVED + VII SERIOUS DOMESTIC COMPLICATIONS + VIII HELEN PLANS HER FUTURE + IX AFTER TEN YEARS + X A BRIEF RETROSPECT + XI A SEALED BOOK REOPENED + XII THE SOUBRETTE + XIII A TRYING INTERVIEW + XIV "LOVE THY NEIGHBOR" + XV A STARTLING APPARITION + XVI SACKCLOTH AND ASHES + XVII AS WHEAT IS SIFTED + XVIII LOVING SERVICE + XIX JOHN HUNGERFORD BEGINS LIFE ANEW + XX FIVE YEARS LATER + XXI SOME INTERESTING REVELATIONS + XXII A HAPPY REUNION + XXIII A FINAL RENUNCIATION + XXIV A MASTERPIECE + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + +"Who is she?" she demanded almost sharply . . . . . . _Frontispiece_ + +"To begin with, and not to mince matters, I want some money" + +She found herself face to face with John Hungerford + +"The stranger was--my father" + + +[Transcriber's note: The last three illustrations were missing from the +source book] + + + + +REDEEMED + + + +CHAPTER I. + +A WIFE REPUDIATED. + + Two lives that once part are as ships that divide, + When, moment on moment, there rushes between + The one and the other a sea-- + Ah, never can fall from the days that have been + A gleam on the years that shall be. + BULWER LYTTON. + + +"Very well, John; I have nothing more to say. You can commence +proceedings as soon as you choose. I shall not contest them." + +The speaker was a slight, graceful woman of perhaps thirty-five years. +Her figure was a little above the medium stature, and symmetrical, +almost perfect, in its proportions. Her beautiful, refined face and +proudly poised, shapely head were crowned with a wealth of soft brown +hair, in which there was a glint of red, and which lay in bright +profusion above her white forehead, in charming contrast with the +delicate fairness of her skin, which, at the present moment, was +absolutely colorless. + +Drawn to her full height, she was standing opposite her companion, her +large, expressive gray eyes, in which pity and scorn struggled for +supremacy, lifted to his in a direct, unflinching gaze which bespoke +the strength of purpose and straightforward character of one who +possessed the courage of her convictions; while, in her rich-toned +voice, as well as in her crisp, decisive sentences, there was a note of +finality which plainly indicated that she had taken her stand regarding +the matter under discussion, and would abide by it. + +"What! Am I to understand that you do not intend to contest +proceedings for a divorce, Helen?" + +Surprise and an unmistakable intonation of eagerness pervaded John +Hungerford's tones as he spoke, while, at the same time, he searched +his wife's face with a curious, almost startled, look. + +At a casual glance the man impressed one as possessing an unusually +attractive personality. + +He had a fine, athletic figure--tall, broad-shouldered, +well-proportioned--which, together with an almost military bearing, +gave him a distinguished air, that instantly attracted attention +wherever he went. A clear olive complexion, dark-brown eyes and hair, +handsomely molded features, and a luminous smile, that revealed white, +perfect teeth, completed the _tout ensemble_ that had made havoc with +not a few susceptible hearts, even before he had finally bestowed his +coveted affections upon beautiful Helen Appleton, whom later he had +made his wife. But upon closer acquaintance one could not fail to +detect disappointing lines in his face, and corresponding flaws in his +character--a shifty eye, a weak mouth and chin, an indolent, +ease-loving temperament, that would shirk every responsibility, and an +insatiable desire for personal entertainment, that betrayed excessive +selfishness and a lack of principle. + +"No," the woman coldly replied to her husband's exclamation of +astonishment, "I have no intention of opposing any action that you may +see fit to take to annul our union, provided----" + +She paused abruptly, a sudden alertness in her manner and tone. + +"Well?" he questioned impatiently, and with a frown which betokened +intolerance of opposition. + +"Provided you do not attempt to take Dorothy from me, or to compromise +me in any way in your efforts to free yourself." + +The man shrugged his broad shoulders and arched his fine eyebrows. + +"I am not sighing for publicity for either you or myself, Helen," he +observed. "I simply wish to get the matter settled as quickly and +quietly as possible. As for Dorothy, however----" + +"There can be no question about Dorothy; she is to be relinquished +absolutely to me," Helen Hungerford interposed, with sharp decision. + +"You appear to be very insistent upon _that_ point," retorted her +companion, with sneering emphasis and an unpleasant lifting of his +upper lip that just revealed the tips of his gleaming teeth. + +"I certainly am; that my child remains with me is a foregone +conclusion," was the spirited reply. + +"The judge may decree differently----" + +"You will not dare suggest it," returned the wife, in a coldly quiet +tone, but with a dangerous gleam in her eyes. "No judge would render +so unrighteous a decree if I were to tell my story, which I certainly +should do if driven to it. I have assented to your demand for this +separation, but before I sign any papers to ratify the agreement you +will legally surrender all claim to, or authority over, Dorothy." + +"Indeed! Aren't you assuming a good deal of authority for yourself, +Helen? You appear to forget that Dorothy is my child as well as +yours--that I love her----" + +"_Love her!_" Exceeding bitterness vibrated in the mother's voice. +"How have you shown your love for her? However, it is useless to +discuss that point. I have given you my ultimatum--upon no other +condition will I consent to this divorce," she concluded, with an air +of finality there was no mistaking. + +"I swear I will not do it!" John Hungerford burst forth, with sudden +anger. + +An interval of silence followed, during which each was apparently +absorbed in troubled thought. + +"Possibly it will make no difference whether you do or do not accede to +my terms," Mrs. Hungerford resumed, after a moment, "for it has +occurred to me that there is already a law regulating the guardianship +of minors, giving the child a voice in the matter; and, Dorothy being +old enough to choose her own guardian, there can be little doubt +regarding what her choice would be." + +"You are surely very sanguine," sneered her husband. + +"And why should I not be?" demanded the woman, in a low but intense +tone. "What have you to offer her? What have you ever done for her, +or to gain her confidence and respect, that could induce her to trust +her future with you? How do you imagine she will regard this last +humiliation to which you are subjecting her and her mother?" + +John Hungerford flushed a conscious crimson as these pertinent +questions fell from the lips of his outraged wife. His glance wavered +guiltily, then fell before the clear, accusing look in her eyes. + +"Oh, doubtless you have her well trained in the rôle she is to play," +he sullenly observed, after an interval of awkward silence, during +which he struggled to recover his customary self-assurance. "You have +always indulged her lightest whim, and so have tied her securely to +your apron strings, which, it goes without saying, has weakened my hold +upon her." + +His companion made no reply to this acrid fling, but stood in an +attitude of quiet dignity, awaiting any further suggestions he might +have to offer. + +But, having gained his main point--her consent to a legal +separation--the man was anxious to close the interview and escape from +a situation that was becoming exceedingly uncomfortable for him. At +the same time, he found it no easy matter to bring the interview to a +close and take final leave of the wife whom he was repudiating. + +"Well, Helen," he finally observed, assuming a masterful tone to cover +his increasing embarrassment, "I may have more to say regarding +Dorothy, later on--we will not discuss the matter further at present. +Now, I am going--unless you have something else you wish to say to me." + +Helen Hungerford shivered slightly at these last words, and grew marble +white. + +Then she suddenly moved a step or two nearer to him, and lifted her +beautiful face to him, a solemn light in her large gray eyes. + +"Yes, I have something else I would like to say to you, John," she +said, her voice growing tremulous for the first time during their +interview. "This separation is, as you know, of your own seeking, not +mine. A so-called divorce, though sanctioned a thousand times by +misnamed law, means nothing to me. When I married you I pledged myself +to you until death should part us, and I would have held fast to my +vows until my latest breath. I may have made mistakes during the years +we have lived together, but you well know that whenever I have taken a +stand against your wishes it has always been for conscience's sake. I +have honestly tried to be a faithful wife--a true helpmeet, and a wise +mother. I have freely given you the very best there was in me to give. +Now, at your decree, we are to part. I make no contest--I hurl no +reproaches--I simply submit. But I have one last plea to make: I beg +of you not to ruin your future in the way you are contemplating--you +know what I mean--for life is worthless without an honored name, +without the respect of your fellow men, and, above all, without +_self-respect_. You have rare talent--talent that would lift you high +upon the ladder of fame and success, if you would cease to live an +aimless, barren existence. For your own sake, I pray you will not +longer pervert it. That is all. Good-by, John; I hear Dorothy coming, +and you may have something you would like to say before you go." + +She slipped quietly between the portières near which she had been +standing, and was gone as a door opened to admit a bright, winsome +lassie of about fifteen years. + +Dorothy Hungerford strongly resembled her mother. She was formed like +her; she had the same pure complexion, the same large, clear gray eyes +and wealth of reddish-brown hair, which hung in a massive braid--like a +rope of plaited satin--between her shoulders, and was tied at the end +with a great bow of blue ribbon. + +The girl paused abruptly upon the threshold, and flushed a startled +crimson as her glance fell upon her father. + +"Where--is mamma?" she inquired, in evident confusion. + +"Your mother has just gone to her room," the man replied, his brows +contracting with a frown of pain as he met his daughter's beautiful but +clouded eyes. "Come in, Dorothy," he added, throwing a touch of +brightness into his tones; "I wish to have a little talk with you." + +The maiden reluctantly obeyed, moving forward a few paces into the room +and gravely searching her father's face as she did so. + +"I suppose you know that I am going away, Dorothy? Your mother has +told you--ahem!--of the--the change I--we are contemplating?" John +Hungerford inquiringly observed, but with unmistakable embarrassment. + +"Yes, sir," said Dorothy, with an air of painful constraint. + +"How would you like to come with me, dear? You have a perfect right to +choose with whom you will live for the future." + +"I choose to live with my mother!" And there was now no constraint +accompanying the girl's positive reply. + +The man's right hand clenched spasmodically; then his dark eyes blazed +with sudden anger. + +"Ha! Evidently your mother has been coaching you upon the subject," he +sharply retorted. + +"Mamma hasn't said a word to me about--about that part of the--the +plan," Dorothy faltered. + +"Then you mean me to understand that, of your own free will, you prefer +to remain with your mother altogether?" + +Dorothy nodded her drooping head in assent, not possessing sufficient +courage to voice her attitude. + +"Pray tell me what is your objection to living with me--at least for a +portion of each year?" + +The child did not immediately answer. The situation was an exceedingly +trying one, and she appeared to be turning her father's proposition +over in her mind. + +At length she lifted her head, and her eyes met his in a clear, direct +gaze. + +"Where are you going to live?" she questioned, with significant +emphasis. + +Her companion shrank before her look and words as if he had been +sharply smitten. + +"That is not the question just at present," he said, quickly recovering +himself. "I asked what objection you have to living with me. Don't +you love me at all?" + +Again Dorothy's head fell, and, pulling the massive braid of her ruddy +hair over her shoulder, she stood nervously toying with it in silence. + +"Dorothy, I wish you to answer me," her father persisted, greatly +irritated by her attitude toward him, and growing reckless of +consequences in his obstinate determination to force her to give him a +definite answer. + +But Dorothy was not devoid of obstinacy herself. She pouted +irresolutely a moment; then, tossing her braid back into its place, +stood erect, and faced her father squarely. + +"Why are you going away--why will you not live here with mamma?" + +Again the man flushed hotly. He was guiltily conscious that she knew +well enough why. + +"I--we are not congenial, and it is better that we live apart," he +faltered, as he shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. +Then, becoming suddenly furious in view of being thus arraigned by his +own child, he thundered: "Now I command you to give me your reason for +refusing to live with me during some portion of each year! I know," he +went on, more temperately, "that you love your mother, and I would not +wish to take you from her altogether; but I am your father--I certainly +have some claim upon you, and it is natural that I should desire to +keep you with me some of the time. Now, tell me at once your +objections to the plan," he concluded sternly. + +The interview had been a severe strain upon the delicately organized +and proud-spirited girl, and she had found great difficulty in +preserving her self-control up to this point; but now his tone and +manner were like spark to powder. + +"Because---- Oh, because I think you are just horrid! I used to think +you such a gentleman, and I was proud of you; but now you have shamed +me so! No, I don't love you, and I wouldn't go to live with you +and--and _that dreadful woman_ for anything!" she recklessly threw back +at him. + +For a minute John Hungerford stood speechless, staring blankly at his +child, his face and lips colorless and drawn. Her words had stabbed +him cruelly. + +"Dorothy, you are impertinent!" he said severely, when he could command +his voice. + +She caught her breath sharply; she bit her lips fiercely, her white +teeth leaving deep imprints upon them; then passion swept all before it. + +"I know it--I _feel_ impertinent! I feel awful wicked, as if I could +do something dreadful!" she cried shrilly and quivering from head to +foot from mingled anger and grief. "You have broken mamma's heart, and +it breaks mine, too, to see her looking so crushed and getting so white +and thin. And now you are going to put this open disgrace upon +her--upon us both--just because you are tired of her and think you like +some one else better. I do love my mother--she is the dearest mother +in the world, and I'm glad you're going. I--I don't care if I +never----" + +Her voice broke sharply, at this point, into something very like a +shriek. She had wrought herself up to a frenzy of excitement, and now, +with great sobs shaking her slight form like a reed, she turned +abruptly away, and dashed wildly out of the room, slamming the door +violently behind her. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE FINAL RUPTURE. + +John Hungerford was stricken with astonishment and dismay by the +foregoing outburst of passion from his child. As a rule, she had ever +been gentle and tractable, rarely defying his authority, and never +before had he seen her manifest such temper as she had just given way +to. He had always believed that she loved him, although he had long +been conscious of a growing barrier between them--that she invariably +sought her mother's companionship when she was in the house, and held +aloof from him. But he had been so absorbed in his own pursuits that +he had not given much serious thought to the matter; consequently it +had now come like a bolt from a clear sky, when she had openly declared +that she did not love him, while he was at no loss for words to +complete the scathing, unfinished sentence to which she had given +utterance just before she had fled from his presence. + +It had taken him unawares, and, indifferent as he had become to his +responsibilities as a husband and father; determined as he was to cut +loose from them to gratify his pleasure-loving and vacillating +disposition, his heart was now bruised and lacerated, his proud spirit +humiliated as it never before had been, by Dorothy's passionate +arraignment and bitter repudiation of him. + +His wife, greatly to his surprise, had received him with her accustomed +courtesy, had quietly acceded to his wishes when he informed her that +he contemplated seeking a divorce, and had calmly told him that she had +no intention of contesting his application for a legal separation. He +had not believed he would be able to secure his freedom so easily, and +secretly congratulated himself that the matter had been so quickly +adjusted, and had terminated without a scene, even though he had been +not a little chagrined by his wife's dignified bearing and a certain +conscious superiority throughout the interview; also by the absence of +all excitement or sentiment, except as, now and then, a flash of scorn +or pity for him leaped from her eyes or rang in her tones. + +But it had been quite another thing to have Dorothy, whom he had always +fondly loved, in his selfish way, so openly denounce him for his +faithlessness to her mother, and impeach him for the humiliation to +which he was about to subject them both. As his anger subsided, as he +began to realize something of what it meant, he was cut to the quick, +and a sickening sense of loss and desolation suddenly swept over him, +causing his throat to swell with painful tension and his eyes to sting +with a rush of hot tears. + +His only child--his pet and little playmate for fifteen years--had +practically told him that she would not care if she never saw him +again. It seemed almost as if she had suddenly died and were lost to +him forever. He wondered if he ever would see her again, hear her +fresh young voice calling "papa," or feel her soft lips caressing his +cheek. + +He stood for several minutes staring miserably at the door through +which she had disappeared, a long, quivering sigh heaving his broad +chest. Then his eyes swept the familiar, tastefully arranged room, +which showed the graceful touch of his wife's deft hands in every +detail, and finally rested upon the great bow of blue ribbon which had +become loosened from Dorothy's hair and fallen to the floor almost at +his feet. + +He stooped, picked it up, and thrust it into his bosom; then +mechanically took his hat, and quietly left the house. + +But, as the outer door closed behind him, and the latch clicked sharply +into its socket, there shot through all his nerves a thrill of keen +pain which for many years repeated itself whenever the same sound fell +upon his ears. + +There seemed to be an ominous knell of finality in it, and, mingling +with it, a sinister jeer at his supreme folly in thus turning his back +forever upon this attractive, though comparatively simple, home, with +its atmosphere of purity and sweet, refining influences; in discarding +the beautiful and loyal woman whom he had once believed he adored; in +abandoning and forfeiting the affection and respect of a lovely +daughter, who also gave promise of becoming, in the near future, a +brilliant and cultured woman, and--for what? + +More than an hour elapsed after Dorothy fled from her father's presence +before she could control herself sufficiently to seek her mother, who +also had been fighting a mighty battle in the solitude of her own room. +Even then the girl's eyes were red and swollen from excessive weeping; +neither had she been able to overcome wholly the grief-laden sobs +which, for the time, had utterly prostrated her. + +"Mamma, he has told me, and--he has gone," she faltered, almost on the +verge of breaking down again, as she threw herself upon her knees by +her mother's side and searched with anxious eyes the white, set face of +the deserted wife. + +"Yes, dear; I heard him go." + +"Do you think it will be forever?" + +"That is what a divorce--a legal separation--means, Dorothy." + +The girl dropped her head upon her mother's shoulder, with a moan of +pain, and Helen slipped a compassionate arm around the trembling form. + +"Mamma," Dorothy began again, after a few moments of silence. + +"Well, dear?" + +"I think it is awful--what he is doing; but don't you think that +we--you and I--can be happy again, by and by, just by ourselves?" + +"I am sure we can, dearest," was the brave response, as Helen +Hungerford drew her daughter closer to her in a loving embrace. + +Dorothy seized her mother's hand and kissed it passionately, two great, +burning tears dropping upon it as she did so. + +"He asked me to go with him--to live with him some of the time," she +presently resumed. + +"And you told him----" breathed Helen, almost inaudibly. + +"I was very disrespectful, mamma," confessed the girl humbly; "but I +couldn't help it when I thought what it all meant. I said I wouldn't +live with him for anything--I almost told him that I wouldn't care if I +never saw him again. Where will he go now? What will he do? Will--he +marry _that woman_?" she concluded, her voice growing hard and tense +again. + +Her mother's lips grew blue and pinched with the effort she made to +stifle a cry of agony at the shameful suggestion. But she finally +forced herself to reply, with some semblance of composure: + +"I do not know, Dorothy, and we will try not to worry over anything +that he may do. However, when he secures the necessary decree from the +court he will have the legal right to do as he pleases." + +"The _legal_ right," repeated Dorothy reflectively. + +"Yes, the law will give him the right to marry again if he wishes to do +so." + +"What an abominable law! And what a shameful thing for any man to want +to do, when he already has a family! What will people think of us if +he does?" queried the girl, with a shiver of repulsion. + +"My dear, ask rather what people will think of _him_," said her mother +tenderly, as she laid her lips in a gentle caress against the child's +forehead. + +"Of course, I know that nice people will not respect him; but I can't +help feeling that the shame of it will touch us, too," opposed +sensitive Dorothy. + +"No, dear; what he has done, or may do, cannot harm either you or me in +the estimation of our real friends," replied Helen, throwing a note of +cheer she was far from feeling into her tones. "It can only bring +condemnation upon himself, and you are not to feel any sense of +degradation because of your father's wrongdoing. We are simply the +innocent victims of circumstances over which we have no control; and, +Dorrie, you and I will so live that all who know us will be compelled +to respect us for ourselves." + +Dorothy heaved a deep sigh of relief as her mother concluded, and her +somber eyes brightened perceptibly. She sat silently thinking for f +several minutes; then a cloud again darkened her face. + +"Mamma," she began hesitatingly, "you said the law would give p--him +the right to do as he pleases--to marry that woman. Can you do as you +please? Could you----" + +"Oh, hush, Dorothy!" gasped the tortured wife, in a shocked tone, and +laying an icy hand over the girl's lips. "When I married your father," +she went on more calmly after a little, "I promised to be true to him +while we both lived, and you must never think of anything like that for +me--never--_never_! He may choose another, but I---- Oh, God, my +burden is heavier than I can bear!" + +Helen Hungerford buried her agonized face in her hands, cowering and +shrinking from the repulsive suggestion as if she had been smitten with +a lash. + +Dorothy was shocked by the effect of her thoughtless question. She had +never seen her mother so unnerved before. + +"Oh, mamma, don't!" she cried wildly. "I love you dearly--dearly--I +did not mean to hurt you so, and I _hate_ him for making you so +wretched--for putting this dreadful disgrace upon us both. I will +never forgive him--I never want to see him again. I know it is wicked +to hate, but I can't help it--I don't care! I do--I do----" + +These incoherent utterances ended in a piercing shriek as the +overwrought girl threw herself prone upon the floor at her mother's +feet, in a violent paroxysm of hysteria. + +She was a sensitively organized child, proud as a young princess, and +possessed of a high sense of honor; and grief over the threatened break +in the family, together with fear of the opprobrium which she believed +it would entail upon her idolized mother, as well as upon herself, had +been preying upon her mind for several weeks; and now the climax had +come, the cloud had burst, and, with the strenuous excitement and +experiences of the day, had resulted in this nervous collapse. + +Hours elapsed before Helen succeeded in soothing her into any degree of +calmness, and when at last she fell into a deep sleep, from utter +exhaustion, the forsaken wife found something very like hatred surging +within her own heart toward the faithless man who had ruthlessly +wrecked their happiness. + +"Neither will I forgive him for imposing this lifelong sorrow and taint +upon my child," she secretly vowed as she sat through the long, lonely +hours of the night, and watched beside the couch of her daughter. + +In due time, she received formal announcement that her husband had +secured his divorce, and that she also was free, by the decree of the +court; and, following close upon this verdict, came the news that John +Hungerford, the artist, had gone abroad again to resume his studies in +Paris. + +It was significant, too, at least to Helen, that the same papers +stating this fact also mentioned that the Wells Opera Company, which +had just finished a most successful season in San Francisco, was booked +for a long engagement, with Madam Marie Duncan as leading soprano, in +the same city; the opening performance was set for a date in the near +future. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +A BACKWARD GLANCE. + +Helen Gregory Appleton was the only child of cultured people, who, +possessing a moderate fortune, had spared no pains or expense to give +their daughter a thorough education, with the privilege of cultivating +whatever accomplishments she preferred, or talent that she possessed. + +Helen was an exceptionally bright girl, and, having conscientiously +improved her opportunities, she had graduated from high school at the +age of seventeen, and from a popular finishing school at twenty, a +beautiful and accomplished young woman, the joy and pride of her +devoted parents, who anticipated for her not only a brilliant social +career, but also an auspicious settlement in life. + +Her only hobby throughout her school life had been music, of which, +from childhood, she had been passionately fond. "I don't care for +drawing or painting," she affirmed, "so I will stick to music, and try +to do one thing well." And with no thought of ever making it a +profession, but simply for love of it, she had labored tirelessly to +acquire proficiency in this accomplishment, with the result that she +not only excelled as a pianist, but was also a pleasing +vocalist--attainments which, later in life, were destined to bring her +rich returns for her faithful study. + +It was during her last year in school that she had met John Hungerford, +a graduate of Yale College, and a promising young man, possessing great +personal attractions. He was bright, cheerful, and witty, always +looking for the humorous side of life; while, being of an easy-going +temperament, he avoided everything like friction in his intercourse +with others, which made him a very harmonious and much-sought-after +companion. Naturally courteous, genial, and quick at repartee, +enthusiastically devoted to athletic sports, ever ready to lead in a +frolic and to entertain lavishly, he was generally voted an "all-around +jolly good fellow." Hence he had early become a prime favorite with +his class, and also with the faculty, and remained such throughout his +course. + +He was not a brilliant scholar, however, and barely succeeded in +winning his degree at the end of his four years' term. He did not love +study; he lacked application and tenacity of purpose, except in sports, +or such things as contributed to his personal entertainment. At the +same time, he had too much pride to permit him to fail to secure his +diploma, and he managed to win out; but with just as little work and +worry as possible. + +The only direction in which he had ever shown a tendency to excel was +in art, the love of which he had inherited from his paternal +grandfather, who, in his day, had won some renown, both abroad and in +his own country, as a landscape painter; and from early boyhood "John +Hungerford, Second"--his namesake--had shown unmistakable talent in the +same direction. + +Possessing a small fortune, which had fallen to him from this same +relative, the young man had given scarcely a serious thought to his +future. + +Life had always been a bright gala day to him; money was easy, friends +were plenty, and, with perfect health, what more could he ask of the +years to come? And when questioned regarding what business or +profession he purposed to follow, on leaving college, he would reply, +with his usual irresponsible manner: "It will be time enough to decide +that matter later on. I propose to see something of the world, and +have some fun, before settling down to the humdrum affairs of life." + +Once the formality of their introduction was over, John had proceeded +forthwith to fall desperately in love with beautiful Helen Appleton, +and, as she reciprocated his affection, an early engagement had +followed. Six months later they were married, and sailed for Europe, +with the intention of making an extensive tour abroad. + +Helen's parents had not sanctioned this hurried union without +experiencing much anxiety and doubt regarding the wisdom of giving +their idolized daughter to one whom they had known for so short a time. +But young Hungerford's credentials had appeared to be unquestionable, +his character above reproach, his personality most winning, and his +means ample; thus there had seemed no reasonable objection to the +marriage. + +The young man's wooing had been so eager, and Helen so enamored of her +handsome lover, who swept before him every argument or obstacle +calculated to retard the wedding with such plausible insistence, that +the important event had been consummated almost before they could +realize what it might mean to them all when the excitement and glamour +had worn away. + +Frequent letters came to them from the travelers, filled with loving +messages, with enthusiastic descriptions of their sight-seeing, and +expressions of perfect happiness in each other; and the fond father and +mother, though lonely without their dear one, comforted themselves with +assurances that all was well with her, and they would soon have her +back with them again. + +After spending a year in travel and sight-seeing, the young couple +drifted back to Paris, from which point they intended, after John had +made another round of the wonderful art galleries, which had enthralled +him upon their previous visit, to proceed directly home. But the +artist element in him became more and more awakened, as, day after day, +he studied the world-renowned treasures all about him, until he +suddenly conceived the idea of making art his profession and life work; +whereupon, he impulsively registered himself for a course in oils, +under a popular artist and teacher, Monsieur Jacques by name. + +Helen would have preferred to return to her parents, for she yearned +for familiar scenes, and particularly for her mother at this time; but +she yielded her will to her husband's, and they made a pretty home for +themselves in an attractive suburb of Paris, where, a little later, +there came to the young wife, in her exile--for such it almost seemed +to her--a great joy. + +A little daughter, the Dorothy of our opening chapter, was born to John +and Helen Hungerford a few weeks after the anniversary of their +marriage; and, being still deeply in love with each other, it seemed to +them as if their cup of happiness was filled to the brim. + +Shortly afterward, however, with only a few days between the two sad +events, cable messages brought the heartbreaking tidings that Helen's +father and mother had both been taken from her, and the blow, for the +time, seemed likely to crush her. + +John, in his sympathy for his wife, was for immediately throwing up his +work, and taking her directly home; but Helen, more practical and less +impulsive than her husband, reasoned that there was nothing to be +gained by such a rash move, while much would have to be sacrificed in +forfeiting his course of lessons, which had been paid for in advance; +while she feared that such an interruption would greatly abate his +enthusiasm, if it did not wholly discourage him from the task of +perfecting himself in his studies. + +She knew that her father's lawyer, who had been his adviser for many +years, was amply qualified to settle Mr. Appleton's business; and, +having unbounded confidence in him, she felt that whatever would be +required of her could be done as well by correspondence as by her +personal presence. Consequently it was decided best to remain where +they were until John should become well grounded in his profession, and +able to get on without a teacher. + +But when Mr. Appleton's affairs were settled it was learned that the +scant sum of five thousand dollars was all that his daughter would +inherit from his estate. This unlooked-for misfortune was a great +surprise to the young husband and wife; a bitter disappointment, also, +particularly to John Hungerford, who had imagined, when he married her, +that Helen would inherit quite a fortune from her father, who, it was +generally believed, had amassed a handsome property. + +Helen very wisely decided that the five thousand dollars must be put +aside for Dorothy's future education, and she directed the lawyer to +invest the money for the child, as his best judgment dictated, and +allow the interest to accumulate until they returned to America. + +Three years slipped swiftly by after this, and during this time John, +who seemed really to love his work, gave promise of attaining +proficiency, if not fame, in his profession. At least, Monsieur +Jacques, who appeared to take a deep interest in his student's +progress, encouraged him to believe he could achieve something worth +while in the future, provided he applied himself diligently to that end. + +Helen, though chastened and still grieving sorely over the loss of her +parents, was happy and content to live very quietly, keeping only one +servant, and herself acting the part of nurse for Dorothy. Before her +marriage she had supposed John to be the possessor of considerable +wealth, and this belief had been confirmed during their first year +abroad by his lavish expenditure. He had spared no expense to +contribute to her pleasure, had showered expensive gifts upon her, and +gratified every whim of his own. But when her father's estate had been +settled he had betrayed deep disappointment and no little anxiety in +view of the small amount coming to Helen; and it had finally come out +that his own fortune had been a very moderate one, the greater portion +of which had been consumed during their extravagant honeymoon. + +This startling revelation set Helen to thinking very seriously. She +realized that the limited sum remaining to them would have to be +carefully husbanded, or they would soon reach the end of their +resources. John's studies were expensive, and it might be some time +yet before he could expect to realize from his profession an income +that could be depended upon, while, never yet having denied himself +anything he wanted, he had no practical idea of economy. + +At length he sold a few small pictures, which, with some help in +touching up from monsieur, were very creditable to him. But instead of +being elated that his work was beginning to attract attention and be +appreciated, he was greatly chagrined at the prices he received for +them, and allowed himself to become somewhat discouraged in view of +these small returns; and, during his fourth year, it became evident +that his interest was waning, and he was growing weary of his work. + +He had never been a systematic worker, much to the annoyance of his +teacher, who was rigidly methodical and painstaking in every detail. +John would begin a subject which gave promise of being above the +ordinary, and work well upon it for a while; but after a little it +would pall upon his fancy, and be set aside to try something else, +while Monsieur Jacques would look on with grave disapproval, and often +sharply criticize such desultory efforts. This, of course, caused +strained relations between teacher and student, and conditions drifted +from bad to worse, until he began to absent himself from the studio; at +first for only a day in the week; then, as time went on, he grew more +and more irregular, and sometimes several days would elapse during +which he would do nothing at his easel, while no one seemed to know +where, or with whom, he was spending his time. + +Monsieur Jacques was very forbearing. He knew the young man possessed +rare talent, if not real genius; he believed there was the promise of a +great artist in him, and he was ambitious to have him make his mark in +the world. He was puzzled by his peculiar moods and behavior, and +strove in various ways to arouse his waning enthusiasm. He knew +nothing of his circumstances, except that he had a lovely wife and +child, of whom he appeared to be very fond and proud, and he believed +him to be possessed of ample means, for he spent money freely upon +himself and his fellow students, with whom he was exceedingly popular; +hence he was wholly unable to account for his growing indifference and +indolence, unless there were some secret, subtle influence that was +leading him astray--beguiling him from his high calling. + +Two years more passed thus, and still he had made no practical +advancement. He worked by fits and starts, but rarely completed and +sold anything, even though everything he attempted was, as far as +developed, alive with brilliant possibilities. + +Helen had also realized, during this time, that something was very +wrong with her husband. He was often away from home during the +evening, and had little to say when she questioned him regarding his +absence; sometimes he told her he had been at the theater with the +boys, or he had been bowling at the club, or having a game of whist at +the studio. + +She was very patient; she believed in him thoroughly, and not a +suspicion arose in her loyal heart that he would tell her a falsehood +to conceal any wrongdoing on his part. + +But one night he did not return at all; at least, it was early morning +before he came in, and, not wishing to disturb his wife, he threw +himself, half dressed, upon the couch in the library, where Helen found +him, in a deep sleep, when she came downstairs in the morning. She +appeared relieved on seeing him, and stood for a minute or two +curiously searching his face, noting how weary and haggard he looked +after his night of evident dissipation, while the odor of wine was +plainly perceptible in his heavy breathing. + +Her heart was very sore, but she was careful not to wake him, for she +felt he needed to sleep, and she presently moved away from him, +gathering up the light overcoat he had worn the previous evening, and +which he had heedlessly thrown in a heap upon a chair on removing it. +She gently shook out the wrinkles, preparatory to putting the garment +away in its place, when something bright, hanging from an inner pocket, +caught her eye. + +With the color fading from her face, she drew it forth and gazed at it +as one dazed. + +It was a long, silken, rose-hued glove, that exhaled a faint odor of +attar of roses as it slipped from its hiding place. It was almost new, +yet the shape of the small hand that had worn it was plainly +discernible, while on one of the rounded finger tips there was a slight +stain, like a drop of wine. + +To whom did the dainty thing belong? How had it come into her +husband's possession? Had it been lost by some one returning from a +ball, or the opera, and simply been found by him? Or had it some more +significant connection with the late hours and carousal of the previous +night and of many other nights? + +A hundred questions and cruel suspicions flashed thick and fast through +her mind and stung her to the quick, as she recalled the many evenings +he had spent away from her of late, and his evasive replies whenever +she had questioned him regarding his whereabouts. + +She shivered as she stood there, almost breathless, with that creepy, +slippery thing that seemed almost alive, and a silent, mocking witness +to some tantalizing mystery, in her hand. + +What should she do about it? Should she wake John, show him what she +had found, and demand an explanation from him? Or would it be wiser to +return the glove to its place of concealment, say nothing, and bide her +time for further developments? + +She had never been a dissembler. As a girl, she was artless and +confiding, winning and keeping friends by her innate sincerity. As a +wife, she had been absolutely loyal and trustful--never before having +entertained the slightest doubt of her husband's faithfulness to her. +Could she now begin to lead a double life, begin to be suspicious of +John, to institute a system of espionage upon his actions and pursuits, +and thus create an ever-increasing barrier between them? The thought +was utterly repulsive to her, and yet it might perhaps be as well not +to force, for a time, at least, a situation which perchance would ere +long be unfolded to her without friction or estrangement. + +She glanced from the rose-hued thing in her hand to the sleeper on the +couch, stood thoughtfully studying his face for a moment; then she +silently slipped the glove into the pocket where she had found it, +dropped the coat back in a heap upon the chair, and stole noiselessly +from the room. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +A YOUNG WIFE'S BRAVE STRUGGLES. + +Another year slipped by, with no change for the better in the domestic +conditions of the Hungerfords. When he felt like it, John would work +at his easel; when he did not, he would dawdle his time away at his +club, or about town, with companions whom, Helen began to realize, were +of no advantage to him, to say the least. Meantime, his money was fast +melting away, and there seemed to be no prospect of a reliable income +from his art. + +Helen became more and more anxious regarding their future, and often +implored her husband to finish some of his pictures, try to get them +hung at different exhibitions, and in this way perhaps find a market +for them. + +He was never really unkind to her, though often irritable; yet he was +far from being the devoted husband he had been during the first three +or four years of their married life. He would often make fair promises +to do better, and perhaps work well for a while; then, his interest +flagging again, he would drop back into his indolent ways, and go on as +before. + +One morning, just as he was leaving the house, John informed his wife +that he was going, with several other artists, to visit a noted château +a few miles out of Paris, where there was a wonderful collection of +paintings, comprising several schools of art, some of the oldest and +best masters being represented; and the owner of these treasures, the +Duc de Mouvel, had kindly given them permission to examine them and +take notes at their leisure. It was a rare opportunity, he told her, +and she was not to be anxious about him if he did not reach home until +late in the evening. + +Helen was quite elated by this information; it seemed to indicate that +John still loved his art, and she hoped that his enthusiasm would be +newly aroused by this opportunity to study such priceless pictures, and +he would resume his work with fresh zeal upon his return. + +She was very happy during the day, refreshing herself with these +sanguine hopes, and did not even feel troubled that John did not come +back at all that night. The owner of the château had probably extended +his hospitality, and given the students another day to study his +pictures, she thought. + +The third day dawned, and still her husband had not returned; neither +had he sent her any message explaining his protracted absence. + +Unable longer to endure the suspense, Helen went in town, to the +studio, hoping that Monsieur Jacques might be able to give her some +information regarding the expedition to the Château de Mouvel. + +But her heart sank the moment she came into the artist's presence. + +He greeted her most cordially, but searched her face curiously; then +gravely inquired: + +"And where is Monsieur Hungerford, madame? I hope not ill? For a week +now his brushes they have been lying idle." + +"A week!" repeated Helen, with an inward shock of dismay. "Then, +Monsieur Jacques, you know nothing about the excursion to the château +of le Duc de Mouvel?" + +"Excursion to the galleries of le Duc de Mouvel!" exclaimed the artist, +astonished. "But surely I know nothing of such a visit--no, madame." + +Helen explained more at length, and mentioned the names of some of +those whom John had said were to be of the party. + +Her companion's brow contracted in a frown of mingled sorrow and +displeasure. + +"I know nothing of it," he reiterated; "and the persons madame has +named are dilettante--they are 'no good,' as you say in America. They +waste time--they have a love for wine, women, and frolic; and it is +regrettable that monsieur finds pleasure in their company." + +Helen sighed; her heart was very heavy. + +"Monsieur is one natural artist," the master resumed, bending a +compassionate gaze on her white face; "born with talent and the love of +art. He has the true eye for color, outline, perspective; the free, +steady, skillful hand. He would do great work with the stable mind, +but--pardon, madame--he is what, in English, you call--lazy. He will +not exercise the necessary application. To make the great artist there +must be more, much more, than mere talent, the love of the beautiful, +and skillful wielding of the brush; there must be the will to work, +work, work. Ah, if madame could but inspire monsieur with +ambition--real enthusiasm--to accomplish something, to finish his +pictures, he might yet win fame for himself; but the indifference, the +indolence, the lack of moral responsibility, and the love of +pleasure--ah, it all means failure!" + +"But--the Duc de Mouvel--is there such a man? Has he a rare +collection?" faltered Helen, thus betraying her suspicion that her +husband had deceived her altogether regarding the motive of his absence. + +"Yes, my child; I have the great pleasure of acquaintance with le Duc +de Mouvel," kindly returned Monsieur Jacques, adding: "He is a great +connoisseur in, and a generous patron of, all that is best in art; and +if he has extended to your husband and his friends an invitation to +view the wonderful pictures in his magnificent château at ---- they +have been granted a rare honor and privilege." + +In her heart, Helen doubted that they had ever been the recipients of +such an invitation; she believed it all a fabrication to deceive her +and perhaps others. It was a humiliating suspicion; but it forced +itself upon her and thrust its venomed sting deep into her soul. + +"If there is anything I can do for madame at any time, I trust she will +not fail to command me," Monsieur Jacques observed, with gentle +courtesy, and breaking in upon the troubled reverie into which she had +fallen. + +Helen lifted her sad eyes to his. + +"I thank you, monsieur," she gratefully returned. "You are--you always +have been--most kind and patient." Then, glancing searchingly around +the room, the walls of which were covered with beautiful paintings, she +inquired: "Are there any of Mr. Hungerford's pictures here?" + +"Ah! Madame would like to see some of the work monsieur has been doing +of late?" said the artist alertly, and glad to change the subject, for +he saw that his proffered kindness had well-nigh robbed her of her +composure. "Come this way, if you please, and I will show you," he +added, turning to leave the room. + +He led her through a passage to a small room in the rear of the one +they had just left; and, some one coming to speak to him just then, +excusing himself, he left her there to look about at her leisure. + +This was evidently John's private workroom; but it was in a very dusty +and untidy condition, and Helen was appalled to see the many unfinished +subjects which were standing against the walls, in the windows, and +even upon chairs. Some were only just begun; others were well under +way, and it would have required but little time and effort to have +completed them and made them salable. + +She moved slowly about the place, pausing here and there to study +various things that appealed to her, and at the same time recognizing +the unmistakable talent that was apparent in almost every stroke of the +brush. + +At length she came to a small easel that had been pushed close into a +corner. There was a canvas resting on it, with its face turned to the +wall, and curiosity prompted her to reverse it to ascertain the +subject, when a cry of surprise broke from her lips as she found +herself gazing upon the unfinished portrait of a most beautiful woman. + +John had never seemed to care to do portraits--they were uninteresting, +he had always said--and she had never known of his attempting one +before; hence her astonishment. + +The figure had been painted full length. It was slight, but perfect in +its proportions; the pose exceedingly graceful and natural, the +features delicate, the coloring exquisite. The eyes were a deep blue, +arch and coquettish in expression; the hair a glossy, waving brown, a +few bewitching locks falling softly on the white forehead, beneath a +great picture hat. The costume was an evening gown of black spangled +net, made _décoletté_, and with only an elaborate band of jet over the +shoulders, the bare neck and beautifully molded arms making an +effective contrast against the glittering, coal-black dress. + +The girl was standing by a small oval table, one hand resting lightly +upon it, the other hanging by her side, and loosely holding a pair of +long silken gloves. + +Helen's face flooded crimson as her glance fell upon the gloves. Even +though they were black, they were startlingly suggestive to her, and +her thought instantly reverted to the one, so bright-hued, which she +had found in the inner pocket of her husband's overcoat some months +previous. + +Had she to-day inadvertently stumbled upon the solution of that mystery +which had never ceased to rankle, with exceeding bitterness, in her +heart from that day to this? + +There was still much to be done before the picture would be finished, +though it was a good deal further along than most of its companions. +Enough had been accomplished, however, to show that there had been no +lack of interest on the part of the artist while at work upon it. + +Who was she--this blue-eyed, brown-haired siren in glittering black? +When and where had the portrait been painted? Had the woman come +there, to John's room, for sittings? Or was she some one whom he met +often, and had painted from memory? Helen did not believe she could be +a model; there was too much about her that hinted at high life, and of +habitual association with the fashionable world--possibly of the stage. + +She stood a long time before the easel, studying every line of the +lovely face until she found that, with all its beauty, there was a +suggestion of craftiness and even cruelty in the dark-blue eyes and in +the lines about the mouth and sensuous chin. + +A step behind her caused Helen to start and turn quickly, to find +Monsieur Jacques almost beside her, his eyes fastened intently, and in +unmistakable surprise, upon the picture she had discovered. + +"Who is she?" she demanded, almost sharply, and voicing the query she +had just put to herself. + +"Madame, I have never before looked upon the picture--I did not even +know that Monsieur Hungerford had attempted a portrait," gravely +returned the artist. "It is finely done, however," he added +approvingly. + +"Has no woman been here for sittings?" + +"No, madame; no one except our own models--I am sure not. That is not +allowed in my studio without my sanction and supervision," was the +reply. "It may be simply a study, original with monsieur; if so, it is +very beautiful, and holds great promise," the man concluded, with +hearty appreciation. + +Helen replaced the portrait as she had found it, somewhat comforted by +her companion's assurance and high praise of her husband's effort; then +she turned to leave the room. + +"I thank you, monsieur, for your courtesy," she said, holding out to +him a hand that trembled visibly from inward excitement. + +"Pray do not mention it, but come again, my child, whenever I can be of +service to you. _Au revoir_," he responded kindly, as he accompanied +her to the door and bowed her out. + +Helen went home with a heavy heart. She was well-nigh discouraged with +what she had heard and seen. She had long suspected, and she was now +beginning to realize, that her husband's chief aim in life was personal +entertainment and love of ease; that he was sadly lacking in force of +character, practical application, and moral responsibility; caring more +about being rated a jolly good fellow by his boon companions than for +his duties as a husband and father, or for attaining fame in his +profession. + +Thus she spent a very unhappy day, haunted continually by that +portrait, and brooding anxiously over what the future might hold for +them; while, at the same time, she was both indignant and keenly +wounded in view of John's improvidence, prodigality, and supreme +selfishness, and of his apparent indifference to her peace of mind and +the additional burdens he was constantly imposing upon her. + +John returned that evening, in a most genial mood. He made light of +his protracted absence and of Helen's anxiety on account of it, but +offered no apologies for keeping her in suspense for so long. He +briefly remarked that the party had concluded to extend their tour, and +make more of an outing than they had at first planned. It had +evidently been a very enjoyable one, although he did not go into detail +at all, and when Helen inquired about the Duc de Mouvel's wonderful +collection of paintings, he appeared somewhat confused, but said they +were "grand, remarkable, and absolutely priceless!" then suddenly +changed the subject. + +Helen's suspicion that the party had never been inside the Château de +Mouvel was confirmed by his manner; but she was too hurt and proud to +question him further, and so did not pursue the subject. She thought +it only right, however, to tell him of her visit to Monsieur Jacques, +and what the artist had said about his talent, and the flattering +possibilities before him, if he would conscientiously devote himself to +his work. She referred to his disapproval of his present course, and +the company he was keeping; whereupon John became exceedingly angry, in +view of her "meddling," as he termed it; said Monsieur Jacques would do +better to give more attention to his own affairs, and less to his; +then, refusing to discuss the situation further, he abruptly left the +room in a very sulky frame of mind. + +Helen had debated with herself as to the advisability of telling him of +her discovery of the portrait. She did not like to conceal anything +from her husband. She felt that every such attempt only served to +establish a more formidable barrier between them; but after the +experience of to-night she thought it would be wiser not to refer to +the matter--at least until later. + +John evidently did some thinking on his own part that night, for he was +more like his former self when he appeared at breakfast the next +morning, and proceeded directly to the studio on leaving the house. He +did better for a couple of months afterward, manifested more interest +in his work, and finished a couple of pictures, which, through the +influence of Monsieur Jacques, were hung at an exhibition and sold at +fair prices, greatly to Helen's joy. + +But instead of being inspired to even greater effort by this success, +John seemed content to rest upon his honors, and soon began to lapse +again into his former indolent ways, apparently indifferent to the fact +that his money was almost gone, and poverty staring himself and his +family in the face. + +Long before this, Helen had given up her maid, had practiced economy in +every possible way, and denied herself many things which she had always +regarded as necessary to her comfort. But the more she gave up, the +more John appeared to expect her to give up; the harder she worked, the +less he seemed to think he was obliged to do himself. Thus, with her +domestic duties, her sewing, and the care of Dorothy, every moment of +the day, from the hour of rising until she retired at night, the young +wife was heavily burdened with toilsome and unaccustomed duties. + +It was a bitter experience for this delicately nurtured girl, but no +word of repining ever escaped her lips. She had pledged herself to +John "for better or worse," and, despite the unremitting strain upon +her courage, patience, and strength, despite her increasing +disappointment in and constantly waning respect for her husband, she +had no thought but to loyally abide by her choice, and share his lot, +whatever it might be. + +The day came, however, when John himself awoke to the fact that he had +about reached the end of his rope--when he was startled to find that +less than two hundred dollars remained to his credit in the bank, and +poverty treading close upon his heels. He knew he could no longer go +on in this desultory way; something radical must be done, and done at +once. He was tired of his art; he was tired of facing, day after day, +Monsieur Jacques' grave yet well-deserved disapproval; while, for some +reason, he had become weary of Paris, and, one morning, to Helen's +great joy--for she believed it the best course to pursue--he suddenly +announced his intention to return to the United States. + +They sublet their house, and were fortunate in selling their furniture, +just as it stood, to the new tenant, thus realizing sufficient funds, +with what money they already possessed, to comfortably defray all +expenses back to San Francisco, which had been their former home, and +to which Helen had firmly insisted upon returning, although John had +voiced a decided preference for New York. + +"No, I am going home--to my friends," she reiterated, but with her +throat swelling painfully as she thought she would find no father and +mother there to greet her. "I have lived in exile long enough; I +need--I am hungry to see familiar faces." + +"But----" John began, with a rising flush. + +"Yes, I know, we are going back poor," said his wife, reading his +thought as he hesitated; "but my real friends will not think any the +less of me for that, and they will be a comfort to me. Besides, all +the furniture of my old home is stored there, and it will be useful to +us in beginning life again." + +During the voyage Helen seemed happier than she had been for months. +The freedom from household cares and drudgery was a great boon to her, +and the rest, salt air, and change of food were doing her good; while +the anticipation of once more being among familiar scenes and faces was +cheering, even exhilarating, to her. + +To Dorothy the ocean was a great marvel and delight, and it was a +pleasant sight to see the beautiful mother and her attractive little +daughter pacing the deck together, enjoying the novelty of their +surroundings, watching the white-capped waves, or the foaming trail in +the wake of the huge vessel, their bright faces and happy laughter +attracting the attention of many an appreciative observer. + +John, on the contrary, was listless and moody, spending his time mostly +in reading, smoking, and sleeping in his steamer chair, apparently +taking little interest in anything that was going on about him, or +giving much thought to what was before him at his journey's end. + +One morning Helen came on deck with two or three recent magazines, +which a chance acquaintance had loaned her. She handed two of them to +her husband, and, tucking herself snugly into her own chair, proceeded +to look over the other, with Dorothy standing beside her to see the +pictures. + +By and by the child ran away to play, and Helen became interested in a +story. A half hour passed, and she had become deeply interested in the +tale she was reading, when she was startled by a smothered exclamation +from John. + +She glanced at him, to find him gazing intently at a picture in one of +the magazines she had given him. The man's face was all aglow with +admiration and pleased surprise, and she noted that the hand which held +the periodical trembled from some inward emotion. + +Wondering what could have moved him so, yet feeling unaccountably +reluctant to question him, she appeared not to notice his excitement, +and composedly went on with her reading. Presently he arose, saying he +was going aft for a smoke, and left her alone; but, to her great +disappointment, taking the magazine with him. + +Later in the day, on going to their stateroom, however, she found it in +his berth, tucked under his pillow! + +Eagerly seizing it, she began to search it through, when suddenly, on +turning a leaf, a great shock went quivering through her, for there on +the page before her was the picture of a woman, the exact counterpart +of the half-finished portrait she had seen in John's work-room during +her visit to Monsieur Jacques. + +Like a flash, her eyes dropped to the name beneath it. + +"Marie Duncan, with the Wells Opera Company, now in Australia," was +what she read. + +On the opposite page was a brief account of the troupe and the musical +comedy, which, during the past season, had had an unprecedented run in +Paris, and was now making a great hit in Melbourne, Miss Duncan, the +star, literally taking the public by storm. + +"Well, _that_ mystery is finally solved! And doubtless she was the +owner of that pink glove, also," mused Helen, her lips curling with +fine scorn, as she studied the fascinating face before her. "Thank +fortune," she presently added, with a sigh of thankfulness, as she +closed the book and replaced it under the pillow, "she is away in +Australia, and we are every day increasing the distance between us." + +She kept her own counsel, however, and gave no sign of the discovery +she had made. + +The day preceding their landing in New York, Helen asked her husband +what plans he had made for their future, how he expected to provide for +their support upon reaching San Francisco. + +"Oh, I don't know!" he replied, somewhat irritably. "Possibly I may +ask Uncle Nathan to give me a position in his office." + +"And give up your art, John!" exclaimed Helen, in a voice of dismay, +adding: "You are better fitted for that than for anything else." + +"But I shall have to do something to get a start. You know, it takes +money to live while one is painting pictures," he moodily returned. + +"But it would not take very long to finish up some of them--the best +ones; and I feel sure they would sell readily," said his wife. + +"The best ones would require the help of a good teacher, or an expert +artist, to complete," her husband curtly replied. + +Helen sighed regretfully over the time which had been so wantonly +wasted in Paris, and during which, under the skillful supervision of +Monsieur Jacques, he might have finished much of his work, and at the +same time perfected himself upon many important points. She preserved +a thoughtful silence for several moments; then gravely inquired: + +"Do you suppose, John, that, with another year of study, with some good +teacher, you could finish and dispose of the various subjects you have +begun?" + +"Possibly I might," he briefly observed, but there was very little +enthusiasm in his tone or manner. + +"Do you feel in the mood? Have you any ambition for honest, +painstaking effort--for hard work, John, to attempt this under a +first-class artist?" Helen persisted. + +The man began to grow restive; he could never bear to be pinned down to +committing himself to anything, or to yield a point. + +"You have no idea, Helen, what a grind it is to sit before an easel day +after day, and wield a brush," he said, in an injured tone, and with a +frown of annoyance. + +"Everything is a grind unless you put your heart into your work--unless +one is governed by principle and a sense of moral responsibility," said +Helen gravely. + +"Is that the way you have baked and brewed, washed dishes and made beds +the past year?" queried her husband, with a covert sneer. + +"I certainly never baked and brewed, or washed dishes, solely from love +of the work," she quietly but significantly replied, as her glance +rested upon her wrist, where a faint scar was visible--the fading +reminder of a serious burn sustained when she first began her +unaccustomed duties as cook and maid of all work. + +John observed it also, then quickly looked away, as he remembered that +she had never murmured or neglected a single duty on account of it. + +"But where is the money for a teacher coming from?" he inquired, after +a moment, and referring to Helen's unanswered question regarding his +unfinished work. + +"You know Dorothy's money has been accumulating all these years," she +began in reply. "The interest now amounts to upward of fifteen hundred +dollars, and I will consent to use it for this purpose, if you will +agree to do your level best to make your unfinished pictures marketable +during the coming year." + +Her husband flushed hotly--not because he experienced either gratitude +or a sense of shame in view of becoming dependent upon his wife's +bounty, but because it angered him to have conditions made for him. + +He appeared to be utterly devoid of ambition for his future, and +Helen's suggestion possessed no real attraction for him. Painting had +become a bore--the last thing he had really taken any interest in +having been the portrait his wife had discovered in his studio just +previous to the sailing of its original for Australia. + +John Hungerford had never performed a day's manual labor in his life, +and even though he had said he might ask his uncle for a position on +his arrival in San Francisco, he had no relish for the prospect of +buckling down to a humdrum routine of duties in Nathan Young's +flourishing manufactory. + +He sat chewing the cud of sullen discontent for some time, while +considering the situation, and finally gave Helen a half-hearted +promise to stick to his art, under a teacher, for another year. But +his consent had been so reluctantly given, his manner was so +indifferent, Helen felt that she had received very little encouragement +to warrant that the future would show any better results than the past, +and the outlook seemed rather dark to her. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +FLUCTUATING EXPERIENCES. + +Upon their arrival in San Francisco, the Hungerfords took a small +apartment in a quiet but good location, where Helen felt she could ask +her friends, and they would not hesitate to come to see her. + +This she tastefully fitted up with some of the simplest of her old-home +furniture, which her father's lifelong friend and lawyer had carefully +stored for her against her return. The more expensive pieces, with +some massive, valuable silver, and choice bric-a-brac that Mr. Appleton +had purchased to embellish the beautiful new residence which he had +built a few years previous to his death--these extravagances having +really been the beginning of his undoing--she sold, thus realizing +several hundred dollars, which would go far, with careful management, +toward tiding over the interval during which John was working to turn +his paintings into money. + +As yet Dorothy had never attended school, Helen having systematically +taught her at home; but the child was bright and quick to learn, and +was fully up to the standard with, if not in advance of, girls of her +own age. She could speak French like a Parisian, and her mother had +also given her excellent training in music. + +Helen, thus far, had been very wise in her management of Dorothy. +Profiting by the mistakes which she realized her own indulgent parents +had made in rearing herself, as well as by the faults she had detected +in her husband's character, she had determined that her daughter should +not suffer in the future, along the same lines, for lack of careful +discipline. At the same time, she by no means made her government +irksome; indeed, it never seemed to the child that she was being +governed, for the companionship between them was so close and tender +that she fell naturally into her mother's way of thinking, and seldom +rebelled against her authority, even though she was by no means devoid +of spirit or a mind of her own. + +Now, however, feeling that Dorothy needed a wider horizon, with +different environment and training, as she pursued her education, her +mother decided to put her into the public school. + +This would relieve Helen of much care, and also give her more time to +take up a systematic course of piano and voice culture, which she had +determined to do, with the view of turning her talent for music to some +practical purpose, at least until her husband was better equipped to +provide suitably for his family. + +She had been cordially received on her return by most of her old +friends, even though she had made no secret of the change in her +circumstances. She had been a great favorite before her marriage, and +her family highly respected; hence her reverses did not now appear to +affect her social standing, at least among those who knew her best. + +Very grateful and happy in view of this proof of real friendship, Helen +was encouraged to quietly seek pupils in music, and easily secured a +class of ten, which were all she felt she could do justice to with her +domestic duties and other cares. + +She felt very independent and not a little proud of the money thus +earned, while she found it a great help in meeting the many expenses of +her household. + +During the first year after their return from abroad, John also worked +well. He liked his teacher--a German, who had studied many years in +Italy--who spoke in high praise of his talent, as well as of the +thoroughness of the instruction he had received from Monsieur Jacques, +all of which was apparent in his beautiful but unfinished work, he said. + +Although Herr Von Meyer was not permanently located in San Francisco, +his work had become popular, and he had quite a large following as +students. He might almost have been called an itinerant artist, for he +had traveled extensively in the United States and Canada, stopping for +a longer or shorter time, as his fancy dictated, in numerous places, +painting and sketching American life and scenery. He was now planning +to return to his own country at the end of another year, to again take +up work in his own studio in Berlin. + +It was, therefore, a rare opportunity for John to have found so +talented a teacher just at this time; and, under his supervision, he +completed and disposed of a goodly number of his paintings. Some of +these were so well appreciated that he received orders to duplicate +them, and the future looked promising. + +This success so elated and encouraged him that at the end of a year he +concluded he was now competent to do business for himself without +further assistance or instruction. Accordingly, he hired some rooms, +furnished them attractively, and launched out upon an independent +career with something like real enthusiasm. + +For a time all went well; more pictures were painted and sold, bringing +good prices; while, after the departure of Herr Von Meyer, students +began to flock to him. Young Hungerford, the artist, was beginning to +be talked about in society and at the various clubs; he was also much +sought after and admired in fashionable circles; his studio became a +favorite resort for people interested in art, and here John shone a +bright particular star. + +Helen became happy in proportion to her husband's advancement; she grew +radiant with health; the lines of care and worry all faded out of her +face; she was like a light-hearted girl, and John told her she was +prettier than ever. + +It was almost too good to be true, she sometimes said to herself, as +she remembered the sad conditions that had prevailed while they were in +Paris. But she would not allow herself to dwell upon those unhappy +experiences; the present was full of hope and promise, and she firmly +believed that her husband's fame and fortune were assured. + +Had John Hungerford possessed "the stable mind," as Monsieur Jacques +once expressed it, all must have gone well; if he had been less +egotistical, selfish, and vain, more persevering and practical; had he +not been naturally so indolent--"lazy," to quote his former teacher +again--and pleasure-loving, he might have risen rapidly, and maintained +his position. + +But, as time wore on, and the novelty of his popularity and prosperity +began to pall upon him; as the demands upon his patience became +greater, and the supervision of students required more concentration +and attention to detail; as the filling of increasing orders for his +own work made it necessary to stick closer to his easel, day after day, +life began to seem "a grind" again. + +He grew discontented, irritable, restless. He lost patience with his +students, and became indifferent to his duty to them, until they began +to be disaffected, and dropped away from him. He neglected orders +until his patrons became angry and withdrew them, and finally, becoming +dissatisfied with his own work, he dropped back into his old habit of +starting subject after subject, only to set them aside to try something +else, rarely completing anything; all of which tended toward the ruin +of his once prosperous business, as well as his reputation as an artist. + +All this came about so gradually that, for a long time, no one save +Helen suspected how matters were going. She begged him to wake up and +renew his efforts, both for her sake and Dorothy's, as well as for his +own; and she encouraged him in every possible way. But nothing that +she could say or do served to arouse him from the mental and moral +lethargy that possessed and grew upon him. + +Fortunately, in spite of their recent prosperity, Helen had retained +her pupils in music, more because of her love for the work than because +she felt the need of money, as at first. Thus, when her husband's +income began to fall off, she dropped, little by little, into the way +of sharing the household expenses from her own earnings, and so assumed +burdens which he should have borne himself. + +As month succeeded month, things continued to grow worse, until rumors +of the truth got afloat, and his friends and patrons began to show +their disapproval of his downward course, and even to shun his society. + +Yet these significant omens did not serve to arouse him. On the +contrary, his indifference and indolence increased, and his old love +for wandering returned; his studio would frequently be closed for days, +sometimes for weeks, at a time, and only his boon companions knew where +he could be found. + +Helen regarded these evidences of deterioration with a sinking heart, +yet tried to be patient. She did not complain, even when their funds +ran very low, but cheerfully supplied the needs of the family, and +bravely tried to fortify herself with the hope that John could not long +remain oblivious to his responsibilities, and would eventually retrieve +himself. + +During all this time she had been making splendid progress in her own +musical training--especially in the cultivation of her voice. She had +often given her services in behalf of charitable entertainments, and +not infrequently assisted her friends to entertain by singing a +charming group of songs at parties and receptions; thus she had gained +for herself the reputation of being a most pleasing vocalist. + +Recently these same friends, who sympathized with her domestic trials, +and, recognizing her financial difficulties, had arranged for several +musical functions, asking her to superintend them, and had paid her +liberally for her services. + +This new departure seemed to Helen like the pointing of Providence to a +more promising future, by making her entirely independent of her +husband, and it would also enable her to give Dorothy advantages which +she could never hope--judging from present indications--to receive from +her father. Accordingly, she immediately issued attractive cards, +advertising to provide musical entertainment for clubs, receptions, or +social functions of any kind. + +It was somewhat late in the season when she conceived this project, and +she secured only a limited number of engagements; but as she gained +fresh laurels and had delighted her patrons in every instance, she +believed she had paved the way for a good business by the following +fall. + +During the month of May of this year John began to talk of going out of +town for the summer. + +"We cannot afford it," Helen objected. "My pupils will leave me in +June, and will not return to me until September, and we must not spend +the money it would cost for such an outing." + +"But you need a change, as well as I, and--and some of--of Dorothy's +money would be well spent in giving us all a good vacation," her +husband argued. + +"That money is not to be touched," said Helen firmly. "That is +sacredly devoted to a college course for her as soon as she leaves the +high school. Dorothy and I are perfectly well; we have more comforts +at home than we could find elsewhere without paying an extravagant +price, and, with a short trip now and then, to some point of interest, +we can manage to be very happy without going away." + +"We could go into the mountains, and camp out--that wouldn't cost very +much," John persisted. + +"Camp out!" Helen exclaimed, astonished. "And where would we get our +meals? You know very well that Hannah would not put up with the poor +accommodations of any camp." + +"Oh, dismiss Hannah for a couple of months! We could get our own +meals, and make them as simple as we chose," her husband suggested. + +Helen smiled wanly. She wondered what he meant by simple meals, for he +was, as a rule, very particular what he had to eat and how it was +cooked. She realized that such a move would result in simply making +her a drudge, under very uncomfortable conditions, for the summer; she +would lose a good maid, and be in no way refreshed on her return to +town. + +"I think it would be very unwise," she gravely returned; "such an +outing as that would have no rest or attraction for me; besides, I had +planned to work diligently at my music during the next three months, to +prepare for the winter." + +John was not at all pleased with this decided rejection of his +proposition, as a protracted and sullen silence plainly indicated. + +"Well, _I_ am not willing to swelter in the hot city during the next +three months, if you are," heat length burst forth, "and I want a +change." + +"Oh, John, you ought to stay right here, and go to work for your +family," said his wife, with a note of appeal in her tremulous tones. +"We have hardly money enough left to pay our bills until fall, as it +is." + +"I tell you I will not!" he said crossly, adding: "You can, of course, +do as you choose. If you and Dorothy will not go with me, I'll turn +Bohemian, take my kit along, and make sketches for work when I return." + +Helen knew it would be useless to oppose him, so said no more. All the +same, judging from the past, she had little faith that his sketching +would amount to much, and so when June opened she saw him depart with a +heavy heart. + +She received brief letters from him from time to time; but he told her +very little of what he was doing. His chief desire seemed to be to let +her know where her letters and remittances would reach him. + +He returned in September, to find his wife and child blooming and +happy. It was evident that they had enjoyed the summer far better than +he, for he appeared jaded and spiritless, while he had very little to +produce as material for the coming winter's work--a few rough sketches, +carelessly done, were all he had to show. + +Helen, however, had worked to good purpose. Her voice was in splendid +condition. She had added several choice selections to her repertoire; +while Dorothy showed marked improvement upon the piano, and had learned +to accompany her mother very effectively in some of her simpler songs. +But it had not been all work and no play with them. They went out +somewhere every fine day. They had little picnics to the park; they +had sails upon the bay, sometimes visiting a popular resort; and once +an old friend of Helen's asked them, for a week, to her summer home, a +few miles out of the city. Dorothy was perfectly satisfied, even +though most of her school friends were away, and once remarked to a +friend who called upon them: "Mamma and I do have just the nicest times +together; it's great fun to go about with her." + +John had very little to say relative to his own vacation, or the +companions with whom he had spent it; he certainly gave no sign of +renewed vigor, and showed no inclination to take up his long-neglected +painting; but Helen asked no questions, made no comments or criticisms. +Neither did she manifest either surprise or disapproval when he came in +one day, a month after his return, and informed her that he had given +up his studio and accepted a position in his Uncle Nathan's +establishment. + +"Painting pictures, as a business, is fluctuating, monotonous, +unsatisfactory," he said. "He believed it would be far better to have +a salary, on which he could depend." + +Helen sighed for the money that had been wasted in rent for the studio +during the summer; also for the rejected art for which John possessed +talent, if not genius. But he lacked force, he hated personal +responsibility, as well as work, and perhaps the salary, even though it +was to be a moderate sum for the first year, would be better. The +monthly payments from Mr. Young could be relied upon, and thus her own +burdens would be somewhat lightened. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +AN OLD TEMPTATION REVIVED. + +Helen had entered three new pupils on her books at the beginning of the +fall, these increasing her class to thirteen, and she had also been +engaged, for an early date in October, to sing at a charity fair, to be +held under the auspices of one of the wealthy clubs of the city. This +seemed quite a promising outlook so early in the season, and she was +also hoping much from her new venture as entertainer at private social +functions. + +The fair was extensively advertised, and was held for four afternoons +and evenings of the second week in October, Helen appearing twice upon +each occasion, and proving such a drawing card that a score of +engagements for fashionable receptions was the result of her success. + +This was far more than she had dared to expect, and she was much elated +over her good fortune. Everything moved along peacefully and +prosperously until spring, John bearing his confinement in his uncle's +office better than she had anticipated, and was apparently content with +his salary. But as the warm weather came on again she could see that +he began to chafe under his confinement in the city and to his work. +He had his vacation of two weeks in August, however, when he made a +trip to Chicago, instead of going into the country, greatly to his +wife's astonishment at the time. On his return he seemed in high +spirits, saying he had had a fine trip, and resumed his duties with +apparent cheerfulness. + +A week later there appeared upon the billboards about the city flaring +advertisements stating that the Wells Opera Company, with beautiful +Marie Duncan as star, would present the "Prince of Pilsen" early in +October. The newspapers also contained notices of the same fact, and +stated that Miss Duncan had just concluded a summer engagement in +Chicago, and was now resting for a few weeks before taking up her work +in San Francisco. + +At once Helen understood John's motive in going to Chicago to spend his +vacation; also his unusual cheerfulness upon his return; and a +foreboding of impending trouble began to haunt her from that moment. + +When the Wells Opera Company arrived, Helen made it a point to attend a +matinee, to ascertain for herself what the personality of the popular +favorite was like. + +That she was exceedingly beautiful and peculiarly fascinating there was +no denying, and her voice was a marvel of sweetness. + +John had never painted anything more true to life than the portrait she +had discovered in his studio in Paris; although, if that were possible, +the siren's charms were riper and even more alluring than at that time. + +Nevertheless, there was a vein of coarseness in her manner, a boldness +in her glance and smile, a voluptuous abandon in her acting, that +offended and repelled Helen's finer sensibilities, and sent her home +sick at heart, with mingled fear and jealousy; for, down deep in her +consciousness, she was forced to acknowledge that it was just these +elements in Marie Duncan that appealed to something of the same nature +in her husband's character, and was winning him from his allegiance to +his wife. + +She wondered what had become of that portrait. She had never seen it +since that never-to-be-forgotten day when she had visited Monsieur +Jacques in such distress, to seek some explanation of John's prolonged +absence from home. + +John certainly had not brought it back to America with him. Whither +had it disappeared? Had he destroyed it, fearing it might some time +betray him? + +Suddenly her outraged heart awoke to the truth, and her face flamed +hotly with indignation and humiliation as she recalled the reproduction +she had seen in the magazine she had found under John's pillow in his +berth on the steamer, as they were returning from France. + +John had finished his picture; he had given it to the actress before +she sailed for Australia, and she had allowed it to be copied by the +press. + +It seemed to Helen that her cup of woe was filled to the brim--her +endurance taxed to the limit, as she began to query within herself what +would be the outcome of Marie Duncan's present engagement in San +Francisco. But the courage that is born in heroes had also been +planted in Helen Hungerford's heart, and, after the first shock of +dismay had passed, she began to ask what she could do to counteract +Marie's influence and keep her husband loyal to her and true to +himself. To reveal her suspicions, to voice complaints, criticisms, or +reproaches would only serve to make matters worse; for John was one who +would never bear censure or opposition in any form. Her only hope lay +in being tactful and diplomatic, in trying to make herself and their +home so attractive that he would be weaned from his infatuation for the +opera star, and realize the folly of ruining his reputation and +domestic peace. + +So she bravely resolved to conceal every evidence of anxiety. John was +in absolute ignorance of the fact that she even dreamed of his interest +in the actress, and she realized the wisdom of still concealing it from +him. She said nothing of her afternoon at the matinee; she never +referred to the opera, or expressed a desire to see it; neither did her +husband invite her to go, as was usual whenever anything new, of a +musical nature, was running; but she began a systematic course of +acting herself, using every possible device to keep him with his +family, catering to his tastes and humoring his lightest wish or whim. +She asked him to be her escort to and from the social functions at +which she was entertaining; she planned pleasures that would include +them all, and tried to interest him in books she was reading. + +But all was of no avail. He always had some plausible excuse to get +away from home evenings, and often did not return until the small hours +of the morning; he manifested less and less interest in his family; he +was morose and preoccupied, avoiding conversation, and at times was +exceedingly irritable with Dorothy. + +Previous to this, since he had been in his uncle's employ, he had +cheerfully contributed a part of his salary to help defray household +expenses; but now he suddenly began to withhold his money, or, if +reminded that funds were needed, doled out a mere pittance so +grudgingly that Helen shrank from the humiliation of asking assistance +and being so inconsiderately treated. + +This state of things continued far into the winter, the breach between +the man and his family continually widening, for Dorothy was beginning +to take notice, while he began to be irregular at his business and to +show the effect of late hours and dissipation. + +One afternoon, on returning from an engagement at an out-of-town +reception, Helen found, to her great surprise, Mr. Nathan Young, John's +uncle and employer, awaiting her. It was the first time she had seen +him for many months, for, aside from his one act of giving her husband +his present position, he had never manifested the slightest interest in +the family. + +He was rated a very rich man, but, having a fashionable wife and four +daughters to maintain, he was wholly absorbed in his business and +individual responsibilities. + +Helen had never been asked to entertain at any of Madam Young's +receptions, although she had sent her, early in the season, a card +announcing her intentions; neither had she ever met any of the family +in the homes of her patrons; and now, when, after greeting her visitor +with graceful courtesy, she threw aside her wrap and stood before him +in her fresh young beauty and charming costume, the man stared at her +in astonishment. + +"Really, Mrs. John Hungerford, you look like the wife of a +millionaire," he brusquely observed, a note of keen irony in his tones. + +Helen flushed consciously. + +She realized that she must appear extravagantly attired to one who did +not understand the situation. The next moment she smiled frankly up +into her companion's face. + +"Perhaps you do not know, Mr. Young, that, for two years, I have been +singing at social functions given by fashionable people, to help John +meet the expenses of the family?" she explained. + +"No, I didn't know it," he curtly returned, his shrewd eyes still +studying her costume. + +"Of course," Helen went on, "going before such audiences, I am obliged +to dress well; but"--with an air of quiet dignity, for she felt that +the man was rude to her--"as I earn all my own clothes, as well as +Dorothy's, I am wronging no one." + +"Humph!" Nathan Young grunted, although his glance softened; for truly +Helen was very pleasant to look upon as she stood before him in her +trailing gown of soft blue silk, tastefully trimmed with real lace that +had belonged to her mother; she also wore some fine jewels which had +come to her from the same source, and the man, now that he +comprehended, secretly liked her spirit and frankness in telling him +just how matters stood. + +She showed a turn for business that pleased him, and he chuckled within +himself over her statement that she earned all her own and Dorothy's +clothes. Money getting had been his one aim from his youth up; he +liked to see people work hard for money; he had no patience with +drones. He had always viewed John's idiotic dabbling in paints with +undisguised contempt, and had never shown the least interest in his +career as an artist. + +Presently he broke forth, almost sharply: + +"Where is that husband of yours?" + +"John? Hasn't he been at the office to-day?" Helen inquired, in a +startled tone. + +"I've seen nothing of him for nearly a week," the gentleman replied, +with a frown of displeasure. + +"You have not seen John for nearly a week!" repeated the astonished +wife, aghast. + +"That is what I said," was the curt rejoinder. "And this isn't the +first time he has neglected his business, by any means, though he has +never stayed away so long before. I'm tired of his shilly-shallying, +and he has always worked with an air of protest, as if he felt the +position beneath him. I just dropped in to see if he were ill, or had +any good reason to offer for his absence." + +"No, John is perfectly well, and I am amazed at what you have told me, +Mr. Young," Helen observed, with tremulous lips, her composure sadly +shaken. + +The man arose, an ominous gleam in his eyes. + +"Well, then, you can tell him from me that he need not show up at the +office again," he coldly observed, at the same time laying an envelope +on the table before Helen. "Here is his pay up to the end of the +month. He hasn't earned it, but it's what I agreed to give him, and +I'm a man of my word. I hoped," he continued, less sharply, after a +momentary pause, during which his glance fell upon his companion's +colorless face, "when he came to me for a position he had given up his +nonsense about art, and had made up his mind to settle down to +something worth while, and I meant to do well by him--take him in with +me, by and by, perhaps, if he showed any backbone or interest in the +business; but it is evident that he cares more for his own ease and +pleasure than for anything else, and--I'm through with him." + +Helen's heart sank within her. She dare not think what might be the +consequences if John lost his position just at this time. It would +leave him with no responsibility, and with nothing to do but to dance +attendance upon Marie Duncan. + +She felt it would mean utter ruin for their domestic happiness. He +might not mend his ways even if his uncle retained him in his service, +since his infatuation for the actress had become so strong; but it +would at least be something to hold him from spending all his time with +her. To be suddenly cut off like this seemed like the parting asunder +of the cable that held their only anchor of hope, thus leaving them +drifting helplessly upon a treacherous sea. + +"Oh, pray do not say that, Mr. Young!" she pleaded, with whitening +lips. "John needs to be encouraged, to be held by some responsibility. +Will you not kindly give him another trial?" + +"No, I have borne all I shall from him," gruffly replied Nathan Young, +but shifting uneasily under the look in her imploring eyes. "John has +no sense of responsibility, no idea of duty in connection with himself +or any one else. His only thought is to drift comfortably with the +current; when there is any rowing to be done he thrusts it upon some +one else every time. I've been studying him ever since he came to me, +and I know. He will never be 'held,' as you put it, except by his own +will--at least, until he has had some lesson in life that will make a +stronger impression upon him than any he has had yet. There, I've had +my say! It has taken me longer to make up my mind to this, perhaps, +than you have any idea, for he was my sister's boy, and I owed her +something; but when I finally come to a decision about anything the +matter is settled. I am sorry for you, though, Mrs. Hungerford--upon +my word, I am. I don't believe it has been easy navigating for you, in +spite of the brave front you show to the world," he concluded, with a +touch of honest sympathy, while he wondered if she had any suspicion of +how or where her husband was spending the most of his time. + +He had been investigating the movements of his recreant nephew of late, +and he had learned that his companions and pursuits were not at all to +his credit. + +Helen stood cold and haughty before him. She was stung to the quick by +the man's harsh arraignment and curt dismissal of her husband; yet she +knew, in her heart, that he was justified in both. At the same time, +John was her husband, and the father of her child, and she was bound to +defend him--to be loyal to him as long as defense and loyalty were +possible. + +She saw that it was useless to expect any concession from Mr. Young, +that it would be a waste of time and energy to argue with him. So she +braced herself to meet the inevitable with what composure she could +command, and observed, with an air of quiet dignity: + +"I will give Mr. Hungerford your message, Mr. Young. I deeply regret +that you have been so disappointed in your expectations regarding him. +I feel confident, however, that there is good in him," she went on, +with wifely fealty; "that some time it will be developed, and that he +will win for himself a place and a name in the world. I trust Madam +Young and the young ladies are well?" she graciously concluded, as she +saw that her visitor was becoming restive and anxious to terminate the +interview. + +"Thank you; they are in their usual health," he replied, eagerly +seizing the opportunity she had so gracefully made for him, and his hat +at the same time. + +Helen followed him to the door, where she bade him a courteous "good +afternoon;" then, as he passed from her presence, she sank, +strengthless, upon a chair, looking the picture of despair. + +"Truly my burden is becoming heavier than I can bear," she moaned, in +bitterness of spirit. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +SERIOUS DOMESTIC COMPLICATIONS. + +When John Hungerford returned to his home and learned of his summary +dismissal from his uncle's employ, instead of appearing disturbed by +the unexpected information, he manifested undisguised relief and +satisfaction. + +"Thank the propitious Fates! So the old crank has given me the grand +bounce, has he?" he exclaimed, with sneering levity. + +"'_Propitious_ Fates!'" repeated Helen, with grave disapproval. "I +regard it as a great misfortune. Pray, what do you intend to do for a +living in the future, John?" + +"Oh, I'll look about and see what I can find--I reckon something will +turn up," he returned, with an air of indifference that smote his wife +keenly. + +Whether he "looked about," or made any effort to obtain a position, +Helen had no means of knowing. But weeks passed, and he was still +idle, having done absolutely nothing during that time for the provision +of his family. He was sullen and disagreeable when at home, and +resented all inquiries regarding his movements. Thus the husband and +wife could only drift farther and farther apart; for Helen was becoming +both discouraged and indignant in view of John's increasing apathy and +neglect, which seemed to imply that he felt no personal responsibility +and experienced no moral discomfort in allowing her to supply all the +needs of the household indefinitely. + +Dorothy was now fourteen years of age, a very bright, attractive girl. +She was keenly observant of what was going on around her, and, as she +not infrequently was a sufferer from the inharmony pervading her home, +she was beginning to realize that something was very wrong between her +father and mother. Helen, however, never encouraged either comments or +questions from her, and always evaded any reference to the strained +relations between her husband and herself. + +But matters continued to grow worse, and were finally brought to a +climax one day when Dorothy burst in upon her, on returning from +school, in a state of great excitement, her face crimson from shame, +her eyes flashing with anger. + +"Mamma, what _will_ you say?" she passionately exclaimed. "I saw papa, +just now, riding in an auto with Marie Duncan, that opera singer who +has been singing at the Grand Theater all winter. They were laughing, +and joking, and having a great time together. Grace Winthrop was with +me, and I was so mortified I thought I'd die!" + +Helen Hungerford lifted an ashen face to the speaker. + +"Dorothy, are you _sure_?" she gasped, the startled throbbing of her +heart making her voice almost inaudible. + +"Of course I am sure!" was the positive reply. "There were so many +teams in the street the auto had to slow down as it passed the car we +were in, and papa saw us, and got awful red in the face. He nodded to +us, but I just looked him straight back in the eye--I wouldn't notice +him. Mamma, what makes him do such horrid things? Why can't he be +nice, like other gentlemen? Oh, I am so ashamed! What will Grace +think? What will everybody think?" she concluded wildly. + +"Hush, Dorrie, dear; it can do no good to get so excited over it," said +Helen, her own lips quivering painfully as she folded the trembling +girl in her arms and kissed her tenderly. + +Dorothy convulsively returned her embrace; then threw herself in a +torrent of tears upon the couch beside which her mother had been +sitting when she came in. + +Helen allowed her to weep unrestrained, believing that the storm would +soonest spend itself in that way. She sat beside her, white-faced, +heavy-hearted, and tried to confront the situation. + +John, openly riding, in broad daylight, through the streets of the +city, with the opera star, betrayed a wantonness that defied all +conventionality or decorum. It was an evidence of indifference to +public opinion, to his own respectability, and to the notoriety that +must reflect upon his family, which showed how thoroughly infatuated he +had become. + +And in an automobile! Whose car was it? Did it belong to the actress, +or was John guilty of the extravagance of hiring it to take the woman +about? If so, where did he get the money to pay for it, when he was +not supplying a dollar toward his own support or that of his family? + +When John Hungerford entered his home that night, late as it was, he +found a wan-faced, hollow-eyed woman sitting up for him; yet, despite +the serpent sting in her heart, busy at work upon the week's mending. + +"Well," he observed, in a half-jocose, half-defiant tone, although a +flush of shame swept his face as he met his wife's sad eyes, "I suppose +the kid told you?" + +"Yes, Dorothy has told me where, and with whom, she saw you this +afternoon. John, what does it mean?" Helen gravely returned. + +Her manner, as well as his own accusing conscience, angered him, and he +swore--another evidence of his degeneration, for, as a rule, he had +been a gentleman, rarely allowing himself to use either profane or +vulgar language. He had been deeply chagrined, that afternoon, on +coming almost face to face with Dorothy and her friend, the daughter of +one of San Francisco's highly respected citizens. He had known, of +course, that Dorothy would tell her mother, which nettled him still +more, and now to be arraigned by Helen, to have her presume to dictate +terms to him, as he felt she would do, caused him to lose all control +of himself. + +"I don't know that I am accountable to you for where I go, or with whom +I spend my time," he sullenly replied. + +Helen sat erect, her own spirit now thoroughly aroused. + +"Yes, you _are_ accountable to me when you compromise the honor of your +family--and in the presence of your own child," she said, her blazing +eyes looking straight into his; then she added, with quiet but +convincing firmness: "And the way we have been living of late cannot go +on any longer." + +He regarded her with mingled surprise and inquiry. Had the worm turned +at last? Had his gentle, loyal, patient wife reached the limit of her +endurance? Would she--did she mean that she would leave him? It had +never occurred to him that she would take such a stand as this. + +"What do you mean, Helen?" he demanded, with compressed lips. + +"I mean that you are making my life intolerable--my burdens are heavier +than I can bear." + +"You are jealous of Marie Duncan?" he said, a slight smile curling his +lips. + +"Jealous--of _her_? _No!_" cried Helen scornfully. "A woman who will +accept the exclusive attentions of a married man, allowing him to +lavish upon her money that is needed by and rightly belongs to his +family, is worthy only of contempt. But I _am_ concerned for my own +good name and yours, for the future of my child, that no taint shall +mar her prospects and sap the joy from her life. So I say this state +of things must _stop_." + +"Very well; let it stop, then!" John flung back angrily. "Do you want +a divorce?" + +"A divorce! _I?_" cried Helen, scarce able to restrain a shriek of +aversion at the suggestion. Then, swallowing hard, she panted: "I +could not be divorced." + +"You are mistaken; the law will free you if you desire." + +"The _law_! It is an unholy law, made to accommodate vacillating +natures that lightly wed to-day and weary of their bonds to-morrow; it +is a blot and a shame upon the constitution that permits it, upon the +country that tolerates it. No, no--it is not possible for me!" + +She sat silent for a moment or two, her companion studying her uneasily +meanwhile. + +"John," she presently resumed, bending nearer to him, and he could see +the pulses beating in her white throat from the intensity of her +emotion, "when I married you it was no light thing I did. I gave +_myself_ to you--all that I was then, or ever hoped to be in this +life--until death should part us--_death_, do you understand?--not +until you should become weary of me, or until I found my burdens +heavier than I had thought, but for better or for worse, as long as +time should endure for us. It was a vow that can never be annulled--a +hundred divorces would avail nothing; I marvel that you could suggest +the measure to me! I am your wife, united to you not only by that +solemn ceremony that made us one, but by an indissoluble bond that +involves my honor, my love, and my loyalty--by that moral law that +never releases one from his voluntary oath--and your wife I shall +remain as long as I draw breath." + +John Hungerford's face had changed many times from crimson to white as +he sat spellbound while his wife poured forth this passionate +revelation of her inmost self to him. + +"Do you mean that you would not, _under any circumstances_, seek a +divorce from me?" he inquired, shifting uneasily in his chair, when she +ceased. + +"Yes, that is what I mean." + +"Suppose--that I should seek a divorce for myself?" + +Helen's hand clenched spasmodically within the sock she had been +mending. + +"I should still hold myself bound by my vows to you," she said, with +white lips. + +The man shrugged his shoulders uncomfortably. + +"Just what did you mean by saying that things cannot go on any longer +as they are going with us now?" he questioned. + +"I meant that it devolves upon you to assume your share of the burden +of providing for your family; that I will not support you in idleness +any longer." + +This was surely straightforward speaking, and John regarded his wife +curiously for a moment. Hitherto she had been so patient and yielding +he had not believed her capable of taking such a stand. + +"Well, if you wish to be rid of me, I suppose I can relieve you of my +presence." + +"Where will you go? How will you live?" + +"Oh, I suppose 'the wind will be tempered to the shorn lamb,'" he +quoted, with mocking irreverence. + +Helen sprang to her feet, and faced him with flaming eyes. She felt +disgusted with and outraged by his utter indifference to her +long-suffering patience under many trials, and by his deplorable lack +of manliness. + +"John Hungerford, where is your manhood?" she demanded, with cold +scorn. "Where your respect for your wife, or your love for your child? +Do you not even possess _self_-respect?" + +"I warn you not to push me too far," he retorted hotly, adding: +"Perhaps you really want me to get out--do you?" and he leaned toward +her, with a menacing look and air. + +"No, for your own sake, I do not wish you to do that; but I do want you +to show yourself a man, and some recognition of your duty as a husband +and father," Helen spiritedly replied. Then she dauntlessly continued: +"But I tell you again we cannot live this way any longer." + +"'Duty!' 'Duty!' That is always a woman's fling at a man, even if he +is down on his luck. I'm not at all fond of this nagging, and I +believe, on the whole, we'd be better off apart," he angrily shot back +at her. + +For a full minute Helen silently searched his face. It was flushed, +sullen, dogged. + +Was he really weary of the ties that bound him? Was he tired of her +and of Dorothy? Was he seeking an excuse to get out, hoping to rid +himself thereby of his moral responsibility, and be free to indulge his +admiration for the fascinating soubrette? She was forced to believe +that he was--everything seemed to point to that end, and it was evident +that he had no intention of yielding to her terms; he would assume no +responsibilities that were irksome to him; no burdens to cumber him; +and suddenly all her outraged womanhood, wifehood, motherhood were +aroused to arms, overleaping the last point of endurance. + +She drew herself to her full height, and confronted him with a spirit +he had never seen her manifest before. + +"_As--you--please!_" she said, with freezing deliberation; and, pulling +from her hand the silken sock she had been mending for him when he came +in, she tossed it upon the floor at his feet. She held his eye for +another brief moment, and he cringed visibly beneath the contemptuous +renunciation that he read in the look. The next he was alone. Helen +had fled to her chamber, where she fell, half fainting, upon her bed, +her heart broken, her spirit crushed. + +A little later she heard the outer door close with a bang, and knew +that her husband had left the house. Would he ever return? Would she +really care if he never returned? + +Her burdens and trials had been very heavy and perplexing during most +of her married life. She had tried to be brave, loyal, and +self-sacrificing; she had laid her all upon the altar of her love for +this man, only to have her unceasing immolation ignored, as of no +special value, except in so far as it had relieved him of care, +clothed, fed, and sheltered him. Now the last straw had been laid upon +her by his shameless devotion to a brazen actress, regardless of the +taint upon his own reputation and the scandal it must entail upon his +family. It seemed, as she lay there, half conscious, as if this blow +had crushed every atom of affection for him out of her heart, and she +began to feel that, as far as she was concerned, it might be a blessed +release to be free from him forever. Yet for his own and Dorothy's +sake, she would have continued to bear her cross indefinitely and +without a murmur, to save him from sin and to shield her child from the +disgrace that now threatened them all. + +Days passed and lengthened into weeks, during which she did not once +see or hear from her husband; but one afternoon, upon returning from an +engagement out of town, she found that he had been in the house and +removed all of his personal belongings, together with the choicest of +his paintings and some rare curios which he had collected during their +honeymoon abroad. This act convinced her that he intended their +separation to be final. + +She had told Dorothy something of the recent stormy interview between +her husband and herself, because she believed it best to prepare her +for what she feared might be the outcome of it before very long. + +During the earlier portion of her brief life Dorothy had been very fond +of her father, and he had always manifested a strong affection for her; +but during the last two years Helen had observed that the girl often +avoided him, that she grieved over his growing indifference to his +obligations and his home; while not infrequently she had openly +resented his treatment of her mother. + +When Helen told her she thought it probable that her father would leave +them altogether, the girl sat in silent thought for several minutes. +Then she lifted adoring eyes to her mother's face. + +"Mamma, if he _wants_ to go away from such a lovely wife as you have +been, because he--he likes that coarse, loud-talking woman I saw him +with that day, I--I'd just _let_ him go, and--and be glad to have him +away," she said, her face growing crimson, her eyes flashing resentment +in view of her father's wrongdoing. + +"But, Dorrie, dear, he is your father, and----" + +"My _father_! He hasn't acted much like a father who cared anything +for his daughter!" Dorothy indignantly interposed. "And he's been +horrid to _you_, lots of times. He's been so _lazy_, too, lounging +around the house and letting you work so hard, and taking your _money_. +I've been so ashamed that he couldn't be like other gentlemen, and take +care of _us_. I used to think I was proud of him, and loved him, for +he _is_ handsome and can be nice when he feels like it. I--I don't +like to go near him now, though, and I haven't wanted to kiss him for a +long time. But I love _you_, mamma, dear, with all my heart; and if he +does go away I will try to be so good to you that--that perhaps you +won't mind it quite so much," the child concluded, with a burst of +tears, as she threw herself into her mother's arms, and clung to her +convulsively. + +Helen was deeply touched by this spontaneous outburst of love and +loyalty, and, as she thought the matter over more and more, she began +to feel that if John's infatuation could not be broken--if he was past +redemption--it would be better for Dorothy, perhaps, to be away from +his influence. + +A month later Helen received notice from a lawyer, informing her of her +husband's intention of applying for a divorce; he also stated that Mr. +Hungerford desired a personal interview for the purpose of definitely +arranging the matter with her. + +Helen acceded to this request, and the scene recorded in our opening +chapter followed a few days later, when John Hungerford learned, much +to his surprise, that his wife would oppose no obstacle to his desire +and efforts to secure a legal separation from her; when she had told +him he might go free, as soon as the law would allow, provided he would +relinquish all claim to Dorothy and did not attempt to compromise +herself in any way. + +The result we already know. The divorce was granted. John Hungerford +went immediately abroad, ostensibly to resume his art studies, but +really to follow the woman who had won his allegiance from his wife, +and Helen was left to meet the situation alone as best she could. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +HELEN PLANS HER FUTURE. + +"I have decided to leave San Francisco. I will not have Dorothy's life +spoiled by this wretched scandal, which she will never be allowed to +forget if we remain here. I am going to put three thousand miles +between our past history and ourselves. I am going to New York City to +live." + +Thus announced Helen Hungerford while discussing her future with her +lifelong friend, Mrs. Horace Hamilton, who had been not only her chum +throughout their college course, and her maid of honor at her marriage, +but had faithfully stood by her in all her trials since her return from +Europe. It was she who had helped her to secure music scholars, who +had been first and foremost in introducing her as a chamber-concert +singer, and launching her upon the career that had proved such a signal +success. She had also been especially kind and loyal at the time of +her husband's desertion, and shielded her in every possible way from +the gossip and scandal attending the unfortunate separation. + +"Mercy, dear, won't it be flying in the face of Providence for you to +race wildly off to the other side of the continent?" exclaimed Mrs. +Hamilton, in a startled tone, adding sympathetically: "I am forced to +admit that your position here is certainly very trying, Helen; but this +seems to me like a perfectly mad scheme. Do you know a single soul in +New York?" + +"No, I do not; and that is just the reason why I am going there." + +"But you are so well established, and have so many stanch friends here; +the sympathies of every one who knows you and the trials you have had +to encounter are with you," objected her companion. + +"I know that; everybody has been heavenly kind to me, and I fully +appreciate it," said Helen, with starting tears. "But I don't want +_sympathy_--I simply want to forget; and I will not have Dorothy +weighed down with pity, and all the brightness and hope crushed out of +her life," she concluded passionately, and flushing with hot resentment +against her hard lot. + +"But I am afraid you will have an awfully hard struggle all alone in +New York," said her friend, looking deeply troubled. "And yet--I don't +know"--her face clearing suddenly--"Lena Jerome, Horace's sister, is +prominent in society there. She is a dear, and would do anything to +help a friend of ours. You certainly are a fine music teacher, +Helen--you make all your pupils love you, and I believe that is one +secret of your success; and you sing divinely at drawing-room +functions. Lena would be just the one to aid you in securing the right +kind of scholars, and to secure for you the entrée to society for +entertaining, as you have done here. After all, I do believe it will +be the very best thing for you to do, if--if the expense of such a +change will not be too much for you," Mrs. Hamilton concluded, with +some embarrassment, for she believed that John Hungerford had left his +wife absolutely penniless. + +"I have saved some money from my own earnings," Helen explained. "It +has been uphill work since John gave up business, but I have never +allowed myself to spend every dollar of my income; I have managed to +put away something every month--'an emergency nest egg,' I have called +it. Then, the little my father left me I have sacredly hoarded to +defray the expense of a college course for Dorothy; so I am sure I can +manage very well, even in New York, until I can secure pupils and +engagements. I shall be very grateful to Mr. Hamilton's sister if she +will take me under her friendly wing for a little while, until I become +established. Belle, what should I have done without you? You have +been my sheet anchor in this heartbreaking storm." + +She reached out, clasped her friend's hand, and laid it against her +lips, as she ceased speaking. + +Mrs. Hamilton slipped an affectionate arm about her waist, and drew her +close, hot tears of rebellion welling to her eyes as she recalled the +evening of Helen's brilliant wedding, when they had stood side by side +beneath the great arch of white roses in the Appletons' lovely home, +and contrasted the seemingly bright outlook of that occasion with her +present blighted hopes and broken heart. + +"Well, you know it was always 'you and I together, love,' in the old +days at college--one never had a pleasure or a trouble that the other +did not share, and I am sure we love each other as well to-day, if not +better, than we did then," she fondly replied; then added, with +cheerful animation: "Now, let me tell you that your plan appeals to me +more and more. I can see that you and Dorothy will escape a great deal +of depressing and exasperating scandal by this change; thus, as you +have said, the dear child's future will not be marred by continual +reminders of the unhappy experiences of the last few years. You have +brought her up admirably thus far, Helen--she gives promise of becoming +a beautiful and talented woman; and I believe when we have you well +settled in New York you will both be happier than you have been for a +long time." + +"What a blessing it is to have a loyal friend!" breathed Helen +gratefully. "You have cheered me more than I can tell you, and, with +your assurance of Mrs. Jerome's influence to help me in my future +career, my courage is greatly strengthened. I--I shall ask you to +introduce us to her as--Mrs. and Miss Dorothy _Ford_," she concluded, +with some hesitation, as she searched her friend's face to see how she +would receive this suggestion. + +"That is another plan of which I heartily approve," returned Mrs. +Hamilton, with unfeigned satisfaction. "Put away from +you--_forget_--all that is possible pertaining to the sad past, and +take a new lease of life and happiness. But for Dorothy, I would have +advised that you resume your maiden name. 'Ford' will do very nicely, +though. A new name may have the effect of strengthening your feeling +of independence, and will not expose you to inquiries concerning John +Hungerford. Now, dear heart, I must go straight home--it is almost +dinner time, and I am eager to tell Horace of your plan for the future. +I feel sure that he also will think well of it. I will send the car +around for you and Dorrie to come and dine with us to-morrow night, and +we will all talk it over together more at length." + +Mr. Hamilton, who was a wise counselor, did think well of Helen's +contemplated change of residence, and as he advised her to get away as +early as practicable from all unpleasant reminders, she began at once +to prepare for her departure. + +She disposed of all her household furniture, knowing it would be very +expensive and troublesome to move it across the continent; and, as she +still had some fine old pieces that had been in her family for many +years, she realized from this sale a snug sum, that would go far toward +furnishing her new home upon reaching her destination. + +This involved much care and labor, and she found her fortitude and +strength were well-nigh spent when all was over, and her once pretty +apartment shorn of all that had once made it an attractive home. + +The Hamiltons had insisted upon having Dorothy and herself spend a week +with them and have a good rest before leaving for New York, and Helen +had deferred until this time a few errands and small matters of +business that remained to be attended to. + +One of these was the withdrawal of Dorothy's money from the +institutions where it had been deposited. But when she opened her +treasure box, where she had always kept important papers, her mother's +jewelry, and other choice mementoes, the bank books were not to be +found. + +She could not believe the evidence of her own eyes, and searched the +contents of the receptacle over and over, with, alas! the same result. + +With a sinking heart, she flew to the bank officials, to make +inquiries, only to be told, with evident surprise, in view of her +ignorance of the fact, that Mr. Hungerford had, as Dorothy's legal +guardian, closed the accounts some three months previous. + +This terrible and unlooked-for blow was the overflowing drop in Helen's +cup of woe, and for the first time in her life she was utterly +prostrated, the shock resulting in a serious illness that kept her in +bed for three miserable weeks. + +Once again faithful Belle Hamilton and her good husband proved the +unfailing loyalty of their friendship. The pleasantest room in their +beautiful home was assigned to the suffering woman; the family +physician and a good nurse were drafted into her service, and nothing +spared that would contribute to her comfort and restoration. + +But Helen was not only physically exhausted; she was also heartsick and +weary of the struggle to live, and, for a time, it seemed doubtful +which way the tide would turn. But her motherhood was her salvation, +and the crisis was at length safely passed. + +"If it were not for Dorrie, I would gladly give up the battle," she +said weakly to her friend one day, when she was beginning to +convalesce, yet with her strength at a very low ebb. "If--if I _have_ +to leave her, Belle, I know you will still be a good friend to her, as +you have been to me." + +"Next to Horace and you, Dorrie is my best beloved, and I have no +children of my own. I do not need to say more, Helen," returned Mrs. +Hamilton, her composure sadly shaken. "But, dearie," she added +cheerily, as she fondly stroked the brown head upon the pillow, "you +will not have to leave her. Doctor Allen told Horace yesterday that +you are coming out all right, and I beg you will not allow yourself to +think anything else, for Dorrie needs her _mother_; no one else can do +for her what you can do. Now, Helen," she went on, with grave +authority, "you simply _must_ put out of your consciousness every +desponding thought, for your own sake, as well as ours. Don't worry +about money, or how you are going to manage when you get to New York; +everything will be taken care of for you until you can take care of +yourself, and I know if you will only call back your courage, take a +fresh grip on hope, and do your best to get well, you will ultimately +conquer every adverse circumstance, and you and Dorothy will yet have a +beautiful and happy life together." + +This sensible advice, together with the love and cheerful atmosphere +surrounding her, was very helpful to the invalid, and she improved more +rapidly from that time. + +She _had_ "worried about money" and what would be the outcome of her +overwhelming misfortune, for, with what little she had left, she knew +it would be impossible to defray the expenses of the journey to and +make a home upon her arrival in New York. It had almost seemed as if +she were fated to remain in San Francisco and meekly take up again the +work she had just relinquished, even though Dorothy's whole future +might be marred thereby. + +But her friend's reassuring talk had put new heart into her, and she +immediately began to plan her work for the coming winter. By another +week she was able to be up and dressed, and, with her physician's +sanction, the day of her departure was set seven days later. + +One evening, on coming home to dinner, Mr. Hamilton informed his wife, +after they were all seated at the table, that important business called +him to New York, and, with the time it would take going and returning, +he would probably be absent from home nearly a month. He concluded by +inquiring, in a matter-of-fact tone: + +"How would you like to come with me, Belle, and make that long-promised +visit to Lena?" + +"How delightful! I should like it exceedingly," replied Mrs. Hamilton, +lifting a searching look to her husband's face. This was the first she +had heard about "business in New York," and she had a strong suspicion +that some other motive had prompted this sudden trip. + +A twinkle shot into the gentleman's eyes as they met her own, which +quickly suffused with tears as she realized that this plan was simply a +ruse to protect and support Helen throughout her long journey and see +her comfortably settled in her new home upon the far side of the +continent. + +Mr. Hamilton hastened to her rescue, for he saw that she was very near +losing her composure and spoiling everything. + +"We haven't had a real outing together, dear, for a long time," he +smilingly observed; "and when Mr. Ashley told me this morning he +thought we'd better send some one to New York and Washington to look +into some complications that have arisen in connection with our new +patents, I told him I would be glad to go myself. I thought it would +be very pleasant for you and me to bear our departing friends company +on their long journey--oh, Dorrie, what do you think of it?" he +concluded, turning to the girl, who always sat at his right hand at +table--a privilege she greatly appreciated. + +"Oh, Uncle Horace, I think it will be just--_grand_!" she exclaimed, +clapping her hands for joy. "It won't seem _quite_ so much like going +away from you and Aunt Belle altogether." + +He reached out a shapely hand and patted her softly on the shoulder, a +suspicion of tears in his own eyes, for the child had greatly endeared +herself to him during her stay in the house. + +"Well, then, Belle, dear, if you can get your grip packed by Monday +morning, I will be ready to act as escort for the party to the great +and terrible city of Gotham." + +"Grip, indeed!" exclaimed his wife, in mock indignation, but giving him +a roguish look. "I am expecting to take a trunk, containing several +empty trays, with me, if you please. Pray, did you imagine that you +were going to take me to New York--the Paris of America--and bring me +home again, without being well stocked with the prettiest things I +could find?" + +Mr. Hamilton gravely put down his knife and fork, drew forth a very +flat-looking wallet, and laid it upon the table before Dorothy, with a +dejected air. + +"Open it, sweetheart, and tell me if you do not think your auntie is a +very unreasonable woman and your uncle a much-abused man," he said, in +an injured tone. + +Dorothy unfolded the receptacle, carefully looked it through, and +brought to light a single twenty-dollar bill. + +Her brows contracted in perplexity. She studied the crisp note for a +moment, then naïvely returned: + +"Why, Uncle Horace, that isn't _all_ you will have to spend in New +York, is it? I--I thought you were--were very rich!" + +A burst of laughter greeted her innocent remark, at which Dorothy +flushed rosily, to find a joke had been played upon her; then, quietly +returning the bill to its place, she passed the wallet to Mr. Hamilton, +and observed demurely: + +"I guess auntie knows what she is about, and where to find more when +she wants it," at which a second outburst brought a dimple into her own +cheeks. + +"Dorothy, I did not think that of you! Do you know what faithful Mrs. +Micawber was in the habit of saying to Mr. Micawber?" inquired Mr. +Hamilton, with an assumption of severity. + +"Yes, sir; but I don't think _Mr._ Micawber was in the habit of playing +_tricks_ upon _Mrs._ Micawber," retorted Dorothy, the mischievous +dimples deepening, while Mrs. Hamilton applauded gleefully with both +hands. + +"So you are going to desert me, if I play tricks upon you! Well, I +can't afford to lose my sweetheart, so we will try to be good +friends--at least until we reach New York, and I promise you auntie +shall not suffer for pretty things," said the gentleman, bestowing a +fond look upon her and a smile upon his wife. + +"Oh, Uncle Horace, I wish _you_ were going to live in New York, too," +the girl observed wistfully. "If I could only have you, and Aunt +Belle, and Grace Winthrop, I would be perfectly happy." + +"You will miss Grace, but you will find nice friends wherever you go," +said Mrs. Hamilton kindly; then the conversation turned upon plans for +the coming trip. + +The next few days were busy ones, and Monday morning found the party of +four en route for the East; and with her good friends to bear her +cheerful company Helen bade a final farewell to her "Valley of Achor," +and turned her face toward the rising sun, with something of hope in +her heart, to begin anew the battle of life for herself and her child, +in a great, unknown city. + +Upon their arrival in New York, the Hamiltons helped her to find and +furnish a small apartment in a good location, these faithful friends +manifesting a keen enjoyment and interest in their work that was most +inspiring to Helen. + +It certainly was a very attractive little nest when the last touches +were put to it--"a haven of rest," she told them, after her battle with +the rough storms and winds that had wrecked her bark and left her +bruised and broken upon the barren shore of despair. + +Before it was time for the Hamiltons to return to San Francisco, both +mother and daughter began to feel quite at home in their quiet corner +of the mighty city, and to manifest a serenity, even something of +happiness, that was very gratifying to these good people, who felt +deeply concerned for their future. + +They had been introduced to the Jeromes, who had cordially opened their +hearts and home to them, and who assured Mr. Hamilton that they would +do everything in their power to launch Mrs. Ford upon her career during +the coming season; while Mollie Jerome, their daughter, about the same +age of Dorothy, was at once greatly attracted to her new little friend. + +"Mamma, I think she is _almost_ as nice as Grace, and isn't it +beautiful to have found some one to love so quickly?" Dorothy confided +to her mother one night, on her return after having been entertained +all day in the elegant home of the Jeromes. + +By the first of October, through the influence of Mrs. Homer Jerome, +Helen had secured a number of pupils and an engagement to sing at a +fashionable reception, the date of which was set for the third of +November. + +With this small but promising beginning, her spirits began to rise, and +she found all her former energy and love for her work returning. + +She was gaining rapidly in flesh and strength; the lines of care and +trouble were fast fading out of her face, even though there were times +when she was broken-hearted and passionately rebellious, in view of her +husband's dishonor and faithlessness, and her own miserable position as +a deserted wife. + +Her first work, after getting settled in her little home, was to put +Dorothy into a good school, after which she gave herself up for several +hours of every day to systematic practice to get in good voice for her +first appearance in New York society as a drawing-room artiste. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +AFTER TEN YEARS. + + The thorns I have reaped are of the tree + I planted; they have torn me and I bled; + I should have known what fruit would spring from such + a seed. BYRON. + + +It is a brilliant, star-lighted night in December. + +In an even more brilliantly illuminated mansion on Fifth Avenue, New +York City, a distinguished company is assembled. Elderly and +middle-aged gentlemen, dignified and imposing, with the suggestion of +opulence pervading every look and movement; young men, alert and full +of vigor, all clad in conventional dress suits and immaculate linen; +stately and beautiful matrons, elegantly robed in velvet and costly +laces; younger women resplendent in all the tints of the rainbow, and +flashing with diamonds and other many-hued gems; pretty débutantes, in +diaphanous and saintly white, gleaming like spotless lilies in beds of +variegated poppies; flowers and perfume everywhere; entrancing melody +from an invisible orchestra, mingling with many musical voices, joyous +laughter, and the rustle and swish of silk and satin--all contributed +to produce a wonderful scene and an exhilarating atmosphere, which +assumed life to be one long, gorgeous gala day, with never a cloud to +dim its brightness or cast its shadow upon these gay votaries of +fashion and pleasure. + +Suddenly the music of the orchestra ceased, and presently a few +dominant chords were struck upon a fine-toned concert-grand piano, as +if to demand attention and silence. + +The next moment a woman of beautiful and gracious presence stepped upon +a low platform beside the instrument, whereupon the buzzing of many +voices was hushed, and an air of eager expectation pervaded the company. + +The dominant chords were followed by a rippling prelude, which soon +dropped into the more precise rhythm of an accompaniment; then a +glorious voice, full, rich, and thrillingly sympathetic, broke upon the +stillness, rising, falling, and trilling easily and naturally as a +bird, that, conscious only of the supreme impulse within his throbbing +breast and vibrating in his wonderful little throat, pours forth his +joy-laden soul in enraptured and exquisite song. + +Every eye within range of her was fastened upon the singer, a queenly +matron, charmingly gowned in some soft material of pale-pink lavender. +Her abundant brown hair was becomingly arranged and surmounted by a +glittering aigrette of jewels, her only visible ornament. She was good +to look upon as well as to listen to, and bore herself with the ease +and poise of one long accustomed to entertain fashionable audiences +like the present, yet without a suggestion of self-consciousness to mar +her excellent work. + +She rendered a group of three classical songs with artistic effect that +won for her a round of hearty applause as she ceased. She gracefully +acknowledged the tribute paid her, then turned and smilingly nodded to +some one who had evidently been sitting near her. Immediately a lovely +girl, robed in white, arose, and took her stand at the left of the +artiste. + +A flutter of excitement throughout the room indicated the anticipation +of some unusual treat as harp, violin, and cello, accompanied by the +piano, rendered an inspiring introduction, which was followed by a +familiar duet from one of the standard operas, and executed with an +exquisite interpretation and spirit that held every listener spellbound +to the end, and evoked a storm of enthusiastic approval upon its +conclusion. + +"Jove! can't they sing! Who are they, Jerome? Sisters, I should +judge, by their strong resemblance to each other, and the younger is +simply adorable!" + +Mr. Homer Jerome, the host of the evening, smiled, his fine eyes +twinkling with secret satisfaction at these flattering compliments +bestowed upon the protégées of his wife by the aristocratic and +fastidious Clifford Alexander, the son of an old college chum, who had +recently returned from several years' sojourn in Europe. + +"The elder lady is Madam Ford, who has become quite noted in New York +during the last ten years as a drawing-room artiste. She is in great +demand among society people, and never fails to give satisfaction to an +appreciative audience. Her companion is Miss Dorothy Ford, madam's +daughter," Mr. Jerome explained. + +"You don't mean to tell me that the lady in lavender is the mother of +the other! It doesn't seem possible!" exclaimed the first speaker, +astonished. + +"I am sure Madam Ford would appreciate the flattering, though indirect, +compliment you have paid her, my boy," observed his host, with a genial +laugh. "Madam is certainly a very youthful-looking woman, considering +her age and checkered experiences, for, some years ago, she was left +penniless to battle, single-handed, with the world, and she has seen +much trouble." + +"She is a widow, then?" + +"Um--er--I think it was about ten years ago that she lost her husband," +was Mr. Jerome's somewhat noncommittal reply; then he hastened to add: +"But she faced the situation with indomitable courage and energy, and, +possessing much native talent, a beautiful voice, and a charming +personality, she has achieved a brilliant career for herself." + +"Evidently she has found a very warm friend in Mr. Homer Jerome, to +whom, perhaps, she may owe something of her success in life," observed +Mr. Alexander, to whom his host's generous-spirited philanthropy was no +secret. + +"I esteem it an honor to be numbered among Madam Ford's friends," +heartily returned Mr. Jerome. "She was really a protégée of my wife's, +to begin with, and we have seen a good deal of her during the ten years +of our acquaintance--first, to admire her for her heroism and +perseverance under difficulties, and later to love her for herself. +The daughter is no less lovely than her mother," the gentleman +continued, his eyes lingering fondly upon the girl. "Madam has given +her every possible advantage, and when she discovered that she also +possessed a promising voice she placed her under one of our finest +teachers, here in New York, with what result you have just had the +pleasure of ascertaining." + +"She is surely deserving of laurels for this evening's work," said the +young man appreciatively. + +"Particularly as this is her first appearance in a professional rôle. +Her voice is powerful, rich, and sympathetic. I would not be surprised +if Miss Dorothy eventually outclasses her mother as an artist." And +Mr. Jerome beamed satisfaction upon his favorite as he concluded. + +"Dorothy Ford," mused Clifford Alexander, his voice lingering upon the +name while his fine eyes studied the face of the beautiful girl, who +was now chatting socially with a group of people who were offering +hearty congratulations to both mother and daughter. "It is a +peculiarly euphonious name for a very attractive young woman. +Introduce me, will you, Jerome?" + +"With the greatest pleasure," responded that gentleman, with a sly +smile; and a few minutes later Mr. Alexander was making his best bow +before Madam Ford, whom he found even more charming at close range than +at a distance; and then the usually imperturbable young man found +himself experiencing unaccustomed heart throbs upon being presented to +the adorable Dorothy. + +The girl did not offer him her hand, but, after gracefully +acknowledging the introduction, lifted her limpid gray eyes to the +gentleman's face with an earnest, straightforward look which told him +that she was one who judged people somewhat from first impressions. + +His glance held hers for a moment, during which he was particularly +attracted by the sweet serenity of her gaze, while he was at the same +time conscious that every feature of her lovely face was aglow with +intelligence and vivacity. + +Her skin was fine and clear, with a touch of rose on her cheeks; her +lips a vivid scarlet. A wealth of red-brown hair was arranged high on +her head, thus adding to her stature and poise; her features, though by +no means perfect, were fascinatingly expressive, especially when she +spoke or smiled. + +Her graceful, symmetrical figure was clad in virgin white, with no +ornament save a string of rare pearls that once had belonged to her +grandmother Appleton; and, to her new acquaintance, Dorothy Ford +appeared the embodiment of loveliness and purity. + +"Allow me to thank you both for the great pleasure I have just +enjoyed," Mr. Alexander remarked, when their greetings were over, the +sincerity in his tones saving his observation from seeming triteness. + +Madam Ford smiled with motherly pride as she gracefully thanked him, +and, bending a fond glance upon Dorothy, added: + +"I really feel that my daughter is entitled to congratulations, since +this is her first appearance, professionally, before a critical +audience. I must confess, however, to having experienced some inward +quakings in view of that fact; but her first note reassured me----" + +"Why, mamma, I am surprised!" laughingly interposed Dorothy, but +flushing with pleasure, nevertheless, in view of her mother's +commendation, Mr. Jerome's approving eyes, and the evident appreciation +of her new acquaintance--"after all your careful coaching, not to +mention Signor Rotoni's merciless training for this important event! +Moreover, the burden of responsibility rested entirely upon you, and I +wasn't conscious of a quake, though I confess I might not have felt +quite so confident if I had been obliged to face all these people +alone." + +"So this is your début before society, Miss Ford?" Mr. Alexander +observed, and charmed by the maiden's refreshing ingenuousness. + +"Yes, as a vocalist; not socially, however, for Mrs. Jerome kindly +introduced me, with Miss Jerome, some time ago," Dorothy replied, +adding: "I have, perhaps, enjoyed some advantages to give me confidence +which débutantes, as a rule, do not have. Mamma having been so much +before the public, I have also had my responsibilities in the +profession, for"--with a laughing glance at her mother--"I have +frequently acted as her chaperon when she has had engagements at a +distance from home." + +"'Chaperon!' That is rather good, Helen," Mr. Jerome here dryly +interposed, and bending a pair of twinkling eyes upon madam. "Well, +you do look almost youthful enough to need a chaperon; Alexander was +saying only a few moments ago he thought you and Dorothy must be +sisters." + +"There, mamma, now will you believe what I said to you before we left +home?" gleefully exclaimed Dorothy. "I told her," she went on, nodding +brightly at Mr. Jerome, "that she is growing younger every year, and no +one would suspect that she is the mother of a twenty-five-year-old +daughter----" + +"'Sh--'sh! Oh, Dorrie, _how_ indiscreet to tell it!" interposed her +host, in pretended consternation at her frankness. + +"Perhaps it was," retorted the girl, with a roguish gleam in her eyes. +"I did not realize what my admission would imply, and I humbly beg +mamma's pardon for trespassing upon so delicate a subject," and she +curtsied with mock humility to her mother, without a vestige of +self-consciousness for having given away her own age. + +"Now, I suppose it behooves me to offer thanks to Mr. Alexander for a +very pretty compliment," demurely observed Madam Ford, when the laugh +at Dorothy's clever repartee had subsided. + +"Oh, Helen," groaned Mr. Jerome, who dearly loved to hector, "I am +surprised to hear you giving thanks for a compliment at your charming +daughter's expense!" Then, turning to Dorothy, he added, with an air +of commiseration: "Dorrie, dear, you have my deepest sympathy in view +of your aged appearance; if you had only not persisted in growing up, +so early, to be so mature, tall, and stately, people would not have +been so prone to mistake you for your mother's sister," he concluded, +bestowing a reproachful look upon the young man standing beside her. + +"Really, Jerome," Clifford Alexander here laughingly interposed, but +with heightening color beneath his friend's persistent banter, "I seem +inadvertently to have stumbled upon dangerous ground, and there appears +to be no way to either advance or retreat with any glory to myself. +Pray tell me how I am to propitiate so gallant a champion as you have +constituted yourself; also this fair lady"--with a deprecating glance +at Dorothy--"whose cause you so ardently espouse." + +"This 'fair lady' and her 'champion,' as you are pleased to regard me, +have been lovers ever since she was a small girl in short dresses, I +would have you understand, and I warn you, young man, that I am very +jealous for her--eh, Dorothy?" Mr. Jerome asserted, with a delightful +air of proprietorship. "However," he continued, "I can assure you she +is easily propitiated, for she is exceedingly amiable." + +"That, I am sure, goes without saying," affably assented the young man. + +"Exactly; and, taking her all in all, she is '_simply adorable!_'" +retorted his host, in a significant tone, as he thus quoted the young +man's own words of a few moments previous, and which again sent the +quick color to his face. + +Dorothy had thoroughly enjoyed the tilt at her expense, but now she +began to feel the situation becoming a trifle embarrassing, both for +herself and her new acquaintance; and, turning brightly to him, she +merrily observed: + +"Pray, do not mind him, Mr. Alexander; he is the greatest tease in New +York. He has hectored me for years, and does not half realize that I +have grown up to be almost mamma's double; for really we are more like +two devoted chums or sisters than like mother and daughter." + +"Miss Ford, I am everlastingly obliged to you for the olive branch of +peace you so kindly extend to me," the gentleman smilingly returned. +"And now, as the room is very warm, won't you come and let me get you +an ice, or a glass of punch? I am sure Mr. Jerome will kindly care for +Madam Ford." + +"Thank you; I shall be glad to have an ice, if you will be so kind," +Dorothy cordially assented. + +She nodded a gay adieu to her mother and Mr. Jerome, as she turned to +accompany her escort, who shot a look of mock triumph at his host as he +walked off with his coveted prize. + +"That is a mighty fine fellow, Helen," remarked her companion, as the +two young people disappeared among the throng. + +"He is certainly good to look upon; not exactly what would be regarded +as a handsome man, but decidedly distinguished in appearance, and with +evidences of a fine character written on his strong face," madam +replied. + +"You are right; but he has never been a 'ladies' man,' much to the +chagrin of many of our New York mothers. I am surprised at his walking +off so summarily with Dorothy--no," he corrected, "I am not surprised, +either, for Dorrie would melt a statue of ice. Next to my Mollie, she +is the most glorious girl I know." + +Madam Ford smiled as she bestowed a grateful look upon the speaker for +his high praise. + +"You have idealized Dorothy, I am afraid," she returned, with evident +emotion; "but one is prone to endow those in whom one is deeply +interested with the rich qualities of his own nature. You are so +thoroughly good yourself, my friend, you can see nothing but good in +others." + +"Somebody else, I perceive, is looking through rose-tinted glasses at +this very moment, Helen," lightly responded her companion. + +"Well, you must not forget that you have put some rose tints into my +life during the last ten years; you have also been almost like a father +to my child, and I am not likely to forget it--nor the heavenly +kindness of your wife, either." Helen's lips were tremulous as she +concluded. + +"My wife is a gem of the first water," responded her companion, in a +low, intense tone, a fond look in his fine eyes, as they rested upon a +stately woman standing in the full light of a brilliant chandelier not +far from them. + +"Indeed, she is," Helen heartily assented, as her glance followed his; +for never in her life had she met a couple who lived in such perfect +accord with each other as Homer and Lena Jerome. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +A BRIEF RETROSPECT. + +Ten years have elapsed since Helen Hungerford was deserted by her +husband, and left almost destitute to begin again the battle of life +for herself and her child. + +After having been introduced to New York society, she began immediately +to prosper. Mrs. Jerome, the sister-in-law of Helen's dearest friend, +had at once interested herself in her career as a drawing-room artiste, +with an enthusiasm there was no opposing; she started the ball rolling +for her, and Helen's charming personality, with her cultured, +delightful voice, her determination to please and to succeed, did the +rest. Each year her engagements and pupils multiplied; and, having +followed the advice of the Jeromes to set her prices at a figure to +give dignity and value to her services, she soon became the fashion, +with an ample and constantly increasing income at her command. + +This had, ere long, enabled her to locate in a more desirable part of +the city, and to handsomely furnish a large apartment, with a studio +for her musical work; and, with competent help to relieve her of all +domestic drudgery, she found life easier and brighter than it had even +been since the first year of her marriage. Neither did she relax +effort in her own behalf; she put herself under a noted finishing +teacher, both to enhance her own attractions and to keep her repertoire +up to date. Dorothy, also, was given every advantage, and at the age +of nineteen entered college, from which she graduated four years later. + +Meanwhile, she also had developed a decided talent for music, +possessing a rich contralto voice that promised great things for the +future; and the ensuing two years were spent in making the most of her +talent, until, as we have seen, she was beginning to create quite a +stir in musical circles, and to share honors with her mother. + +They had lived very harmoniously during most of this time, trying to +forget the bitter past, and every year becoming nearer and dearer to +each other, until, as Dorothy had told Clifford Alexander, they were +"more like two devoted chums or sisters than mother and daughter." + +But all this had not been achieved without severe struggles on the part +of Helen. During the first two years of her sojourn in New York, +notwithstanding her almost phenomenal success, she had been bitterly +unreconciled to the fate that had doomed her to live out her life as a +deserted wife, to be both father and mother to her child, and had even +necessitated the concealment of her identity in order to save Dorothy +the mortification of being known as the daughter of a divorcee. + +She had seasons of wretched brooding, almost amounting to despair, +during which it would seem that she could not force herself to fulfill +her engagements; when she simply wallowed in the mire of bitter +humiliation, rebellion, and self-pity, in view of having been made the +target of a malicious fate, the football of an irresponsible man's +fickleness, indolence, and selfishness; of an unscrupulous woman's +blandishments and coquetry, and her life wrecked in its prime. + +For herself, aside from her child, the future seemed to hold no +promise; she was not yet forty years of age; she might live forty years +longer. Would she have courage sufficient to sustain her so long--to +carry this intolerable thorn that rankled in her heart continually? +And what made this thorn in the flesh so intolerable? she sometimes +asked herself. If her husband had died, she might have grieved for a +time over the memory of his unkind treatment of her; but eventually the +sting of it would have ceased, and the wound would have healed, and she +would have forgiven him. + +And what was this thorn, anyway? The question came to her, almost like +an audible voice, one day, when she had been more than usually +depressed; and, with a sudden inward shrinking from herself, it was +forced upon her that it was of her own planting and nourishment, and +its sting was her own bitterness, hate, and resentment against the +living man, who had left her for another; and also hatred against the +woman who had decoyed him from her. + +She recoiled from the shocking revelation with a sense of loathing. It +was as if she had discovered a nest of poisonous vipers writhing in her +own bosom, but which she had carefully and persistently nursed, calling +them by other names--disgrace, injured innocence, martyrdom, righteous +indignation, et cetera--hugging their stings and the corroding sores +they produced. + +Immediately upon awakening to this she resolved to purify her +consciousness from what she now recognized as willful sin and +selfishness. She conscientiously tried to divest herself of the habit +of dwelling upon the unhappy past; she strove to bury it so far out of +sight by throwing herself more heartily into her work, and into +Dorothy's interests and pleasures, that even its ghost could never +arise to confront her again. + +As time passed, she gradually grew to feel that she was really rising +above it. The clouds of depression began to lift, the sun of +prosperity melted away the mists of anxiety and care for the future, +while the appreciation and kindness of increasing friends broadened and +cheered her life in many ways. + +It was generally believed among her many patrons in New York that Madam +Helen Ford was a widow. None, barring the Jeromes, knew aught of her +history, save--according to rumor--that she had belonged to a good +family in the far West, and, having been left with a little one to rear +and educate, had, upon the advice of her friends, come East to make the +most of her beautiful voice. + +Mrs. Jerome's exceeding kindness to her, upon her arrival in that +great, strange city, had at once won Helen's heart, impelling her to +confide everything to her new friend, and thus relieve herself from the +consequences of deception toward those who were doing so much for her; +and from that hour the noble woman and her husband had been like +brother and sister, and of the greatest comfort to her; while the +simple fact that the Jeromes had introduced and vouched for her to +society was sufficient guarantee to give her the entrée among some of +the most cultured people in the metropolis. + +They also became very fond of Dorothy, and, having a daughter of about +the same age, made much of the girl, often inviting her to their home +and to share many of Mollie Jerome's pleasures. The two girls became +very friendly, attended the same school, entered and graduated from +college at the same time, and thus Dorothy, aided by her own personal +attractions and sweetness of disposition, acquired a position among the +younger generation in good society that was of great advantage to her. + +When Mollie Jerome made her début, Mrs. Jerome included Dorothy in the +receiving party, and in this way she also was practically introduced, +although she did not care particularly for so-called fashionable +society, neither would her circumstances allow her to keep up with its +arbitrary demands. Nevertheless, the kindness of these friends, +together with the advantages her mother had given her, enabled her to +enjoy many delightful opportunities which otherwise she would have +missed, and fitted her for the position she was destined later to +occupy. + +Now, after ten years, having made her professional début, in the home +of her good friends, she felt she was well launched upon a career that +would insure her independence for the future, and also enable her to +relieve her mother of some of the burdens she had borne alone for so +many years. + +On the evening of his introduction to her, Clifford Alexander had found +her to be an exceedingly bright and cultured girl, full of energy and +spirit, yet possessing an underlying purity and sweetness of character +that were inexpressibly charming to him, who, having seen much of life +abroad and in this country, had come to regard the majority of +fashionable young ladies as frivolous and shallow, absorbed in worldly +pleasures, and possessing little love for domestic life and its sacred +duties. Thus he had yet never met any one with whom he felt willing to +intrust his future happiness, and so had come to be regarded a +confirmed bachelor--or, as Mr. Jerome had put it, "no ladies' man." + +After partaking of some refreshments together, Clifford Alexander, +desiring to prolong the interview with his companion, suggested a visit +to Mr. Jerome's wonderful library and picture gallery, which occupied +the entire fourth floor of his dwelling, and contained many rare gems, +both of art and literature, over which even connoisseurs were wont to +become enthusiastic. + +Here they spent a delightful half hour, during which they discovered +much pertaining to their individual aims, pursuits, and tastes that was +congenial with each other. Then Dorothy was obliged to return to her +mother, to assist further in the evening's entertainment. But during +this brief interview she had unconsciously woven a magic web about the +heart of her new acquaintance, that was destined to prove far stronger +than the supposedly confirmed habit of reserve with which he had +heretofore fortified himself against all allurements of the fairer sex. + +Clifford Alexander was now in his thirtieth year, and a man of no +ordinary type. One look at him was sufficient to reveal the fact that +he possessed a masterful, purposeful individuality, a character of +unswerving integrity, and lofty ideals. An attractive, intellectual +face; a pair of shrewd, yet genial, dark eyes; a pleasant, rich-toned +voice, with a courtly, gracious manner, all bespoke the refined, +high-minded gentleman. + +Since leaving college, most of his time had been spent in Europe, where +he had attended to the foreign branch of a lucrative business +established by his father. Now, Mr. Alexander, Senior, having recently +retired, his son had been recalled to this country to fill his place, +as the head of the house, while another member of the firm was deputed +to look after the interests abroad. + +Following the evening of his introduction to them, young Alexander was +enabled to keep pretty well posted, through his friends, the +Jeromes--particularly through Miss Mollie Jerome--regarding the +engagements and movements of Madam Ford and Dorothy. He did not fail +to make the most of this information, and thus the way was opened to +meet them frequently and cultivate their acquaintance; and it goes +without saying that he made the most of every opportunity. + +Helen had been greatly attracted to him from the first, and, as the +formalities of their early interview began to melt into more friendly +relations, she gained a deeper insight of his character, which only +served to increase her admiration and respect for him. Neither was she +unmindful of the fact that Dorothy's eyes grew brighter, her smiles +sweeter, the rose in her cheeks deeper whenever he sought her side. +Hence when, one evening, at a social function, he gravely asked her if +she would accord him the privilege of calling upon her and Miss Ford, +she cordially granted his request, even though she could not fail to +understand from his earnest manner the deeply rooted determination +which had prompted his action. + +He pursued the advantage thus attained most industriously and +vigorously. His wooing was ingenuous, straightforward, irresistible. +He loved with all his heart, and he pressed his suit with no less +earnestness of purpose. He won the prize he coveted, and six months +from the evening of their introduction the engagement of Miss Dorothy +Ford to Mr. Clifford Alexander was formally announced to their many +friends. + +That it was a most desirable and suitable alliance was the general +verdict of all who knew them. The Alexanders, as a family, were +especially happy in view of it, for they had lost an only daughter some +years previous, and they lovingly welcomed the beautiful and talented +girl as the prospective bride of their son. + +Helen was filled with joy and exceeding gratitude, and a great burden +was lifted from her heart. Dorothy's future was most luxuriously +provided for, both in the wealth of affection bestowed upon her and the +opulence that would henceforth shield her from all care or hardship. +The name of Ford, by which Helen had never been addressed without a +secret sense of fraud, would now be swallowed up by one that no breath +of taint had ever touched, and her child would be protected from all +danger of association with the unhappy events of her youth to mar her +life. + +As the engagement was to be a short one, therefore, at Mr. Alexander's +request, Dorothy withdrew from all professional work, and proceeded to +give her time and attention wholly to the delightful occupation of +preparing for her approaching marriage. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +A SEALED BOOK REOPENED. + +One day shortly after the announcement of her engagement, Dorothy +sought her mother, upon the departure of her last pupil, her face +unusually grave and a trifle careworn. + +"Mamma," she began, with some hesitation, "I have been thinking, and do +you not think, that we ought to tell Clifford about--about our past?" + +Helen turned upon her with a look of dismay, and flushed a startled +crimson. + +This was the first time during many years that their unhappy history +had been alluded to by either; for, soon after taking up their +residence in New York, Helen had forbidden the topic. She wished +Dorothy to forget the harrowing past, even if she herself could not; +hence it had been carefully avoided by both. She had gradually grown +to hope, if not actually to believe, that those wretched experiences +had been blotted from her memory; or, at least, had become so vague and +indistinct that they no longer disturbed her peace. Their life, for +the most part, had flowed on so smoothly and harmoniously, they were so +devoted to and happy in each other, and also in their social relations; +they had a delightful if not an elegant home, with every comfort and +many luxuries, while each succeeding year seemed to hold more and more +of promise for them, that this tragic chapter of the long ago had +become, even to Helen herself, very like some dream belonging to a +previous existence. + +Hence Helen had not once thought of reviving the sad story in +connection with Dorothy's prospective marriage, and when the girl gave +utterance to her unexpected proposition she began to think, with a +terror-stricken heart throb, that she had, perhaps, been very remiss in +not having frankly confided to Mr. Alexander, when he had come to ask +of her Dorothy's hand in marriage, the fact of her husband's +disgraceful desertion of her, and that she was a divorced wife, +practically living under an assumed name. + +This unforeseen predicament came upon her like a crushing blow, and, +for the moment, the old rebellion and resentment, which she thought she +had long ago conquered, took possession of and mastered her with even +more than the old-time bitterness and force. + +How could she ever face it--this relentless test of her integrity! It +was an ordeal before which she shrank affrighted. Did she need to face +it? Why not let everything go on without uncovering this grave of the +dead past, the outcome of which might prove very disastrous to +Dorothy's bright hopes, and so break her own heart? + +The Alexanders were proud, high-toned people. How would they receive +such a revelation? + +What if the story of John Hungerford's disgraceful career should ruin +Dorothy's life at this supreme moment? Suppose, in spite of their +apparently increasing affection for her, this aristocratic family +should absolutely refuse their consent to the alliance of their son +with the daughter of a divorcee? Oh, it was passing strange that she +had not thought of all this before! It had been forced upon her now, +however, with a shock that deprived her of every atom of strength, for +she knew the truth must be told. + +"How do you feel about it, dearie?" she at length forced herself to +inquire, after an interval of silence, and to gain more time to think +before voicing a more definite reply. + +"Mamma, it seems dreadful! I cannot bear to revive unpleasant memories +for you," Dorothy began, turning a troubled face upon her. "Still, +we----" + +"But, Dorrie, our own past cannot be questioned--our lives have been +pure and above reproach. Why, then, is it necessary to disclose that +for which we are in no way responsible?" Helen questioned, after +another long pause. "We have not heard a word from--from him during +all these years. He may be dead--I think he must have died, or we +should have heard something. At any rate, he is dead to us! Why, +then, resurrect all that dreadful story?" + +Her voice quivered with repressed agony, and there was a note of +despairing appeal in her tones that smote her listener keenly. + +"But would it be quite honest not to tell Clifford? My name is really +Dorothy Hungerford, you know," she gravely responded. + +"The decree gave me the right to resume my maiden name, or to retain +his--whichever I chose. If I preferred to keep the latter portion of +his, I cannot think there would be any dishonesty in your being married +as Dorothy Ford," Helen argued, but not feeling quite comfortable or +honest in the position she had assumed. + +"All the same, there would be a deceptive thought back of it--something +to conceal from my husband, which might some time cloud our lives if it +should be discovered later," Dorothy persisted, a troubled look in her +eyes. + +Helen groaned bitterly in spirit. She knew that the girl's attitude +was the only safe one to adopt, but she shrank from the ordeal with a +sickening dread. + +"Have you no fear that this confession may cloud your life even before +your hopes are realized?" she questioned, almost sharply, in her +despair. + +"Mamma, surely you do not fear _that_!" Dorothy cried, aghast, her face +blanching suddenly snow white. + +"The Alexanders are very proud," sighed her mother. + +"Oh, I never thought of anything so dreadful!" said the girl +unsteadily. "I have such faith in Clifford's love for me. The only +reason I have hesitated was because I could not bear to wound you by +recalling our trouble, by having to tell any one what you have had to +bear. But now"--with a sudden dauntless uplifting of her head--"I must +tell him immediately. If there is the least danger that this +disclosure will change his regard for, or his intentions toward, me, or +will make trouble between him and his people, it is better to know and +meet it now than when it would be too late to remedy the mistake." + +"But could you bear it, Dorrie?" almost sobbed Helen. "Think, dear, +what the worst would mean to you." + +"_Whatever_ comes, I _must bear it_! I cannot, will not, live a lie!" +was the low-voiced, firm, but almost inaudible reply. + +"I know you are right, dear; but it seems so unjust that the innocent +should have to suffer as we have suffered for the sins of another," +said Helen rebelliously. + +Throughout their conversation there had been running in her mind, like +a mocking refrain, a portion of the old Mosaic law--"visiting the +iniquity of the fathers upon the children," et cetera--and she found +herself vaguely wondering who could have formulated such a law. She +could not believe God had made it, for God was good--Love, and surely +there was nothing good or lovely about this seeming curse. Yet it had +been handed down for ages--a menace to every generation. It was +certainly very cruel. Here was Dorothy, a beautiful, cultivated girl, +well fitted to grace the position her lover could give her, and now, to +have her brilliant prospects blighted just on the verge of fulfillment +seemed too dreadful to contemplate. + +Again there had been a long silence between mother and daughter, during +which each had battled with her troubled thoughts and conflicting +emotions. + +At length Dorothy arose, and, going to Helen, knelt down before her, +leaned her elbows upon her lap, and dropped her pretty chin into her +small, white hands. + +"Mamma, I am sure we will not have to suffer for being true," she said, +lifting a clear, smiling look to her. "How faithless we are! How +disloyal of me to think anything so unworthy of the best man that ever +lived! I am not going to fear that telling the truth, in order that I +may go to Clifford with a clear conscience, will spoil my life; he is +too high-minded, too noble, to allow a wrong for which I am in no way +responsible to part us. But--even if I knew it would, I should tell +him all the same; it is the only honorable course to pursue," she +concluded, with a look in her beautiful eyes that bespoke a purpose as +unflinching as the spirit of a martyr. + +Helen bent and kissed her on the forehead. + +"You shame me, dear; but I know you are right," she said humbly, but +adding, with a shiver of repugnance: "Do you want _me_ to tell him, +Dorrie? If it will save you----" + +"No, indeed, mamma, dear! I could not think of subjecting you to +anything so dreadful," interposed the brave girl, a quiver of repulsion +in her tones. "I wish _I_ could have saved _you_ this trial," she went +on yearningly; "but I knew it would not be right to keep the truth from +Clifford, and now I want to tell him myself, because--I must look +straight into his dear eyes as he listens; then I shall know----" + +"Oh, darling, forgive me if I have aroused a doubt in your +thought--have implanted a fear in your heart, that he will not stand +the test!" cried Helen remorsefully, as Dorothy's voice suddenly +faltered and failed her. + +"You have not," returned her companion, almost defiantly. "_I know he +is true blue_. I will not think anything else." + +So Dorothy told her lover her story, "looking straight into his eyes," +when he came to her that evening, keeping nothing back, nor trying to +gloss anything over; and when she was done, like the true-hearted man +he was, Clifford Alexander gathered her into his arms, murmuring fondly: + +"Sweetheart, put it all out of your mind; never give it another anxious +thought, for it belongs among the shades of the dim past, and the +present and the future are all that concern us now. Just know that I +love you for what you are, and that I honor your mother for the noble +woman that she is. She has shown wonderful fortitude during all these +years, and deserves the highest esteem of every one. As for your--that +man--whether he be living or dead, he has passed forever out of your +life; so be happy, dearest, and let none of these memories ever cloud +your dear eyes again, or cause your dear heart a single tremor." + +"Clifford! Clifford!" tremulously breathed Dorothy, while she clung to +the strong arm enfolding her. "I knew you would not fail me." + +But she was quivering in every nerve with repressed excitement, from +the reaction produced by the blessed assurance of his unimpeachable +loyalty, the unfailing love that was the light of her life, and had +safely weathered this crucial hour. + +"Fail you, Dorothy!" he repeated, surprise and reproof blending in his +tones. "Could I fail to cling to what is my very life? I am glad you +told me, however; it shows the confidence you repose in me, and proves +your absolute integrity," he concluded, with a smile that made her +thrice glad she had not been tempted to withhold the truth from him. + +Helen's troubled heart was also set at rest, when, later, they sought +her with radiant faces, and Clifford delicately yet feelingly referred +to her early trials, and earnestly begged that she would allow him to +be to her, through all her future, a son in truth as well as in name. + +Thus, with all fear regarding Dorothy's future forever dispelled, as +she fondly believed, she joyfully resumed her preparations for their +approaching union. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +THE SOUBRETTE. + +Helen had seemed almost to renew her youth while making ready for +Dorothy's marriage, and had thrown herself into the business before her +with no less enthusiasm than that manifested by the fair bride-elect +herself. + +She simply reveled in choosing the dainty and pretty things that were +to comprise the trousseau, while with her own skillful fingers she +fashioned many lovely accessories, which, had she purchased them, would +have been very expensive, if not entirely beyond her means. + +Dorothy was to go into a beautiful and sumptuous home; she would mingle +with fashionable and wealthy people, whom, in turn, she would also have +to entertain; and, with rare judgment and faultless taste, Helen had +planned an ample outfit for her, that was both elegant and suitable for +all occasions, yet without being too costly for her income. + +One morning, a few days after Dorothy had related the story of their +early troubles to her lover, mother and daughter started forth upon one +of their interesting shopping expeditions. They were in their +brightest mood, for, with the happy termination of the much-dreaded +ordeal which their sense of honor had compelled them to face, with a +free conscience, and increased love and respect for the man who was +soon to assume closer relations with them, the world seemed all rose +color and gold to these devoted chums as they pursued their way +downtown with a long list of items upon their memorandum tablets. + +They spent a busy morning together, after which they had a light lunch, +when, at one o'clock, Dorothy had an appointment with her dressmaker, +and Helen went back to the stores alone. + +Among other things, there were handkerchiefs to be selected, and she +slipped into Rolston's to see what she could find there. As she paused +before the counter, she found herself standing beside a woman who was +evidently waiting for her change and her purchase to be returned. +Something about her figure and the contour of her face--which, she +observed, was heavily powdered and rouged--impelled Helen to take a +second look; when, as if actuated by some occult influence, the +stranger turned a bold, rude stare upon her, and chain lightning could +hardly have been more swift or blinding than the blazing, spiteful look +which leaped into her eyes as they swept Helen from head to foot. + +A vindictive sneer began to curl her full, red lips; her heavy brows +contracted in an ugly, frown, as, with a mocking shrug of her shapely +shoulders, she shot forth a single venom-barbed word: + +"Well!" + +Instantly, with a shock that seemed to cleave her heart in twain, Helen +recognized her. + +She was the soubrette, Marie Duncan, with whom John Hungerford had gone +abroad ten years ago, and whom he had afterward married. But she was +no longer the gay, captivating coquette she had been when she had lured +him from his allegiance to his family. Her form had grown stout, less +symmetrical than of yore; her features coarse and sensuous; her skin +had become rough and porous, from too free use of cosmetics, and +evidently the world was not at present using her very well, for she was +cheaply clothed, though with a tawdry attempt at style which only +accentuated the fact of her poverty. + +The terror inspired by this startling encounter was simply paralyzing +to Helen. She deigned no reply to the actress' rude salutation; but, +with a mighty effort to preserve her self-control, turned to a clerk, +and, with a semblance of composure which she was far from feeling, +inquired for what she wanted. + +The woman stood watching her for a minute or two, the sneer still +curling her lips, as, with jealous eyes, she noted every detail of her +costly, tailor-made costume, her simple though stylish hat, her +perfectly fitting gloves, and the elegant shopping bag which she +carried. Then, with a mocking, sibilant laugh that made her listener's +flesh creep with painful revulsion, she swept insolently past her, and +was lost in the crowd. + +Helen selected a dozen handkerchiefs at random, gave her address to +have them sent to her; then, half fainting, a blinding haze before her +eyes, a deafening ringing in her ears, groped her way from the store, +and boarded a car for home. + +All the way uptown she sat like one dazed, vaguely wondering what had +happened to her. Her heart lay like a great stone in her bosom; all +her strength and vigor seemed suddenly to have withered within her, and +the whole world to have grown dark, and desolate, and threatening. + +"It cannot be," she moaned, as she entered her apartment and +mechanically began to remove her hat and coat. "How can I bear it? +Oh, to have struggled all these years to outlive that dreadful +experience, only to be faced with it anew at such a time as this!" + +She shivered as she recalled the brazen, defiant, mocking looks the +woman had bestowed upon her; and that hissing, menacing laugh--what did +she mean by it? She wondered if John had come back to this country +with her--where and how they were living. Marie's clothing had told +its own story of poverty and makeshift; perhaps now they would try to +find her again; John might even seek to extort money from her as of +old, and she would be subjected to a system of blackmail to protect +herself and Dorothy from a harrowing scandal. + +She had tried to make herself believe that she would never see either +of them again; she had long ago felt a sense of freedom in the thought +that John must be dead, or she certainly would have heard something of, +or from, him; and she shuddered now as she remembered that she had +never quite dared to hope he was. It was a murderous thought, she +knew; but, living, she felt she could never forgive him--dead, she +could at least try to forget him. + +She was almost in despair, in view of this unexpected reappearance of +Marie, which threatened to make havoc of her life. Must she tell +Dorothy, to spoil her present happiness and cloud her approaching +nuptials? No, she would not, she resolutely affirmed. It would be +hard to bear her burden in silence, and wear a happy exterior, but she +would, she must, rise to the occasion and help her carry out her plans +as if nothing had happened--unless circumstances made it impossible to +do so. + +She sat for hours, brooding wretchedly upon the situation--until she +heard Dorothy's step on the stairs, when she braced herself to greet +her with her usual welcoming smile as she entered the room. + +The following week Dorothy was invited to spend a few days with the +Alexanders, at their delightful home on the Hudson. Helen had also +been included in the invitation, but excused herself because of +appointments with pupils and an entertainment for which she had to +prepare. She thought it would, perhaps, be a relief to have Dorothy +away for a while, at least, until she could recover more fully from the +shock she had received, and she willingly let her go alone. + +While engaged with her pupils Helen found no time for brooding; but +when the lessons were over and she was released from all restraint, she +could not control her thoughts, and the fear and unrest of the previous +week assailed her again. + +The second day of Dorothy's absence, which was the Sabbath, she felt +that she could no longer bear the loneliness and silence, which were +intensified and made hideous by haunting memories of her unhappy past; +and she now deeply regretted that she had not heeded Mrs. Alexander's +plea that she would at least join their house party for over Sunday. +She was half tempted even now to take an early boat and go to them, +just for the day; but, having once definitely refused the invitation, +she did not like to retract; but do something, go somewhere, she must +to distract her mind; she could not spend that long day alone with her +wretched thoughts. + +She mechanically dressed herself for the street, and, boarding an +uptown car, finally alighted near one of the entrances to Central Park. + +As she stepped upon the sidewalk her attention was attracted by a +stream of well-dressed people that were pouring into a great church not +a stone's throw beyond where she stood. + +Almost unconsciously she mingled with the crowd, passing with it into +the beautiful temple, and up into the great auditorium, where the +mellow sunlight, streaming in through the richly tinted windows, seemed +to fall upon the gathering hundreds like a sacred, soothing +benediction; while the wonderful organ, responding to the touch of +skillful hands, rolled forth its paean of joyous greeting. + +A gentlemanly usher approached and offered to give her a seat, leading +her almost to the center of the house, where, thanking him for his +courtesy, she dropped into a luxuriously cushioned pew, wondering, with +a sense akin to dismay, what occult influences could have combined to +guide her wandering feet thither, instead of into the park, for which +she had started. + +Presently she began to look about the elegantly appointed edifice, +noting its softly tinted walls and beautiful windows; its rich and +massive woodwork, its costly carpeting and upholstery. + +Then her glance swept over the congregation, and she found herself +mentally exclaiming, with a pang of keen pain piercing her heart: "What +a multitude of happy, peaceful faces! Where did they come from? What +is the secret of their joy?" + +Presently the organ ceased, and the opening hymn was announced--an old, +familiar tune, and lines that her mother had once loved to sing: + + In heav'nly love abiding, + No change my heart shall fear. + + +Quick, tender tears welled to her eyes--it almost seemed as if her +mother were there beside her as the organ softly played it through; +then a sense of awe fell upon her at the sublime burst of harmony that +followed. She had never heard anything like it before. Everybody was +singing, and yet the magnificent volume of sound that surged upward +into space from that many-throated congregation was like one grand, +gloriously inspired voice pouring forth its harmonious notes of praise +to the author of "heavenly love." + +She never forgot it; it was like the momentary lifting of the opaque +curtain 'twixt earth and heaven, beyond which she caught a fleeting +glimpse of fields elysian, the entrance to which must be through the +Gate of Love alone. + +The Bible reading followed, but she did not give much heed to it, for +the spell produced by the music was still upon her, though now and then +she caught a phrase which impressed her that Love was the subject or +text chosen for the day, until suddenly, like a solemn message from +Sinai, thundered out to her alone, came the startling words: "Whosoever +hateth his brother is a murderer." + +She sat erect, every sense now alert, and listened to the closing +passage: "He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he +love God, whom he has not seen?" + +She did not hear another consecutive sentence. She sat like one +benumbed throughout the service, but with her heart in a turmoil such +as she had never experienced before--the words "love" and "hate" +ringing continual changes in her thought. + +She thought she had always known their full import; she had read those +passages from the Bible perhaps a hundred times; but never until now +had she been arraigned before the bar of an inexorable judge, to be +sifted as wheat in the thought, and purpose, and intents of her heart +toward her brother man. + +When the benediction was pronounced, a richly clad woman who had been +sitting beside her turned, with cordially extended hand, to greet her. +She was very beautiful to look upon, with peace written on every line +of her face, love shining in her clear blue eyes, and a crown of +snow-white hair rippling above her forehead; and yet she could not have +been fifty years of age. + +"I think you are a stranger here?" she observed, with a smile that +almost made Helen weep, it was so sunny, yet so sympathetic. "I hope +you have enjoyed our service." + +What was there about her that so summarily broke down Helen's habitual +self-control? She never could account for it afterward, but before she +was really aware of what she was saying she burst forth: + +"What _is_ love? What is--_hate_?" + +"My dear," returned the stranger, with exceeding gentleness, while she +studied Helen's set features with compassionate eyes, "that is a +question which cannot be elucidated in a moment; but let me say, as I +read your thought just now, love is not emotion, sentiment, mere +personal attachment; it is the abiding desire to do good to our +neighbor--to all men--for the _love of doing good_. 'Hate' is +criticism, condemnation, resentment. Are you in haste?" she added, +with a winning smile. "Could you stop for a little talk with me?" + +"I could not this morning," said Helen, with unsteady lips and voice, +and just on the verge of a nervous burst of tears. + +"Then, will you come again some time? I am always in this pew on +Sunday morning, and will be glad to see you. Good-by, dear." She +slipped a card into Helen's hand, and turned to greet another, for she +saw that her recent companion needed to be left to herself for the +present. + +Helen quickly made her way from the church, anxious to get away from +the crowd, and, crossing the street, entered Central Park. She was +nearly spent with the inward conflict she had been undergoing during +the last hour, and she was eager to get out into the open, under the +blue sky and green trees, to be alone, to think, to analyze the new and +startling phase of her own character that had been so strangely +revealed to her. + +She glanced at the card in her hand. "Mrs. Raymond B. Everleigh," she +read, and somehow the euphonious name soothed and appealed to her even +as the beautiful face and winning voice of the woman had done. + +She strolled slowly about for a while, thinking deeply along the new +lines suggested by what she had just heard within the church. Love, +she had learned, was not a mere emotion or sentiment, to be put on or +off according to the attraction to or repulsion for the personality of +those with whom one lives or mingles. No, she had just been awakened +to see it possessed a far deeper, higher significance than that. + +Love--to be love--must be a motive power, an indwelling principle, an +all-absorbing desire always impelling one to do good. To do good to +whom? To all men, she had been told. + +And hate? "Hate is criticism, condemnation, resentment," she repeated, +a shiver sweeping swiftly through her frame. + +"Oh, I have never really _loved_!" she breathed, with an inward sense +of aversion for herself. "But--I have hated all my life! I have +simply been clinging to selfish, pleasurable emotions and sentiment, +which have been aroused by the personal attractions and pleasing +qualities of my friends, my child, and other dear ones, and which I +have _called_ love; but I begin to see something which I have never +dreamed of before." + +She dropped upon a near-by seat, to try to think out the problem more +clearly; but the subject seemed infinite, and a sense of depression +began to fall upon her as she became more and more involved in its +intricacies. + +A sudden burst of merry laughter at length aroused her from her +reverie, and she gradually became interested in other visitors to the +park, and particularly in some happy children, who were abandoning +themselves to the charms and freedom of the place and to their games. + +Carriages and other equipages were continually passing along the broad +avenue, and presently her attention was attracted by a party of gay +people who were approaching in an automobile. They were laughing and +talking boisterously, and, as they drew nearer and then passed, a woman +leaned forward in the vehicle and leered at her. + +It was Marie Duncan, the soubrette! + +Helen was almost convulsed with inward terror as she met her eyes, but +she made no visible sign that she had recognized her, and the car swept +on. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +A TRYING INTERVIEW. + +It could not have been more than five or ten minutes later, and before +she had recovered any degree of composure, when rapidly approaching +footsteps caused Helen to turn and glance over her shoulder, to find +the actress almost beside her. + +"Mrs. Hungerford appears to be enjoying an outing this bright day, as +well as others," the woman observed, in a flippant tone. + +Helen shrank sensitively at the sound of the old name, but made no +reply, and arose to pass on. + +"Sit down!" curtly commanded her companion. "I have something to say +to you; you need not pretend that you do not know me, for you do, and I +have no intention of being ignored." + +"You certainly can have nothing to say to me that I care to hear," +Helen quietly returned. + +"Indeed!" retorted Marie, with a short laugh. "Well, now, perhaps you +may find yourself mistaken. At any rate, it may be for your interest +to listen to me. To begin with, and not to mince matters, I want some +money." + +"Money!" repeated Helen, amazed at the audacious demand. + +"Exactly. You appear to be in very comfortable circumstances, Mrs. +Hungerford," said the actress, sweeping a comprehensive glance over +Helen's rich and tasteful costume. "Fate seems to have treated you +very kindly during the last ten years, and it is only fair that you +should share the good things the gods have bestowed upon you with one +less fortunate. Really, madam," she continued, with insolent sarcasm, +"you appear to have gotten on better without your husband than you did +with him; you must have become possessed of some potent mascot which +has enabled you to rise above adverse circumstances and provide so +handsomely for yourself. I heard, the last time I was in San +Francisco, that you were in New York, making a lot of money as a crack +music teacher; that you had given your daughter a fine education and +many accomplishments; that you were living in luxury, and had made many +influential friends. All this must have cost you a pretty sum, and +your accounts can't be very small with your milliner and tailor, +either, both of whom certainly do you and themselves great credit. +Pray tell me how you have accomplished it all? I know you are a good +manager; John told me that, and----" + +"Where is he?" The question slipped out almost before Helen was aware +of what she was saying. She only knew she feared he might have been +with the party in the auto and would also appear upon the scene before +she could get away. + +"Blessed if I know, or care!" was the indifferent response. "I gave +him the grand bounce three years ago." + +"Do you mean----" Helen began, then checked herself. Why should she +lower herself talking with this coarse creature? Why ask questions or +seek information from her? What did it matter to her what she had or +had not done, or what her relations with John now were? + +"Do I mean that I divorced him?" the actress surmised the import of her +question, and caught her up. "That is exactly what I did, and glad +enough I was to be free from the lazy hanger-on! I was a fool ever to +have anything to do with him. He had quite a bunch of money when we +first went abroad, but when that was gone he just played the gentleman, +and let me take care of him. I haven't seen him since--he may be dead, +for all I know." + +The heartlessness of her tone as she concluded implied that she did not +care if he were dead, and Helen remembered with a thrill of horror how +a sense of freedom had come to her with the same thought, not long ago. +Could it be possible that she had fallen to the level of this vulgar +woman? What was the motive that prompted them both to wish another +human being out of the world? What but hate, the deadliest of all +impulses. The words she had recently heard smote her again, with +accusing force: "He that hateth his brother is a murderer." + +The thought was so repulsive to her that involuntarily she threw out +her hand in a gesture of repugnance and self-aversion. + +"I'm looking out for number one now, but I've had hard luck the past +year," the actress resumed, her eyes dropping, with a look of greed, to +the silver purse in Helen's hand. "I've _got_ to have some money, and +I--I think, madam, you will find it to your interest to--to hand over a +few dollars to me now and then." + +Helen's eyes began to blaze, in view of the underlying menace implied +more by the woman's tone than by her words. + +"I! Why should _I_ give you money?" she indignantly demanded. + +"Well, I think you owe me something for taking care of that husband of +yours for seven or eight years." + +"He wasn't my husband!" Helen sharply interposed. + +The woman laughed derisively. + +"Well, then, for taking him off your hands; surely that was doing you a +good turn, and you should not begrudge me a share in the luck you have +had since you got rid of him." + +Helen was disgusted. She felt degraded to be standing there and +bandying words with her, and she turned resolutely away, determined to +put an end to the revolting interview. + +Her companion planted herself in her path. + +"Oh, don't be in such a hurry, Mrs. Hungerford; for really you will +have to open that pretty purse for me before you go," she said +peremptorily. + +"I shall give you no money," Helen firmly replied. + +"I--think you--will, or----" + +"What do you mean to imply?" + +"I don't believe you would like to have that old scandal rehearsed here +in New York," said the actress, in a menacing tone. + +"You would not dare----" began Helen excitedly, and heartsick at the +thought. + +"One will dare most anything when one comes to the end of one's rope, +and hasn't any friends to fall back on," was the dogged response. + +"Aren't you on the stage now?" + +"No." + +"Why not?" + +The erstwhile actress shrugged her shoulders and made a grimace. + +"Passée," she observed laconically, adding: "Besides, it has got to be +a grind, as John used to say when he had anything like work to do." + +Helen with difficulty repressed a cry as this old, familiar phrase fell +upon her ears; but she drew herself haughtily erect. + +"I shall give you no money," she reiterated. + +The actress laughed in her face. + +"I was told in San Francisco that your daughter has grown to be a +beautiful young woman," she said. "How do you think she would enjoy +having her father's history served up in the newspapers here? It would +be a sweet morsel for your fine acquaintances--wouldn't it?--with the +pictures of all three of you, and mine to go with them, to head the +chapter! And I have them; I found them among John's things, and have +kept them all these years. Now, I will sell them to you for a fair +consideration, or I will give them, with that savory story, to the +first reporter who will make it worth my while." + +This terrible threat nearly caused Helen to collapse. At the same time +her brain was very active as she reviewed the situation. Marie had +several times addressed her as Mrs. Hungerford, which convinced her +that, although she had managed to obtain considerable information +regarding her in San Francisco--how, she could not comprehend--it was +evident she had not learned that she had repudiated her name; +consequently, even if she attempted to give her story to the +newspapers, it was doubtful if any one would suspect that Madam Helen +Ford, the popular drawing-room artiste, of New York, was once the +wronged and deserted wife of John Hungerford, of California. + +She had changed much in appearance, and Dorothy had entirely outgrown +her girlish looks; hence those old photographs, even if reproduced in +the newspapers, would not be associated with either herself or her +daughter, for such cuts were seldom much better than caricatures, even +at their best. She believed she would really gain nothing if she +yielded to the actress' demand that she buy them from her, for, having +once obtained money in this way, she would doubtless follow up her +advantage with other efforts of a similar nature, and thus subject her +to an intolerable bondage. + +As these thoughts flashed through her mind, Helen took courage and +began to lose her temper at the same time. + +"I shall pay you nothing for those photographs, or bribe you to +silence," she spiritedly returned, "and if you are so lost to all sense +of honor and humanity as to seek to bring disgrace upon two innocent +and long-suffering people, who, for years, have patiently struggled to +rise above the desperate conditions imposed upon them through no fault +of their own, you will have to take whatever satisfaction you may reap +in carrying out your malicious purpose----" + +"You will be sorry for this, madam----" + +"You have told me that John had plenty of money when he went abroad +with you," Helen continued, without heeding the interruption, while she +looked straight into the bold, insolent eyes of her companion. "Do you +know where he got that money which he frittered away upon you and his +selfish, ignoble, unlawful pleasures? _He stole it from his own +child_! It was a small legacy left me by my father, and, when I began +to realize how improvident John was, I put it sacredly away in +Dorothy's name, to save it for her education. When I was about to +leave San Francisco, I went to the bank where this money had been +deposited, to withdraw it, to help me make a new start in life. I was +told that Mr. Hungerford, as the legal guardian of his child, had +closed the account some months previous. This dastardly deed left us +penniless. The blow crushed me--bereft me of both courage and hope, +for the time. How much of this legacy John may have spent upon you I +have no means of knowing! Doubtless no small part of it, for he was +lavish as long as he had a dollar in his pocket. Now, in view of these +circumstances, my refusal to comply with your present demand may not, +perhaps, seem so unreasonable as at first you appeared to regard it." + +A great change had come over the actress while Helen was talking. At +first she had faced her with brazen assurance, her eyes flashing anger +and defiance when Helen dared her to carry out her malicious purpose; +but when she had told her that John had stolen the money from his +child, immediately following his desertion of his family, a hot, swift +flush mounted to her brow, her face fell, and her aggressive attitude +was supplanted by evident discomfiture and humiliation. + +She stood silent and thoughtful for a full minute after Helen ceased +speaking, and when at length she slowly lifted her heavily fringed lids +the previous expression of mockery and malice in her eyes had been +replaced by a look of mingled dejection and shame. + +"Well--you've won!" she began, in a low, repressed tone; then she +suddenly turned her back upon Helen, and stood looking stoically off +over the green slope beyond them, where the happy children were still +playing, their fresh young voices and joyous laughter falling musically +upon the summer air. + +Helen watched her curiously, something in her attitude instinctively +appealing to her, and preventing her from using her opportunity to slip +away from the place, as she was half tempted to do. + +Presently the woman turned back to her, with an evident effort to +control the emotions that had well-nigh overcome her. + +"Yes, you've won," she repeated, her chin quivering in spite of her. +"You've given me a facer I didn't expect, and I have nothing more to +say. You needn't be afraid, either, that I will ever lift a finger to +harm you or the girl, after this. You're game, through and through, to +have stood up under all that I know you have--to say nothing about that +money--and weathered the breakers. I'm far from being a saint, but I +am not all bad, and I do love little children. I used to think I would +love to have a home, like other people, and a little daughter of my +own, and I would live on crusts before I would ever rob a child of its +birthright, and if I have helped to squander your girl's, why--I--it +won't be very comfortable to remember for the rest of my days." + +Her voice suddenly broke, and she was obliged to pause. + +"Life is a strange muddle," she presently went on, with a queer catch +in her breath, while she searched Helen's white face with a look of +mingled respect and yearning, "and woman, somehow, seems to get the +worst of it in the struggle. Some of us drift with the current when +troubles come, and go steadily downstream to our ruin; others, like +you, resolutely grip the helm, and work their way back to a safe +harbor. I will never cross your path again, Helen Hungerford--you are +justly entitled to the victory you have gained over adverse +circumstances without being made to fight your battles all over again. +I've envied you, and I've hated you, for John was continually throwing +your superior virtues in my face; but you have robbed me of my fangs +today, and from now on I will never place a straw in your path." + +Without pausing for a reply, the woman turned abruptly, and walked +swiftly away, leaving Helen dazed and speechless, in view of this +unexpected termination of the exciting interview. + +When she began to recover from her astonishment the actress was out of +sight, and a sudden revulsion of feeling assailed her. A great pity +welled up in her heart for the unfortunate woman whose lot in life, she +was sure, had not been an easy one; perchance it had been even harder +than her own. She had acknowledged that she was passée, that her +profession had become a grind, and that she was in desperate need of +money. Her clothing was cheap--shabby genteel--perhaps she even knew +what it was to be hungry--and Helen wished now she could call her back +and give her some money. + +"Truly life is a strange problem," she said to herself, as she slowly +wended her way from the park and boarded her car for home, her spirit +chastened by the experiences of the day, her heart strangely softened +toward Marie Duncan, for whom she had always entertained only +condemnation and resentment--bitter hate--because she had robbed her of +her husband, and entailed a lifelong blight upon her own future. + +Now she was almost moved to tears for her. Surely she was "not all +bad," as she had said, for, down deep in her heart, there was a germ of +good, some redeeming qualities, which, under right conditions, might +have expanded and ripened into a noble womanhood; for she "loved little +children;" she had even yearned for "a little daughter" of her own. +Who could say, had that sacred heart longing for motherhood been +gratified, but that she might have become a power for great good in the +world--the matron of a happy home, the mother of a promising family? + +Three days later, on taking up the morning paper, Helen read of a +shocking accident that had occurred the previous evening. A party of +actors and actresses had been precipitated down an embankment while +returning from an out-of-town automobile trip. The chauffeur had lost +control of his car, which he was running at a reckless speed; two had +been instantly killed and three badly injured. Two of the latter were +in a fair way to recover, but the once brilliant and beautiful Marie +Duncan, of light-opera fame, was now lying in the Mercy Hospital, +hovering between life and death, with no hope of recovery. + +"How strange, and how dreadful!" murmured Helen, in a tone of awe. +Marie had told her that she was no longer before the public, that she +was "passée," and without money; that she had, in fact, "come to the +end of her rope." It seemed now almost like a prophecy come true. +Helen wondered if she had a friend in the world to be with her, or to +do anything for her in this supreme hour of her life. + +She sat thinking for a long time, evidently seriously considering some +important move, for her face wore a grave and perplexed expression, +while every now and then she restlessly changed her position, as if her +thoughts annoyed her. + +At length she aroused herself, and deliberately tore the paper she had +been reading into atoms. + +"Dorrie must not see this," she muttered, an anxious look in her eyes. +Then she started violently, sprang to her feet, scattering the +fragments upon the floor, and went directly to her telephone. + +"Good morning, Mr. Alexander! I hoped you would answer me," she said, +when the connection she had asked for was made. "Everything is well +with you all, I trust? Dorrie not down yet! Well, it is a little +early, perhaps. Have you seen the morning papers? Have you read about +the shocking accident of last evening? + +"Oh, thank you! How very thoughtful! I could not rest until I had +asked you to destroy it," she said tremulously, as the answer to her +query had come back, assuring her that the paper had already been +burned, and Dorothy should be tenderly guarded from every possible +chance of seeing the name that could not fail to recall the unhappy +past. + +They conversed for a moment or two longer; then Helen hung up the +receiver, the cloud of anxiety gone from her brow and a great burden +from her heart. + +She gathered up the pieces of torn paper and threw them into the +wastebasket; then, hurriedly dressing for the street, she went out. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +"LOVE THY NEIGHBOR." + +Helen hastened to the Mercy Hospital with all possible speed. At the +office she gave her name as Mrs. Helen Hungerford, and was quick to +observe that a peculiar look flitted over the face of the gentlemanly +attendant as she did so. + +She inquired for Marie Duncan, and was told that although the woman was +comparatively free from pain, and her mind clear, her injuries were of +such a nature that she could not live many hours. + +"Would it be possible for me to see her?" Helen inquired. + +She believed that the once popular favorite was utterly friendless, as +well as penniless--in fact, she had practically admitted as much, and +with the revulsion of feeling that had followed after Marie had shown +the better side of her nature, there had come the desire to help the +unfortunate woman in some way. Hence, when she had read of the +terrible accident and its probable fatal termination, she had hurried +to the hospital to ascertain if she could be of some comfort to her in +this bitter extremity, all her aversion and resentment submerged in +pity for one who was nearing the dark river of death. + +She was not a little surprised, however, when in response to her +inquiry the attendant observed: + +"It really seems a singular coincidence, madam, but the woman has +begged at intervals during the night that we should send for a Mrs. +Helen Hungerford; however, as she was unable to give us the address, +and it could not be found in the directory, it has, of course, been +impossible to grant her request. If you will be seated, I will send +some one to ascertain if you can be admitted to the patient," he +concluded, as he courteously placed a chair for her. + +Helen marveled at what she had heard. What could Marie Duncan want of +her? It certainly was a peculiar situation--unique, she believed, in +the annals of history, that she, the discarded wife of John Hungerford, +should be entreated to come to the bedside of the dying woman who had +robbed her of her husband! It was even more strange that she should +have been impelled to come to her without a suspicion of Marie's desire +for her presence. Perhaps she wished to leave with her some message +for John, in case he were still living, and ever sought her again. + +Helen shrank with repulsion from the thought, and almost regretted that +she had come. She had no desire ever to see him again, much less to be +the bearer of any last words from Marie to him. She was beginning to +be exceedingly nervous and uncomfortable, the more she thought of the +approaching interview, when the messenger returned and said the nurse +wished her to come immediately upstairs. + +She was presently ushered into a small room on the second floor, at the +back of the building, and experienced a great sense of relief upon +finding that she was not to be subjected to the trying scenes of a +ward, as she had feared. + +Marie Duncan, white and wan, but looking far more womanly with the +paint and powder of a few days previous removed from her face, threw +out an eager hand to her as she drew near her cot. + +"Oh, I am sure God must have sent you!" she said weakly. "I have +wanted you so, but they"--glancing at the nurse, who, having placed a +chair for the visitor, was moving toward an adjoining room--"could not +find your name in the directory, and I thought I'd have to go without +seeing you." + +Almost unconsciously Helen clasped the hand extended to her, and +dropped into the rocker beside the bed. + +"I came just as soon as I read about the accident," she said. + +"_Why_ did you come?" questioned Marie, her beautiful dark eyes +hungrily searching Helen's face. + +"I--don't know--unless it was because you told me you had no friends." + +"What could it matter to you whether I had or not?" almost sharply +demanded the patient. "You must hate me like the d----" + +She checked herself suddenly, with a gasp and an appealing look at +Helen for pardon, in view of her slip. + +Helen bent nearer to her as she replied, with grave gentleness: + +"I am afraid I have thought very unkindly of you--at least, until last +Sunday. I am glad to say I do not feel the same to-day." + +"And I tried to _blackmail_ you last Sunday!" said Marie, with a bitter +curl of her white lips. + +"I know; but you also showed me something of your better self, which +made me regret that I had not been a little more kind to you. I would +have given you some money after that, if you had not left me so +suddenly. But," Helen continued, with a glance at the door through +which the nurse had disappeared, "I am afraid we are talking too much +for your good----" + +"Talking won't harm me now," the woman interposed, her brows +contracting painfully. "I know I have, at last, really got to the 'end +of my rope.' I'm glad, though, it is not an end of my own making. +I've sometimes thought that might be the easiest way out of this muddle +we call life; but somehow I was ashamed to sneak out of a hard place in +such a way, even though I'd leave nobody behind to care." + +"They told me downstairs that you were wishing to see me," Helen broke +in to change the gruesome subject. "Why did you want them to send for +me? Is there anything I can do for your comfort, now that I am here?" + +Marie lifted her great eyes and searched her companion's face curiously. + +"For my comfort! _You!_" she cried; then hastened to add: "No, but _I_ +wanted to do something for you and your girl. I haven't had a very +pleasant time since you told me about that money, and I want to give +you those newspapers and photographs, so that they will not fall into +the hands of any one else, to make mischief for you. This is my bag, +hanging here on the bed; will you open it for me?" + +Helen took down the receptacle, and did as she had been requested. + +"There is a ring of keys in it. This one"--as Helen handed them to +her--"is the house key--number one hundred and one Fourth Street, where +I've lived lately; this unlocks the door of my room, and this is the +key to my trunk--I've got reduced to one, and there isn't very much +that is worth anything in it, either," she interposed, with a bitter +smile. "Those newspapers and pictures are at the bottom; take them, +and do what you choose with them. My marriage certificate is there, +too, in a wallet. I'd like you to destroy it. It hasn't meant very +much to me, for I have never felt as if I were really John's wife, or +that I had any guarantee in it that he would remain true, and not +divorce me, the same as he did you. In my opinion, divorces are worse +than Mormonism," she sarcastically interposed, "for Mormons can't shirk +their responsibilities after they have got tired of one wife and taken +another." + +She paused to rest for a moment or two; then resumed: + +"I have never used his name very much, and I would prefer no one else +to see the certificate; most people have always called me, and I am +perfectly willing to have them remember me only as, Marie Duncan." + +Helen was surprised and deeply touched as she listened to her. What +she had said hinted at more depth of character than she had ever given +her credit for; while her wish to have only herself see the +certificate, and her evident desire to be remembered only by her stage +name, betrayed a delicate consideration for her and Dorothy that caused +her to feel even more kindly toward her. + +"I know it will not be a very pleasant task for you to do what I ask," +Marie went on apologetically; "but I thought you would like to have +those papers----" + +"I would, indeed," said Helen earnestly, "and it is very thoughtful in +you to arrange for me to get them. I will do anything else you wish +that will be of any comfort to you." + +"The daughter of the woman with whom I have lived has been very good to +me, and you can give her everything in the room and trunk belonging to +me," said Marie, after thinking a moment. "My jewelry is all gone; +this one ring"--holding up her left hand, on which there was a plain +band of gold--"is, like my trunk, all I have left, and it can stay just +where it is. But I have one nice stone in my purse"--glancing at the +bag in Helen's lap. + +Helen drew forth the purse and searched until she found a small wad of +tissue paper tucked into an inside pocket. Removing the wrapping, a +diamond worth, perhaps, two hundred dollars fell into her hand; and +there were also a few dollars in money in the purse. + +"I have kept that for--for such a time as--this," Marie faltered, +"though there have been times when I've thought I would have to let it +go. I'd like you to hand it, with what money there is, in at the +office downstairs, to--to----" + +"I will; but pray do not try to talk any more now," interposed Helen, +for she saw that, in spite of the brave front the woman was trying to +keep up, she was stricken with terror whenever she thought of the +fast-approaching end. + +The nurse now entered the room with a cup of nourishment in her hand. + +Helen arose to make room for her, saying inquiringly: + +"I think perhaps I ought to go now?" + +"No! Oh, please do not!" weakly pleaded Marie. + +"If you _can_ stay, it will be a comfort to her, and"--with a +significant look which her patient could not see--"it will do her no +harm." + +"Very well, then, I will remain for a while longer," Helen returned, as +she moved to a window and stood looking out upon the grounds below +while the nurse fed her patient. + +What a strange experience! she said to herself. What mysterious +influence could have guided her steps thither that morning, in direct +answer, as it seemed, to Marie's desire to see her? She could +understand how Marie, awed and softened by the knowledge that she was +soon to go out into the great beyond, might wish to make some +restitution for the wrong in which she had been a partner, by trying to +protect her own and Dorothy's future from the old scandal; but she +could not account for the revulsion of feeling that had obliterated all +ill will and resentment from her own consciousness, making her +oblivious to everything but the fact that her rival was a suffering, +dying woman, alone in a great extremity, and in sore need of being +comforted and sustained as the shadows closed around her. + +A great peace fell upon her, and she was glad that she had come. +Perhaps, she thought, she was beginning to learn something of the love +of which Mrs. Everleigh had told her the previous Sunday--the desire to +do good for the sake of doing good. + +When she looked around she found the nurse had gone, and Marie was in a +light sleep. + +She went noiselessly back to her chair by the bed, to wait for her to +waken, and as she studied the colorless face upon the pillow she was +impressed more than ever by the remarkable beauty with which she had +been endowed. The features were very symmetrical, and just now seemed +more refined than she had ever seen them. + +She had smooth, shapely brows, and an abundance of dark-brown hair, +while the tips of her white, still perfect, teeth were just visible +between her slightly parted lips. She did not seem at all like the +coarse, defiant, passée person, in tawdry attire, whom she had met only +a few days before. + +Suddenly Marie opened her eyes; there was a wild, terrified look in +them; but they at once softened into an expression of content as they +rested upon Helen. + +"Oh, you _are_ here!" she breathed. "How good of you! I dreamed it +was growing dark, and I could not find you." + +"I will stay as long as you wish me to," Helen assured her. + +"I am--_afraid_!" said Marie, after a moment of silence, a gray pallor +settling over her face. "I haven't been a very good woman. What is +there beyond? Oblivion, or doom?" + +"Neither," said Helen, with gentle compassion; "but, instead, an +awakening to larger, better experiences and fresh opportunities." + +"How do you know?" And her listener's face and voice were full of +eagerness. + +"I cannot say that I really '_know_' anything about what is beyond us +when we go away from here," Helen gravely returned; "but I have grown +to think that we are like children going to school. We have our +various classes, or grades, and merge from one into another, according +as we have done our work ill or well----" + +"I think that is beautiful!" broke in Marie, a thrill of something like +hope in her tone. "Then, if one has wasted one's time, and learned +nothing good here, one can begin all over again--one will have another +chance?" + +"I believe so," Helen replied. + +"I believe it, too!" said Marie, after another interval of silence. +"It seems reasonable, and surely all nature teaches it. A man may sow +poor seed to-day and reap a poor harvest; but he will see his mistake, +and have a chance to do better another season. I am so glad you told +me--I don't seem to mind what is coming quite so much." + +She lay quietly thinking for a while, and Helen hoped she would fall +asleep, but presently she resumed: + +"I have done you a great wrong, Helen Hungerford, for I knew about you +in Paris; but I liked a good time, and I led John on--away from you. I +am sorry now. And your daughter! I have never forgotten her face, +that day in San Francisco, when my auto was detained beside the car she +was in, and she saw her father with me--it was so ashamed, so +distressed----" + +"I am sure you ought to rest--do not talk any more now," Helen again +pleaded, for Marie was showing signs of weakness, while she herself +shrank from these references to her unhappy past. + +She leaned forward to straighten her covering, which had become +slightly disarranged, when Marie lifted a corner of the lace scarf she +was wearing, and humbly laid it against her lips. Then she closed her +eyes wearily, and was presently asleep. + +The nurse, coming in soon after, felt her pulse, and, turning to Helen, +observed: + +"If you would like to go, I think you may; I do not believe she will +waken again." + +"Perhaps I will, a little later," said Helen, who was not quite ready +to forsake her post so soon after telling Marie that she would remain +as long as she wished her to. + +An hour slipped by almost in silence, when, without a movement to show +that she had wakened, Marie's white lids were lifted, and the ghost of +a smile curled her lips, as her dark eyes met Helen's. + +"I--shall have another--chance! I shall--begin all over--again," she +breathed weakly, but with no sign of fear. + +Once more she seemed to sleep, and at the end of another hour Helen +went home. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +A STARTLING APPARITION. + +The next four months slipped swiftly away. They were filled full with +joyous anticipations and pleasant occupations, while Helen, now that +she no longer feared Dorothy's happiness or prospects would be +disturbed, regained her accustomed serenity, and once more became +absorbed in the numberless details involved in making ready for a +wedding. + +A great burden had been lifted from her heart, for all those menacing +newspapers and photographs, with every other telltale evidence of the +unhappy past, that had been treasured by the once popular opera +favorite, had been destroyed, and nothing remained that could even +remotely bear witness to it, save a small tablet, bearing the name of +"Marie Duncan," that had been placed in a quiet corner of a distant +churchyard outside the city. + +The months of August and September Dorothy and her mother spent in the +Berkshires, on a pleasant farm adjoining "Avondale," the fine estate +and summer home of the Alexanders. + +This arrangement was made for the benefit of the lovers, in order to +enable them to see each other every day, and enjoy the pleasures of +country life together, during the brief interval previous to their +marriage. + +The wedding had been set for the first of October, and, at the request +of the bride-elect, who shrank from the confusion and excitement of a +society function, was quietly solemnized at noon on that date, in the +pretty near-by village church. Here Helen gave her daughter away to +the man whom she believed to be in every way worthy of her one +treasure, and the simple ceremony was followed by a reception and an +elaborate breakfast at Avondale for the limited number of friends who +were bidden to grace the occasion. + +Thus, with apparently nothing to cast a shadow over her future, Dorothy +Ford became the wife of Clifford Alexander, and the happy couple went +away for a month or two of travel, while a beautiful home, adjoining +the Alexander estate on the Hudson, was being prepared for their +occupancy upon their return. + +Mr. and Mrs. Alexander, Senior, returned immediately to their home on +the Hudson, and Madam Ford to New York to resume her work and prepare +for her winter engagements. + +In planning his new residence, Clifford Alexander had arranged for a +delightful suite of rooms which he placed at Helen's disposal, with a +pressing invitation that she would make her future home with Dorothy +and himself. + +Helen was deeply touched by this evidence of his sincere regard for +her, but she gently declined, telling him she thought a newly wedded +couple should begin their life and home making alone with each other; +while, too, she would not be willing to give up her work for a long +while yet; hence she must have her studio in the city, and it would be +better for her to live there, as usual. + +"But you have labored continuously for many years--you have spent your +life for this dear girl"--bending a fond look upon his fiancée--"whom I +have won away from your nest. Now come and rest, and _play_ with +us--at least, for a while," the young man had urged. + +And Dorothy had also pleaded: + +"Do come, mamma, dear; it will be lovely to have you with us." + +"I do not deny that my 'nest' will be lonely without her," Helen had +replied, smiling bravely through a mist of sudden tears; "but I could +not be idle, and the nestling must learn to use her own wings. All the +same," she went on, more brightly, "I am not going to allow you to +forget in the days to come that you have added a mother-in-law to your +list of responsibilities, and I warn you that I intend to drop in upon +you often enough to keep you both upon your best behavior." + +"Well, madam mother-to-be," said Mr. Alexander, smiling at her threat, +"the rooms are there--they were planned for _you_, and I hope some time +to see you very comfy in them. I would not impose any sense of +obligation upon you; I wish you to be happy in your own way, but please +bear in mind always that it would give us great pleasure to have you +with us." + +Helen lifted a searching look to his face. + +"Pardon me; but are you sensitive regarding my occupation--my career?" +she inquired. + +He laughed out softly as he read her meaning. + +"Pray do not fret yourself about that," he said. "I do not quite dare +to tell you how exceedingly _proud_ I am of you and your career. I +sometimes wish, though, that you did not keep so busy with _pupils_--I +assure you there is not the slightest need----" + +"Oh, but I love the dear things!" Helen eagerly interposed. "They +bring so much brightness and joy into my life." + +"Of which, believe me, I would not rob you in the least degree," the +gentleman earnestly replied, and, seeing she was very much in earnest, +he pressed the matter no further. + +So Helen resumed her work, as usual, upon her return to New York. She +was in perfect health, and still a very beautiful woman. She was also +happy in Dorothy's happiness; life seemed very bright, and she looked +forward to the coming season with much of anticipation, even enthusiasm. + +One morning, about a week after the wedding, she went up the river to +the new home, which was fast nearing completion. It was now in process +of being decorated and furnished, under the supervision of Mr. and Mrs. +Alexander, Senior, who insisted upon having her join them whenever she +could spare the time, to give them the benefit of her taste and +knowledge regarding Dorothy's preferences. + +They spent a delightful day together, overseeing the placing of china +and bric-a-brac, the hanging of draperies, pictures, et cetera, and +attending to numerous other details. At noon they enjoyed a dainty +lunch, prepared and sent over by the cook at the other house, in +Dorothy's bright, luxuriously appointed kitchen; then they resumed +their pleasant occupations, working busily until it was time for Helen +to go, when she was whirled down to the steamer landing in Mr. +Alexander's fine limousine, just in time to catch the early evening +boat back to the city. + +It was a balmy, almost summerlike, evening in spite of the fact that it +was on the verge of November, and Helen, securing a camp chair, made +her way to a sightly spot on the stern deck, and seated herself to +enjoy the delightful atmosphere and lovely scenery as the steamer +glided smoothly down the river. She was in a most harmonious frame of +mind, for her heart was at rest and the future full of hope. There was +a joyous light in her eyes, and a happy smile on her lips, as, in +imagination, she looked forward to Dorothy's home-coming, and the +delight she would experience in taking possession of that luxurious +nest awaiting her among yonder beautiful hills, away from the dust and +turmoil of the busy metropolis. As the boat drew near to its pier she +rose and leisurely made her way inside to descend to the lower deck. +She had just reached the head of the stairs, where she was forced to +pause a moment because of the crowd ahead of her, when some one behind +her gave utterance to a startled, but quickly repressed, exclamation. + +Involuntarily she glanced back over her shoulder at the sound, when her +features suddenly froze into a look of horror. + +"Helen!" faltered a voice she could not fail to recognize, +notwithstanding it was tremulous from emotion and hoarse from a heavy +cold. + +But the man! Could that haggard, white-faced creature--that emaciated, +poorly clad figure, with his shabby hat, neglected beard and hair, ever +have been the cultured, debonair, elegant John Hungerford, who had +wooed and won her girlish heart and hand more than twenty-five years +ago? + +Instinctively she shrank away from him, and he, observing this +involuntary act of repugnance, flushed scarlet from mingled pain and +shame. Then the crowd surged in between them, and Helen, with a wildly +throbbing heart and a sense of despair and hot rebellion almost +suffocating her, forced her way on shore with all possible speed, +sprang upon the first car she saw, and hoped she had effectually evaded +that startling apparition. + +But her peace of mind had been destroyed. All the brightness and joy +of that happy day were suddenly blotted out, swallowed in by the terror +inspired by this unlooked-for calamity which now threatened anew both +herself and Dorothy. + +It was a terrible, a crushing, blow. She could not sleep that night; +she could not apply herself to work of any kind the following day; she +dared not go out of the house, lest she meet that ghost of the past +again, and every time her bell rang a shock of fear that he might be +without, seeking entrance, went quivering through all her nerves. + +"Would he hunt her down?" she was continually asking herself. "Would +he dare intrude himself upon her life again, after all these years?" +She turned faint and heartsick at the thought. But the day waned, the +dinner hour passed, and, with the curtains drawn and lights all about +her, she began to experience more of a feeling of security; to take +courage, and try to assure herself that she had successfully eluded +him, and he would not be able to ferret her out in that great city, +even if he tried. + +She had just settled herself for the evening with a new book--one of +several that Dorothy had given her before going away, telling her, with +a suspicion of tears in her voice: "For your evenings, mamma, dear, so +you will not miss me quite so much"--and was beginning to get really +interested in the plot of the story when her bell rang a sharp, shrill +peal. + +Her maid, who had been with her for several years, had sailed for +Scotland for a long-promised visit home, when Helen went into the +country for the summer, and, not yet having secured another to take her +place, she was obliged to answer the summons herself, which she did +with a quaking heart. + +"A message for Mrs. Ford," came up through the tube. + +Helen's fear was instantly turned into joy. + +"A message from Dorothy," she thought, for she had received either a +letter or a telegram from the happy bride almost every day since her +departure. + +"Come up," she eagerly responded, as she pressed the button governing +the lower entrance. Presently, hearing steps on the stairs, she swung +open the door of her suite, when, with a gasp of dismay, she found +herself face to face with John Hungerford. + +She would have shut the door upon him, but he was too quick for her. +He forced his way inside, and then closed it himself. + +"I must see you, Helen," he panted, as he sank, pale and breathless, +upon a chair in the reception hall. + +"Oh, why have you come?" she demanded, with white lips. + +"Because I could not bear it any longer; I was starving to see you and +Dorothy. Where is she?" + +"She is married." + +"Married! Dorothy married! When?" + +"Two weeks ago yesterday." + +"To whom?" + +Helen straightened herself resolutely. + +"I shall not tell you that," she replied, with sharp decision. "She is +happy, and I will not have her life clouded by anything to recall the +troubles of the past." + +The man shivered at her words. He was but a miserable shadow of the +John Hungerford of ten years ago. His form was shrunken, his clothing +faded and worn, his face was pale, his cheeks hollow, and his eyes +sunken and lusterless. + +"But, Helen, I want to see Dorothy--she is my child. I must see her!" +he faltered, a note of agonized appeal in his tones that ended abruptly +in a hoarse, hollow cough. + +"You must _not_ see her!" Helen emphatically returned, and thinking +only of shielding Dorothy from the pain and shame of such a meeting. + +Her words and her apparent indifference to the uncontrollable yearning +within him seemed to anger him. + +"She is as much my child as she is yours," he shot back, with a flash +of his old-time doggedness. + +Helen flushed an indignant scarlet. + +"As much your child as she is mine!" she scathingly exclaimed. "You +claim that! You, who deserted us both; who robbed her of her little +fortune, and left me in poverty to rear and educate her as best I +could, while you wasted your stolen thousands upon that woman and your +degrading and sinful pleasures! Your child! _What_ have you ever done +for her that entitles you to make the shameless boast?" + +The man cringed abjectly beneath her words, but made no attempt to +reply, and Helen resumed, her indignation still at the boiling point: + +"I have spent my life for her; I have spared nothing to give her every +advantage, to make her a noble, cultured woman, and to shield her from +every sorrow. During the last ten years of her life she has known +nothing but happiness; she has married a good man, and a gentleman in +every sense of the word. He is prosperous, and belongs to a +much-respected and well-known family here in New York. So Dorothy's +future is very promising, and I will never allow you to cast a shadow +upon it, or mar her joy in any way." + +Her listener shifted uncomfortably in his chair. + +"You seemed rather happy yourself, when I saw you yesterday," he +observed, with a covert sneer, after an interval of awkward silence; +"and"--glancing curiously about him--"you appear to be remarkably +prosperous, also." + +"I am prosperous; I am well established in my profession here." + +"As 'Madam Ford,' I perceived, as I rang your bell. So you dropped the +old name?" said John Hungerford, in a tone of exceeding bitterness. + +"Yes, the first half of it, as I also dropped that half of my life for +all time; but for Dorothy, I would have retained no part of it," said +Helen tersely. + +Her companion's lips twitched, while his bony hands gripped the arms of +his chair convulsively. + +"You are handsomer than ever, Helen; you don't begin to show your +years," he presently observed, as he swept her face and figure with +yearning but gloomy eyes. + +She did not deign to reply, although she moved restlessly where she +stood, as if his words annoyed her beyond endurance. + +"I suppose you haven't much love left for me?" he falteringly resumed, +after a minute, the silence between them becoming embarrassing again. + +"Love--for _you_!" she retorted, with an emphasis that caused him to +shrink as from a blow. + +"Well, I'm not claiming that I deserve anything of the kind from you," +he remarked, in a weak voice, at the same time drawing in a quick, deep +breath. "However, there is some solace in remembering that you were +once fond of me. Maybe, not having heard from me for so long, you have +believed me dead?" + +"I have, of course, had no means of knowing whether you were living or +dead," Helen coldly replied. + +"Perhaps it might have been a relief to you if I had died," said John, +as, with hopeless eyes, he searched her frozen face for some sign of +the old-time gentleness. She made no answer. She was not quite +heartless enough, even in her despair over his reappearance, to confirm +this gruesome suggestion; yet she was keenly conscious that his +presence was almost intolerable to her. + +A low, bitter laugh escaped him at her silence, and again a cruel cough +racked him. + +"Have you a picture of Dorothy?" he inquired, when he recovered his +breath. + +"Yes, several." + +"I want to see them," the man exclaimed, a mighty yearning in his +voice; and, rising from his chair, he began to look eagerly around the +room for some likeness of his child. + +Helen neither moved nor spoke to hinder him. She felt dazed, helpless +in this terrible dilemma. She was frightened, rebellious, desperate to +be thus confronted with this appalling skeleton of her past, this +menace to Dorothy's bright hopes. John Hungerford passed from the +reception hall into the parlor, a lovely room, most artistic and dainty +in its coloring, decorations, and furnishings; and, shoving his hands +into his coat pockets, as if to brace himself against a consciousness +of intrusion and rudeness, he began his search for Dorothy's pictures. + +Helen, who had followed him, sank, quaking, upon a chair, too weak and +unnerved to remain standing a moment longer, and wondering miserably +what would be the outcome of this harrowing interview. + +Suddenly the man paused, an exclamation of delight escaping him. He +had espied a full-length photograph of Dorothy, taken in her wedding +robes. + +"This is----" he began tremulously, and turning a face quivering with +uncontrollable emotion to Helen. + +"Yes," she briefly replied. + +"How beautiful she is! She looks as you looked the evening we were----" + +Helen shivered, and her white teeth came together with a snap that +arrested the word on his lips. + +"Whom did she marry?" he demanded, almost fiercely, after studying the +picture for a minute or two. + +"I shall not tell you," Helen doggedly reiterated, and unutterably +thankful that Mr. Alexander's likeness was not beside the other to tell +its own story. She had found it was, for some reason, beginning to +curl, and she had taken it down and laid a heavy book on it only that +morning. "But I will tell you this," she presently resumed: "Her +husband is a man to whom any father or mother might be proud to give a +daughter, and Dorothy will never know a care or sorrow which an +absorbing affection and most unselfish devotion can avert." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +SACKCLOTH AND ASHES. + +John Hungerford flushed suddenly crimson; then paled to a sickly hue at +Helen's words. + +Evidently her statement that Dorothy's life and happiness would be most +tenderly shielded by a considerate and devoted husband aroused memories +of the past that were far from pleasant. He stood silently studying +the photograph for several minutes, his face showing evidence of deep +inward emotion. Finally replacing it upon the mantel, he moved on, +curiously observant of the handsome furniture, choice bric-a-brac, +draperies, and pictures that were tastefully arranged about the room. + +As he drew near a door leading into an adjoining apartment that was +used as a library, he paused, and stood irresolute. + +"Helen--may I look through the suite?" he eagerly questioned, but with +evident embarrassment. "May I see Dorothy's room? I--I would like to +know how you two have been living; it will be something to--to +remember." + +Helen's head sank wearily back against her chair. She was white to her +lips from her efforts at self-control. + +"I don't care--go where you like," she breathed, in a scarcely audible +voice. + +The man passed noiselessly into the library, where he was no less +observant of what it contained than he had been in the parlor. +Presently he moved out into the hall, and on to a chamber which he +realized at a glance must be Helen's. Leading from it was another and +smaller one, and this, he was sure, as he entered it, had been +Dorothy's. + +It was the daintiest room imaginable. Excepting the bed, which was of +brass, the furniture was all of white enamel and willow ware in +graceful designs. Spotless draperies of muslin over white shades hung +at the windows, and were slightly looped with broad blue ribbons. A +beautiful blue-and-white rug lay upon the light hardwood floor, and the +fireplace was also tiled in the same colors. + +Here John Hungerford lingered for a long time, moving silently, and +treading softly, as if he felt himself intruding upon some sacred +place. He paused before each piece of furniture, noting every detail +in outline and upholstery. Not an article of the frosted-silver toilet +set upon the pretty dresser escaped his notice; he even noted her class +pin and two small baby pins which he remembered seeing Dorothy wear as +a child, that were stuck into the blue-and-white satin pin-cushion +under the looking-glass. He examined all her books, the pictures on +the walls, and studied the photographs of her friends and schoolmates, +of which she had many. + +Now and then he would softly touch and caress a vase or an ornament +with reverent, trembling fingers. A little workbasket, made of sweet +grass, and sending its delicate perfume to his nostrils, stood upon a +table, and some great tears splashed into it as he bent over it and +noted a small silver thimble lying among its other implements. When he +came to the pretty brass bed, with its dainty lace spread and shams, he +seemed almost overcome. His head sank heavily upon his breast, and, +reaching out a trembling hand, he gently patted one of the pillows, a +great sob heaving his chest and shaking his entire frame as he did so. +Then, with a gesture of despair that seemed also to imply the +renunciation of some previous purpose, he turned abruptly away, and +went back to a group of photographs fastened to the wall, where he had +noticed a likeness of Dorothy. It was a class picture that had been +taken of her in her graduating dress, just before leaving Vassar. + +The man studied it intently, his hungry, yearning eyes devouring its +every detail. At last, with a stealthy glance over his shoulder, he +reached up, took it down, pressed it passionately to his lips; then, +hastily concealing it inside his coat, he left the room. + +He merely glanced into the pretty dining room beyond, without +attempting to go farther, after which he slowly retraced his steps +through the hall to the reception room, and paused in the doorway +leading to the parlor, where Helen was still sitting. + +"I am going now, Helen," he observed, in a spiritless tone. "Thank you +for letting me look around." + +She rose and went toward him. He was standing where the light fell +full upon his face, and she was shocked to see how ghastly and ill he +looked. + +"Where are you going?" she briefly inquired. + +"I don't quite--know; I----" + +"How did you find me?" + +"You didn't think I would lose sight of you, did you, after once +getting a glimpse of you? I had to know something about Dorothy; I +couldn't stand it--the silence and the uncertainty--any longer." + +"You will not come here again?" + +There was a note of blended authority and appeal in Helen's tone. + +"No, I will never trouble you again. I don't think I'll trouble +anybody long," he said grimly. "But, Helen"--a scarlet streak shot +vividly across his forehead--"could you let me have a little money? I +have only a few cents, and I haven't had anything to eat since----" + +He broke off suddenly, and began to cough distressingly, his head bowed +low in humiliation because of his destitution. + +Helen's heart bounded into her throat. + +John Hungerford hungry--begging for something to eat! The epicure, the +prodigal, who, in days gone by, had never denied himself any luxury +that he had craved, now absolutely penniless and shabby, almost +starving! And that cough--how it racked him! + +A thrill of horror ran through her; she clenched her hands in an effort +to repress the cry of dismay that arose to her lips. + +"Where are you staying?" she forced herself to inquire, with an +appearance of composure. + +"I don't know where I shall stay to-night," he faltered. "To-morrow I +am going back to San Francisco; Uncle Nathan has sent me a ticket." + +So he had not even a place to lay his head that night, and the few +cents which he claimed to have surely would not provide him the +humblest lodging, let alone something to appease his hunger. + +"Wait," said Helen, and, turning abruptly from him, a choking sensation +in her throat, she swept into the library. Going to her desk, she +wrote a few words upon a blank card, after which she opened a drawer, +drew forth a crisp new bank note, and hastily folded it, with the +numerals out of sight. She then returned to the hall, and slipped the +card, with the money underneath, into the man's hand. + +"Here is the address of a good woman who sometimes works for me," she +said. "She lives not far from here; take the first turn to the right, +going downtown; the third street from there is Broad Street. Turn to +your left, find number ninety-five, and Mrs. Harding lives on the lower +floor. She will give you a comfortable room for the night and a good +breakfast in the morning." + +As she concluded, Helen turned the catch and opened the door leading to +the outer hall. She was trembling violently, and her face was as +colorless as marble. + +John Hungerford stood for a moment, regarding her with a hopeless, +heartbroken look; then, with bowed head and faltering steps, he passed +out upon the landing. + +"Thank you; good-by--Helen," he breathed hoarsely. + +"Good-by, John," she mechanically returned, and the door was shut +between them. + +She stood listening until she heard him leave the house. Then, after +carefully fastening the burglar chain, she staggered to her chamber, +where, falling face downward upon her bed, she collapsed in violent +hysterics. + +"Oh, if it were only a horrible dream from which I could wake!" she +moaned. "It cannot--cannot be possible that I have seen him again, and +in such a miserable plight!" + +How would it all end? she wondered, as she lay there in abject misery. +Would the shameful past, which she had believed forever annihilated, by +the death of Marie Duncan and the destruction of those menacing +newspapers and photographs, be resurrected, and the fair fabric of +social prestige, almost of celebrity, which she had reared for herself +and her child during the last ten years be ruthlessly overthrown, and +crush them both to earth beneath the ruins? + +She had firmly believed for many years that she would never again meet +the faithless man who had once been her husband. She had fondly +imagined that she was absolutely free to live out the beautiful future +she had grown to anticipate without once having her peace disturbed by +any fear that he would ever cross her path again. But, alas, for the +frailty of human hopes! To be sure, he had told her that he would +never trouble her again, and there had been a hopeless finality in both +his manner and words when he left her to-night, that seemed convincing. +But would he keep his word? Would he--oh, would he? + +And to what depths he had fallen! + +Could that homeless, penniless, pitiful tramp be the once +light-hearted, care-free John Hungerford? The man who had been her +husband, and in whose companionship she had once believed herself to be +supremely happy! And now--she cringed with shame and repugnance at the +mere remembrance of his presence. + +How could he ever have sunk so low? Ah, she knew but too well! He had +always depended upon some one else to make life easy for him, to help +him over hard places, to care for his comfort, and cater to his +entertainment; while he gathered only the honey along the way, shirking +every manly duty, ignoring every sacred responsibility; and when his +props, one by one, had fallen away from him, he had drifted aimlessly +and helplessly with the current, sinking lower and lower, until, ill, +hungry, and desperate, he had--as a last shameless resort--turned to +her, his divorced wife, for help. + +Helen spent a wretched night. To sleep was impossible, with that gaunt +figure, haggard face, and racking cough continually haunting her. +Again and again she wished that she had given John twenty, instead of +ten, dollars. How was he ever to get to California with any degree of +comfort upon so small a sum? He certainly could not take a sleeper; he +would have to ride all the way in a day coach, or go hungry--unless, +perchance, his uncle had also sent him a ticket for a berth, which was +doubtful. And what would become of him upon reaching San Francisco? +He did not look fit for work, and she knew well, from past experience, +that Nathan Young was not likely to tolerate laggards in his employ. + +What possible hope could the future hold for him--sick, spiritless, and +with not a friend in the world to really care what became of him? She +shivered as a vision of the home for the poor arose before her. Would +he be driven to that? Or, something even worse, perhaps--the coward's +refuge--suicide? + +These were some of the distracting thoughts that thronged her brain and +drove sleep from her pillow during that long night. + +At the same time she was greatly relieved to know that the continent +would separate them. He had promised that he would never trouble her +again, and if he kept his word he would be gone to-morrow, and Dorothy +need never know aught of this night's dreadful experience. + +Somewhat calmed by these reflections, she finally, just as day began to +dawn, dropped into a profound slumber, from which she did not awaken +until nearly ten in the morning. + +Fortunately it was Saturday; she had no pupils for that day, and her +time was her own. But she was far from happy as she tried to busy +herself with some light duties about the house. Her thoughts +constantly reverted to her interview with John, and a sense of +self-condemnation began to fasten itself upon her, in view of the +attitude she had maintained toward him. + +She knew that she had not been kind to him; she had flung scorn and +taunts at him when he was already crushed beneath a heartrending load +of misery and shame. She had manifested antagonism, bitterness, and +resentment toward him. These, summed up, meant hate, and hate +meant--what? "He that hateth his brother is a murderer," was the text +that came to her again with a revolting shock, in reply. John had +implied that perhaps she had wished him dead. She knew, now, that she +had, and involuntarily she passed her hand across her forehead as she +thought of that old-time brand upon the brow of Cain. Had she fallen +so low as that? Had she been simply a whited sepulcher all these +years, showing an attractive, gracious, irreproachable surface to the +world, while in her heart she had been nursing this deadly viper, hate? +John had deeply wronged her, but he had wronged himself far more, and +now his sins had brought their own punishment--had stripped and left +him wounded by the wayside; while she, instead of binding up his +wounds, pouring in the oil of kindness and the wine of cheer and good +will, had smitten him afresh. Surely she would not have treated the +veriest stranger like that! True, she had given him money, but how had +she given it--what had been the motive? She knew it had been merely to +get rid of him and to save herself the pain of thinking of him as a +starving man. + +All this was something similar to, though more effective than, the +sifting she had experienced that never-to-be-forgotten Sunday in +church, so long ago. She realized now that she had not rooted out, but +simply buried a little deeper, for the time being, the corroding +bitterness within her heart. Her interest in Marie Duncan, the +kindness and sympathy she had shown her during her last hours, the +change in her own and in the woman's mental attitude toward each other, +together with Marie's surrender of the menacing newspapers and +photographs, which had eliminated all fear of exposure, had brought to +her a deceptive peace, which she had believed to be a purified +conscience. But the test that had come to her now proved to her that +the serpent had only been sleeping, that she still had her battle to +fight, her victory to win, or the evil would recoil upon herself, warp +her nature, and poison her whole future. + +It was a season of sackcloth and ashes for Helen, but the searching +introspection to which she subjected herself had uncovered the +appalling effects which long years of secret brooding, self-pity, and +self-righteousness had produced upon her, and awakened a wholesome +sense of self-condemnation and repentance, thus opening the way for a +more healthful mental condition and growth. + +She realized all this, in a way; but she did not know how to begin to +tread down the conflicting forces that were rampant within her; how to +silence the mental arguments that were continually affirming that she +had been deeply wronged--that she might, perhaps, forgive, but could +never forget; that John had made his own bed and must lie in it--he had +no legal or moral right to expect either aid or sympathy from her--and +so on to the end of the chapter--or, rather, the chapter seemed to have +no end. + +"What shall I do?" she finally exclaimed, with a feeling of exhaustion. +"The evil talks to me incessantly, and I do not know how to get the +better of it." + +Suddenly she started from her chair, and, going to her desk, opened a +drawer and found a card. + +"Mrs. Raymond B. Everleigh, number ---- Riverside Drive, New York," she +read aloud, and then stood gravely thinking for a minute or two. + +Then she opened her telephone book, found the name and address she +wanted, and called the number opposite over the phone. + +"Is this Mrs. Raymond B. Everleigh?" she inquired, when the connection +had been made. + +The answer came back: "Yes, I am Mrs. Everleigh." + +"Does Mrs. Everleigh remember the lady who sat with her in church the +third Sunday in May, and to whom she gave her card, asking her to come +again?" Helen questioned. + +"Yes, indeed; and I have hoped to see her again--wondered why I have +not." + +"It is she who is talking with you now. May I come to see you to-day? +I know it is asking a great favor from a stranger, but----" + +Helen's appealing voice ceased while she listened to something that +came from the other end. + +"At two o'clock? Oh, thank you! I will be there," she gratefully +returned, as she hung up her receiver and hastened to her room to dress +for the street. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +AS WHEAT IS SIFTED. + +At two o'clock Helen rang the bell of Mrs. Everleigh's palatial home on +Riverside Drive. A man in livery admitted her, swept herself and her +card with a comprehensive glance as she laid the bit of pasteboard upon +his tray, obsequiously bowed her into an elegantly appointed reception +room, and disappeared. + +Five minutes later Mrs. Everleigh came to her. Helen had thought her a +rarely beautiful woman when she had seen her in church, more than four +months previous; but she seemed a hundredfold more lovely now, dressed +all in simple white, her abundant snowy hair coiled becomingly about +her head, her only ornament an exquisite chain of turquoise set in +silver and almost the color of her peaceful eyes, and her lips wreathed +in sunny, welcoming smiles. + +"Mrs. Ford, I am more than glad to see you," she said, as she cordially +clasped Helen's hand. "And now, if you will allow me to waive the +formalities of a first call, I am going to ask you to come up to my +private sitting room, where we can be wholly by ourselves." + +Helen thanked her, and followed her up the grand stairway, noting the +costly furnishings of the great hall, the rare paintings, statuary, +bric-a-brac, et cetera, on every hand; and almost gave vent to an +exclamation of childish delight as she was ushered into an exquisite +boudoir on the second floor, and which was furnished throughout in blue +and white; the great chandelier in the center of the ceiling, and other +appliances for lighting, together with many beautiful vases, being all +of crystal or expensive cut glass. + +"What an ideal setting for an ideal woman!" she said to herself, as she +entered the room. + +"Come and sit here, Mrs. Ford," said Mrs. Everleigh, as she preceded +her to a great bow window, where there were two inviting rockers, with +hassocks to match, a pretty onyx table on which rested a small easel +supporting the photograph of a beautiful young girl, and, standing +beside it, a costly cut-glass vase filled with fresh forget-me-nots. + +"What a lovely nook!" was Helen's involuntary tribute, as she sank into +the luxurious chair offered her. "And, oh, that view!" she added, with +a quick indrawn breath, as her glance fell upon the scene without, +where, between splendid great trees, all glorious in their brilliant +fall attire of red, yellow, and green, glimpses of the river, flashing +in the sunlight, with the darker hills beyond, made a picture that one +could never forget. + +"Yes, it is a scene of which I never tire," returned her hostess, as +she took the other rocker, and thoughtfully pushed a hassock nearer her +guest. + +"I hope, Mrs. Everleigh, I have not seemed intrusive in asking to come +to you?" Helen observed, after a moment or two, during which she sat +silently drinking in the beauty before her. "But your kindness to me +that day in church emboldened me to beg the favor." + +"My dear, I am happy to have you come--I am glad to be helpful to any +one, as opportunity offers," the elder lady graciously replied. + +Helen lifted a glance of surprise to her. She had not hinted that she +was unhappy, or needed help of any kind. + +Mrs. Everleigh met her look with her winning smile. + +"Your voice told me over the phone, dear, that you were in trouble," +she said. "Now, open your heart to me. What can I do for you?" + +Her tone was so kind, her smile and manner so loving, Helen's forced +composure melted like wax in the sun, and a sudden flood of tears +rendered her utterly helpless to respond for the moment. + +The strain and excitement of the last forty-eight hours had been very +great, and the loss of two nights' sleep, together with the relentless +mental vivisection to which she had since subjected herself, had robbed +her of both strength and self-control. + +"Dear heart," gently entreated her companion, "let the bitterness all +out; then there will be room to pour in the balm and oil." + +She leaned back in her chair, and sat silent, with bowed head and +averted eyes, until Helen's weeping ceased, and she began to regain +something of her customary self-possession. + +"Dear Mrs. Everleigh," she at length said, as she lifted her +tear-stained face to her, "you have not attempted to question or +comfort me, and yet it seems to me you have been pouring peace into my +heart every moment since I came into this room; my trouble is the old +puzzle regarding love and hate." + +"How is it a puzzle?" + +"All my life," Helen explained, "I have believed myself to be a good +woman, a devoted wife and mother, faithful to my duties, charitable, +conscientious, God-fearing, self-sacrificing to a fault, and absolutely +loyal to my friends. I believed all this to be love. When trouble +came, I bore it patiently, taking up my burdens with courage, and +setting my face steadfastly toward the work of regaining for myself and +my child that of which we had been cruelly robbed--home, position, and +an honorable name. I thought I had won, that the goal had been +attained, that I had so firmly established myself no taint of the past +could touch me; and I believed I was happy in what I had achieved, +until I suddenly awoke to the fact that all the fair fabric I had +constructed and believed unassailable was only an outward show, built +upon pride and self-righteousness; until I began to realize that I had +all the time been possessed of a subconscious hate, the hate that +wishes people dead and powerless to cross your path again! Does the +picture appall you?" + +Helen paused, almost breathless from inward emotion and rapid speaking. + +"My dear, you have uncovered all this in connection with yourself?" +gravely queried Mrs. Everleigh. + +"_Something_ has uncovered it," said Helen, with a bitter sigh. + +"And what is the result of such searching introspection?" + +"I feel like a whited sepulcher. I am appalled, shocked beyond measure +at myself," said Helen, with a gesture of repugnance. + +"Do you think it was your real self who was nursing all the evil you +have portrayed?" gently inquired her companion. + +Helen lifted a look of surprise to her. + +"My real self?" she repeated, in perplexity. + +"The real self is the purity--the innate consciousness that shrinks +from evil, and would be clothed upon with the garment of righteousness, +of right thinking and right living," said Mrs. Everleigh. + +"Then the evil-thinking is the unreal self, and every one possesses a +dual nature? I recognize that--it is the old story of Doctor Jekyll +and Mr. Hyde--but when one wakes up to find that even the good he +_thinks_ he has done is evil, because of the worm at the core, it +becomes a mocking paradox," said Helen bitterly. + +"No, dear; not the good he thinks and has done," opposed her companion +gently, "for every good thought that has taken form in your +consciousness, every good deed that has been the outgrowth of that +thought, belongs to your true self, and nothing can rob you of it. +Your efforts to conquer adverse circumstances, your determination to +achieve success in your profession--I have recently heard Madam Ford +sing, and have learned something of her career," the lady smilingly +interposed--"and an honorable name and position for yourself and your +child are all justifiable and praiseworthy. We have a right to set our +standards high and do our utmost, with right motives, to attain them. +But the undercurrent of bitterness, the sense of resentment, self-pity, +self-righteousness--the thinking that is continually arguing about the +faults and sins of the wrongdoer--everything that tends to +self-justification by the condemnation of another is all wrong, and +must be put out, if we hope ever to attain to our ideals, and know real +peace of mind. It matters not how fair our outward living may seem, if +the thinking is wrong." + +"I began to realize something of this, that Sunday in church," said +Helen. "It seemed as if a wonderful searchlight had been turned upon +my inner self, revealing lurking demons I never dreamed I was +harboring." + +"Every one, sooner or later, must be sifted as wheat is sifted--must be +refined as gold is refined; the dross and the chaff must be cast out," +said her companion. + +"Oh, tell me how!" Helen exclaimed. "One yearns to be pure in thought +as well as in deed, but the wrong-thinking seems to go on and on of +itself. How can it be conquered?" + +"By putting self out of sight and giving loving service to others." + +"To those who have done us desperate wrong?" panted Helen, with an +inward shock. + +"Even to those," said Mrs. Everleigh gently. "They need it most of +all." + +"Oh, you cannot mean that we should take them back into our hearts and +lives, and nourish and serve them again as if no wrong had been done, +when every law of God and man had been violated, every tendril of +affection ruthlessly trampled upon!" Helen's voice was almost +inaudible as she concluded. + +Mrs. Everleigh did not immediately reply; she sat gravely thinking for +several minutes. + +"Dear Mrs. Ford," she at length began, "we each have different problems +in life to solve, and it is difficult and perhaps unwise for one to say +to another what he or she would do under certain circumstances which +had never come into one's own experience. Loving service is that which +best promotes the welfare of the one served. What might be loving +service and helpful for one might be just the reverse for another. The +wrongdoer must suffer for his wrongdoing, else he would never recognize +or repent his sin; it would be doing irreparable injury to remove his +punishment, restoring joys he had forfeited, privileges he had trampled +upon. That would be encouraging sin. We are commanded to 'cast not +our pearls before swine.' We must not continue to shower blessings and +favors indiscriminately upon those who have shown themselves +unappreciative and unworthy of past benefits. Having cut themselves +adrift, it is theirs to work out their own salvation, and it is not our +duty to again put ourselves in contact with the error that has +deliberately wronged and wounded us. And yet, there is loving service +that we can still render even these; we can think and speak kindly of +them, giving honor where honor is due, compassion instead of +condemnation for the errors that hold them in bondage. Such an +attitude cannot fail to crowd out and conquer the bitterness, +self-pity, self-righteousness, condemnation--everything that robs us of +our peace. When we attain to this we shall know that we have no +partnership with hate." + +"I begin to understand something of what love means," Helen said, in a +tone of awe. "I feel as if I were just beginning to see how to live. +You surely have helped me to empty myself of much of the evil that +seemed to be surging within me when I came here this afternoon. You +have indeed 'poured in balm and oil,' and given me much food for +thought." + +She arose to leave as she spoke, holding out her hand, a look of +grateful appreciation in her eyes. + +"Oh, I am not going to let you go yet! I have not said half I wish," +cried her hostess, clasping her extended hand, but forcing her gently +back into her chair; and Helen, eager to learn more from the wisdom +that fell from her lips, sank restfully down among her cushions again, +and they talked on for an hour longer. + +"How glad I am you came to me, Mrs. Ford!" Mrs. Everleigh observed, +when she finally said she must go. "I hope to see you often after +this--I shall make it my way to do so, if you will allow me. I heard +you sing at the Wardsworths' shortly after we met in church, and I +intended to be introduced to you at that time, but you had left when I +asked to be presented. You have a great gift, and I am going to beg +you to use it for me some time." + +"It will give me great pleasure to do so, Mrs. Everleigh. I would love +to show some appreciation of the good you have done me to-day," Helen +heartily responded, adding, as her eyes sought those of her companion: +"It is a privilege just to look into your peaceful face--one would +think that no blight or sorrow had ever touched you in----" + +Mrs. Everleigh's hand closed over Helen's almost spasmodically, and her +lips whitened suddenly, as her glance sought the beautiful photograph +resting on the onyx table beside the vase of forget-me-nots. + +"No blight--no sorrow!" she repeated, as she gently drew her visitor a +step nearer the likeness. "Oh, no one escapes the tragedies of this +mortal life, my dear--they pass none of us by. This is a likeness of +my daughter. Is she not beautiful? She was swept from my sight almost +before I realized she was in danger. It seemed as if a whirlwind +caught her away, and--she was all I had--the apple of my eye, the one +darling of my heart. The blow left me with this crown of snow," she +went on, touching with tremulous fingers the hair upon her forehead. +"It broke my heart, crushed me to earth for the time being, and the +battle I had to fight was much the same that you are fighting now. It +is only step by step that we conquer in such experiences, but if we are +sincere--'honest in mind and intention'--if we keep our armor on, and +wield a merciless sword upon our secret foes, we must win in the end." + +Helen was very near weeping again as she listened to her. Surely, she +thought, the tragedies of earth pass no one by! Those in palace and +hovel meet on common ground in these great heart sorrows. She lifted +the hand she held, and softly laid her lips against it--she was +powerless to speak one word. + +But Mrs. Everleigh quickly quelled her momentary emotion, and her +peaceful smile seemed like a benediction as she turned again to Helen. + +"But she made my life very bright while she was here. I have beautiful +things to remember of her; I have very much to be grateful for," she +said bravely. "We must not forget to number our blessings, dear Mrs. +Ford," she continued gravely, "lest we drift back into the former +bitterness and darkness. You still have your lovely daughter, if you +have had other trials--I saw her also at the Wardsworths'--be thankful, +and, in the light of that and other blessings, forget the wrong and +blight of the past." + +They went downstairs together, Mrs. Everleigh accompanying her visitor +to the door and exacting a promise that she would come again in the +near future, for there was more she wished to say to her when the world +seemed brighter to her. + +Helen went home with a sense of peace in her heart such as she had not +known for many weeks. She felt like a different person from what she +had been during the last forty-eight hours. She reviewed every step of +her interview with Mrs. Everleigh, analyzing her arguments, making a +personal application of them, and seeking to attain to a higher +understanding of them. + +"Loving service for even those who have wronged us most!" This had +impressed her more deeply than anything else she had said, and as she +conned it o'er and o'er she came to see that to purify her own +consciousness of evil-thinking against John--he who had wronged her +most, who had put the worst possible humiliation and suffering upon +her--would not only release her from the intolerable bondage of mental +discord which she had suffered for years whenever he had come into her +thought, but would also be obeying the divine command: "Do unto others +as ye would they should do unto you." + +She might never see or hear from John again--she hoped she would not; +he had said he would trouble her no more; but whether he did or not, +she knew that the bitterness of hate was past, and in its place there +was dawning a peace that comes to all those who realize and practice +the greatest of all virtues--"Charity, the love that thinketh no evil." + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +LOVING SERVICE. + +When Helen entered the vestibule to the Grenoble, where she lived, on +her return from her visit to Mrs. Everleigh, she found Mrs. Harding, to +whom she had sent John the night before, in the vestibule, just about +to ring her bell, and knew instantly, from the woman's face, that +something had gone wrong. + +"What is it?" she inquired, with quickened pulses. + +"You sent a man--Mr. Williams--to me last night?" + +"Yes." Helen was touched by the fact that John had taken pains to +conceal his identity by giving his middle name to the woman. + +He had been taken ill in the night, Mrs. Harding told her, and she had +found him delirious in the morning. She had sent for a +physician--Doctor Wing--who seemed to think the case critical, and +wanted him taken to some hospital, where he could have better air, and +a constant attendant; but, Mrs. Harding explained, she felt she ought +to come and talk with madam before consenting to the move. + +"That was right," observed Helen, who had been thinking rapidly while +the woman was talking. "I knew Mr.--Williams years ago in San +Francisco, and I am sure his friends would not wish him sent to a +hospital. He told me he intended to start for California to-day--he +had his ticket--so his friends will be looking for him next week." + +"Well, marm, it is my opinion that he'll never see San Francisco +again," said the woman, with a grave shake of her head. + +"Oh!" cried Helen sharply; "is he as ill as that?" + +Was John going to die, after all? She was shocked through and through +at the thought. No, he must not--he should not! She could never +forgive herself for the dreadful things she had thought and said the +night before, if he did. + +Had her repentance come too late? Was she to have no opportunity to +prove the sincerity of her desire to put into practice the higher +interpretation of love to which she was beginning to awake? + +"He's an awful sick man, marm," her companion replied. + +"When will Doctor Wing go to see him again?" + +"He said he'd drop in about six o'clock." + +"Then I will be there at six, also; I wish to talk with Doctor Wing," +Helen observed, and Mrs. Harding, anxious to get back to her charge, +but evidently relieved to have her responsibility shared, went her way. + +When Helen had leased her apartment at the Grenoble, she had hired +another smaller suite of two rooms and bath, adjoining, and running at +right angles with it. These she had fitted up attractively as a +studio, where she gave her lessons and prepared for her social +engagements, thus leaving her apartment free for Dorrie to entertain +her friends whenever she wished. At her request, her landlord had cut +a door between the suites, and this arrangement had enabled her to go +back and forth without being obliged to pass through the public hall. + +While talking with Mrs. Harding she had conceived a plan to meet Doctor +Wing's desire for better air and good care for his patient. She would +put a bed and other comforts in the larger room of the studio. Mrs. +Harding was a good, sensible, reliable woman, capable in every way--and +she would engage her and a trained nurse, if necessary, to take care of +the invalid. John should have every possible chance for his life that +she could give him, and perhaps this would blot out that dreadful +suspicion he had voiced that she had wished him out of the way. + +She unfolded this plan to Doctor Wing when she went to Mrs. Harding's +to meet him, at six o'clock, and, the physician cordially approving it, +in less than three hours the sick man was transferred to Helen's +cheerful, well-ventilated rooms, with good Mrs. Harding as nurse and +attendant. + +The woman said she would prefer to take care of him alone; she believed +she could do it, and it would be much easier for her than to be +subjected to the red tape and rigid rules of a trained nurse. Helen +seconded this proposition, saying she, too, would do whatever she was +able, and would stand ready to provide a trained nurse at any moment, +if the plan did not work to Doctor Wing's entire satisfaction. + +The physician gave his consent somewhat reluctantly, but said they +would try it for a day or two. He was somewhat at a loss to understand +Madam Ford's interest in the man, even though she had frankly explained +that she had known both him and his family when, years ago, she also +had lived in San Francisco. + +However, it was no affair of his, only so far as it made better +conditions for his patient; the rooms she offered were certainly more +desirable than a cot in the public ward of a hospital would be, and +madam, if she were doing this simply because of a friendly interest in +him and his far-off family, was a rare woman, indeed. + +For two weeks it seemed a doubtful battle for the sick man, who was +delirious and entirely unconscious of his condition and surroundings; +but at the end of that time he began slowly to mend, although he +manifested very little interest in the fact, obediently submitting to +whatever was done or prescribed for him, but with a feeble air of +protest that was discouraging to those interested in him. + +"He doesn't want to get well," Mrs. Harding told the physician, when he +came one morning and found his patient very weak and unresponsive to +his cheerful greeting. + +"I know it, poor fellow!" he gravely replied. "But we will do the best +we can for him, although it looks as if that 'best' will not keep him +here very long." + +"Where am I?" John asked his nurse a few days later. "Is this a +hospital?" + +"No, it is a small suite," she told him. "Some one who was not going +to occupy it for a while offered the use of it to Doctor Wing, so he +brought you here and engaged me to take care of you." + +Helen had insisted that her agency in the matter was not to be +known--at least, not at present, and when John came to himself she +withdrew from the rooms altogether. + +"A man does not like to be under obligations to a woman," she had said, +"and doubtless we shall soon hear from his friends, who will then +assume the care of him." + +But John, as he slowly improved, in spite of his indifference to life, +appeared intuitively to realize that he was not wholly indebted to the +good doctor for the comforts he was enjoying. The rooms were +handsomely furnished; there were dainty and womanly touches all around +him that somehow suggested a familiar atmosphere; the bed linen and +towels were fine and heavy; a rich, warm-hued dressing robe and nice +underwear had been provided for him, and, with the artistic tray on +which his food was served, the pretty hand-painted china, and bright +flowers in unique vases, besides many luxuries to tempt his appetite, +all betrayed a thoughtful interest that strangers, or a strange doctor, +would hardly bestow upon one so destitute as himself. + +He talked very little with either his physician or Mrs. Harding; asked +no questions, yet was always appreciative of any service rendered him. +By the end of four weeks he was able to sit up in a great easy-chair by +a sunny window, where he would remain as long as was permitted, +sometimes sitting with closed eyes, apparently thinking; at others +manifesting a trifle more interest than heretofore by studying the +surrounding buildings and his rooms. + +He was now allowed to have a daily paper to look over, and Doctor Wing +tried to draw him out on current events and other subjects, now and +then telling a pleasant story or a piquant joke; but while John was +always most courteous in his bearing and conversation he could hardly +be said to be responsive to these efforts in his behalf. + +One day there came a tap on the door leading into Helen's apartment. +John caught the sound, although the door of the room he was in was +partially closed. Mrs. Harding answered the summons, there followed a +few low-spoken words, and presently the woman returned, bearing in her +hands a basket of luscious fruit, a few fragrant flowers carelessly +scattered over it. + +"Where did you get it?" the man inquired, his face lighting with +pleasure at the attractive offering. It was the first really +spontaneous sign of interest he had manifested. + +"A lady who lives in the next suite sent it in to you," Mrs. Harding +explained, as she laid a tempting peach, with a bunch of grapes, upon a +plate and passed it to him. + +John sat suddenly erect, exhibiting an energy which betrayed to Mrs. +Harding that he possessed more strength than she had supposed. He +flushed a hot crimson, glanced alertly out of the window near him, then +at the door leading into the hall, through which the doctor usually +entered. He next set his plate upon a small table beside him, arose, +and went to another window, where he stood for several minutes, +studying the surroundings outside. + +Presently he returned to his chair and his fruit, a wan smile curling +his lips, for between certain suspicions that had beset him of late and +a rather accurate bump of location he had gotten his bearings at last, +and thought he knew where he was. + +"Mrs. Harding, this house is the Grenoble, is it not?" he quietly +inquired, as he began to pare his peach, but with hands that trembled +in spite of his efforts to conceal his excitement. + +"Um--yes," she replied, with some reluctance. + +"And Madam Ford lives in the adjoining suite, does she not? It was she +who sent me the fruit?" + +"You know, Mrs. Harding, it was Madam Ford who sent me to you the night +I was taken ill," John resumed, in a matter-of-fact tone, without +appearing to observe her confusion. "I would be glad to see her again; +will you ask her if she will spare me a few moments?" + +On receiving this message, Helen knew that she could no longer keep out +of sight; she had realized from the first that the truth would have to +be revealed sooner or later, and she went to him at once, greeting him +courteously, as if he had been simply an old acquaintance. + +"Helen, you are responsible for my being here. Why did you do this?" +he exclaimed huskily, as the nurse left the room, closing the door +after her. + +"If this is what you wished to see me about I am not going to stay, for +you are not to get excited," Helen returned reprovingly; then she added +kindly: "There was simply nothing else to do." + +"Yes, there was; you could have let them take me to some hospital, +where they would have put me to die, like any other beggar. Why didn't +you?" he demanded bitterly. + +"Because, for one reason, Doctor Wing thought this the better plan for +you----" + +"But the expense of it!" he interposed, flushing hotly. "To say +nothing about the imposition on you." + +"Oh, don't let that trouble you," said Helen calmly. "Of course, I +wrote to your uncle, telling him of your illness. I thought he would +be wondering, after sending you the ticket, why you did not put in an +appearance at San Francisco." + +"Well, what did he say?" + +"He wrote me to see that you were made comfortable, and sent me some +money." + +"How much?" + +"Fifty dollars," Helen confessed, rather reluctantly. + +A cynical smile curled John Hungerford's lips. + +"Fifty dollars! It has cost you many times that to provide for my +needs, and the care I have had, to say nothing about the doctor's +bill," he faltered. "Well"--with a reckless air--"I shall soon be +where I will trouble no one, and--I am glad of it." + +"Why should you be glad of it?" Helen gravely asked. + +"Because I do not wish to be a burden to any one. I've been a failure +from beginning to end, and I am weary of the race. Even if I were not, +I know my fate is settled, and it would be useless to try to change it." + +"How do you know your fate is settled, as you express it?" + +He held up a trembling, transparent hand. + +"I have no blood; I have no strength, no courage, nothing to look +forward to," he said, in a hopeless tone. + +"Don't you think it would be more brave if, instead of yielding to such +gloomy thoughts, you made an effort to get well?" Helen gently +suggested. + +"What for? _What_ have I to live for?" he cried, lifting agonized eyes +to her. + +"For the sake of trying to live--_right_ for a while," she gravely but +very kindly replied. + +A wave of scarlet shot over his wan face, and his head fell upon his +breast. + +"By Heaven, I wish I could!" he exclaimed, looking up, after a moment, +a ring of sincerity in his voice that Helen had never heard before. + +"Then, John, why not make an honest effort for it?" And Helen's tone +was full of strength and encouragement. + +"It is too late--I am not going to get well. I am sure the doctor +thinks I cannot," he wearily returned. + +"Simply because you have no wish to, and will not try; your own +attitude is what is sending you to your doom. Don't let this inertia +conquer you, John; buckle on your courage, take a fresh grip on hope, +and rise above this weakness. There is hardly any situation in life so +adverse that it cannot be overcome if one will go to work the right +way. Then, think of your talent--it was a divine gift. Can you bear +the thought of making no return for it--of leaving absolutely nothing +behind you to show that John Hungerford, who was born with the soul of +a great artist--you know, Monsieur Jacques told you that--ever lived? +Oh, rouse yourself; start out anew, and make your mark in the world!" + +Helen had spoken very earnestly, and it was evident that her words had +made a deep impression upon her listener, for it was with difficulty +that he preserved his composure. + +"Do you think I can--now, after all the best of my life has been +wasted?" he breathed eagerly, but swallowing hard to keep back a sob +that almost got the better of him. + +"I am sure you can," she cheerily responded. "Make up your mind, first +of all, that you are going to get well; that will be half of the battle +won; and, with health and strength regained, the rest will be +comparatively easy. I wish----" + +She paused suddenly, as if in doubt of the wisdom of what she had been +about to say. + +"What do you wish?" he inquired, as he keenly searched her thoughtful +face. + +"I wish you would allow me to bring a dear friend to see you--some one +whom I feel sure would be a great help to you." + +"Who is this friend?" John demanded, almost sharply, and with suddenly +averted face. + +"A Mrs. Everleigh--the purest, sweetest woman I have ever known." + +"Oh!" A great fear seemed to vanish as the man breathed the one word; +but Helen, busy with her own thoughts, did not appear to heed him. + +"Does she know----" he began again, after a moment, and then faltered, +a hot flush mounting to his forehead. + +"She knows nothing, except that a Mr. Williams, whom I once knew in +California, has been very ill here at the Grenoble, and I, as a +neighbor, have been interested in him," Helen assured him. + +During the four weeks of John's illness she had seen Mrs. Everleigh +three times; once her new friend had come to see her, and twice she had +been to her, and a strong affection had sprung up between them. Helen +had been so benefited and uplifted by the woman's higher thought and +its practical application to daily living, it had occurred to her that +if she could bring John under her influence he might be inspired to +desire a new lease of life, and to try to redeem his past. + +She had told her new friend of John, and of his sickness--had +intimated, as she said, that she had known him years ago in her old +home, San Francisco. She gave her some idea of his great talent, and +how he had wasted it; but she had not mentioned the fact that he had +once been her husband, and the author of her own troubles, or that he +was under any obligation to her for the care and comforts he had +received during his illness. + +"Why do you wish me to meet this Mrs. Everleigh?" John inquired, after +silently considering the proposition for several moments. + +"I want you to know this grand woman. She will do you good; she will +inspire you to take a different view--to have a better +understanding--of life and its obligations," was Helen's earnest +response. "She will not preach to you," she hastened to add, as she +saw an uneasy look flit over his face. "She is no officious +missionary, going about trying to reform the world at large, and I +shall simply introduce her to you as a friend whom I thought it would +be pleasant for you to meet after being shut up here for so long, +and---- Well, I am sure you will find her irresistible." + +A smile, half of amusement, half of skepticism, curled her listener's +pale lips. + +"You have certainly aroused my curiosity, and you may bring your friend +whenever you see fit," he observed, but more to please Helen than +because he felt any special desire to meet her paragon of excellence. + +"Let me say you have a rare treat in store," she returned, adding, as +he manifested signs of weariness: "But you must not talk more now; try +to rest and think cheerful thoughts, and you will be stronger +to-morrow." + +She arose as she concluded, and, with a kindly good-by, quietly left +the room. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +JOHN HUNGERFORD BEGINS LIFE ANEW. + +John was not as well the following day, and the new impulse with which +Helen's visit of the previous day had inspired him seemed to have lost +its grip upon him, while all his former listlessness and indifference +to life returned. + +Previous to her call, Helen had interviewed Doctor Wing regarding the +condition of his patient, and he had told her that, while the crisis +appeared to have been well passed, and there were indications that he +might rally for a time, he had grave doubts regarding his ultimate +recovery; for, aside from certain threatening conditions, the man was +laboring under great mental depression, and appeared to have no desire +to live, which, of itself, was by no means an encouraging phase. +Consequently she had not been wholly unprepared for John's own +admission that he was glad he was not going to get well. + +But since her acquaintance with Mrs. Everleigh, Helen's views regarding +many things pertaining to life had radically changed. She did not +believe that John's case was hopeless, notwithstanding the unfavorable +outlook, and she resolved that he should be saved--he should have +another chance to prove himself a man, and a great artist, if there was +any power that could save him; and she felt assured there was. + +She went immediately to her friend, to whom she explained the +situation, and Mrs. Everleigh promised to go to see "Mr. Williams" the +following day. + +She came late in the morning, when, refreshed by a good night's rest, +he was feeling much brighter and stronger than on the previous day. +And the moment he heard her speak, and looked into her eyes, he knew +that all Helen had said of her was true. + +She was a brilliant as well as a beautiful woman, for, aside from +having been finely educated, she had always enjoyed rare social +advantages. There was also a merry vein in her nature, and she had not +been many minutes in his presence before John found himself laughing +out spontaneously over her vivid description of a ludicrous incident +that had occurred on her way to the Grenoble to see him. This set him +immediately at his ease with her, and they dropped into a free and +interesting discussion of various topics that lasted for nearly an hour. + +When Mrs. Everleigh finally arose to go she observed, with charming +cordiality: + +"I have enjoyed my call so much, Mr. Williams, I am coming again soon, +if you will allow me." + +"You are very kind, Mrs. Everleigh, and I assure you it will give me +great pleasure to have you do so," he replied, with all the old-time +courtesy of the once elegant John Hungerford. + +"And I will send my car around for you as soon as you feel strong +enough for a drive," the lady continued brightly. "You need to get out +into this crisp fall air, and before long you will feel like a new man; +the world will seem like a different place to you." + +John's face fell suddenly. Until this moment he had not once thought +of himself since her coming. + +"I fear that will never be," he said, in a spiritless tone. "There are +strong indications that before very long I may be in a different world +from this." + +"Who has dared to pass such sentence upon you, Mr. Williams?" gravely +questioned his companion. "Put that thought away from you at once; it +is your rightful heritage to be a strong, well man, and--you still have +work to do here." Then she smiled cheerily into his face as she held +out her hand to take leave of him, adding: "But we will talk more of +that when I come again." And she went away, leaving John with a sense +of something new having been born into his consciousness. + +He walked to a window, and stood looking thoughtfully out over the +roofs and chimney pots, while a voice within him, that seemed almost +audible, repeated over and over: "It is your rightful heritage to be a +strong, well man; and you still have work to do _here_." + +That same evening, the duties of the day being over, Helen went in to +see him again, and to inform him that she had received a second letter +from his uncle, Mr. Young, who had sent her another check for fifty +dollars, which she laid before him as she spoke. + +He pushed it almost rudely from him. + +"Keep it," he said, flushing sensitively; "I cannot take it." + +She appeared to heed neither his act nor his words, but casually +inquired, while she observed that he looked better and brighter than +when she last saw him: + +"Where is your painting outfit, John?" + +"Sold at auction, I imagine," he replied; then continued, with painful +embarrassment: "I may as well tell you exactly how matters stand with +me. Marie left me--that is, we had a final falling out--more than +three years ago. She immediately broke camp, sold off everything--even +my kit--and cleared out; went West and got her bill from me, and I've +drifted about ever since. We didn't have a very happy time together, +and I----" + +"You need not tell me any more," Helen here abruptly interposed. +"Forget it, if you can." + +"Oh, Helen," he burst forth, with exceeding bitterness, "I wish I +_could_ forget it! I wish I could wake up to find these last ten years +only a miserable nightmare!" + +"I think you are waking up from a very bad dream, John," she returned, +in a friendly tone. "You are looking decidedly better, and it rests a +good deal with yourself whether you continue to improve." + +"Marie is dead--was killed, or, rather, fatally injured, and died in +the Mercy Hospital a few months ago," resumed John, not to be diverted +from what he had been saying. "I did not learn of it until it was all +over, or I would have gone to----" + +"Yes, I know; I read of the accident," Helen again broke in upon him, +and somewhat startled to learn that he had been in New York at that +time. + +But she felt that she could not discuss that chapter of his life with +him. Her chief desire now was to start him upon the right road to +redeem his past, if that were possible; then leave him to work his own +way to a more prosperous future. + +"Now, let there be no more looking back," she hastened to add; "do not +waste time in vain regrets over what is behind you, but keep your face +steadfastly toward the light of the new day that is dawning upon you. +You are really better--you are going to get well; you will take up your +art again, and you will do something worth while." + +"Upon my soul, I wish I might!" he said, in a low, eager tone, and +secretly encouraged by her positive assertions. + +"Then if you really wish it, suppose you begin at once," Helen +proposed, with inspiring energy. "Take some of this money your uncle +has sent, get what materials you need, and go to work, doing a +little--what you are able--every day. Make out a list of what you +require, and I will place the order for you; here are pencil and paper. +I will come for the memorandum directly after breakfast to-morrow +morning, take it to Bronson's, have the things sent up immediately, and +you can make a beginning before the day is out." + +She pushed some writing materials across the cable to him, and then +arose to go. + +The man lifted a wondering glance to her. + +"Helen, you are a marvel to me! You have put new life into me," he +said, with deep emotion. "I am simply overwhelmed by your goodness--I +wonder that your heart is not filled with bitter hatred for me." + +Helen flushed consciously at his words, and moved away to the mantel, +where she stood musing for a few minutes as she gazed down upon the +glowing logs in the fireplace below. + +How she had struggled with the demon of hate no one save herself would +ever know. But she had finally conquered her foe. She knew she had, +from the simple fact that she experienced only the feeling of +satisfaction in knowing that John would get well--that she wanted him +to get well; while she firmly believed that he would be a better man in +the future for the helping hand she had given him and the interest she +had manifested in him. No, she no longer bore him the slightest ill +will; instead of cherishing antagonism and resentment, she had come to +regard him as her "neighbor," a brother man, for whom she would do only +as she would be done by; and, having once attained this attitude, a +great burden of self-condemnation had rolled from her heart and left +her at peace with him and the world. + +"No, John, I have no hatred for you," she at length gravely observed, +but without turning toward him. "Once I--I could not have said this, +but I have learned, through bitter experience, that hate harms the +hater rather than the object of his hatred; that it corrodes, corrupts, +and destroys him mentally, morally, and spiritually; and to-day I can +truly say that I only wish you well--wish that you may grow strong, not +only physically, but in every other higher and better sense of the +word, and make for yourself a name and place in the world, that will +compel all men to respect you. I know you can do it, if you will." + +As she ceased she turned abruptly, and, with a low-voiced good night, +slipped from the room before he could detain her. + +The man sat motionless and absorbed in thought for a long time after +she had gone. Every word she had spoken had sunk deep into his +consciousness, and had shown him, directly and indirectly, not only +what she had overcome and suffered in her struggles with adverse +circumstances, but how she had won the greatest battle of all--the +conquest over self. At last he lifted his bowed head, and revealed a +face all aglow with a new and inspiring purpose; at the same time there +was a look of keenest pain in his eyes. + +"I will do it!" he breathed hoarsely. "But, good God, what a royal +heart I have trampled beneath my feet!" + +* * * * * * * + +Three weeks later John Hungerford left the Grenoble apartments, a +comparatively well man. + +Meantime, having, through Helen's energetic efforts, obtained the +necessary materials, he had labored industriously, and with a +constantly growing interest, at his easel, gaining flesh and strength +each day, while something seemed to be burning within him that he had +never been conscious of before. + +What was it? he wondered, with almost a feeling of awe--this +ever-increasing energy of purpose, this resistless zeal, that was +pushing him forward and lifting him above anything he had ever aspired +to in the years long gone by? + +Was it the soul of the great artist, in embryo, that at last was really +beginning to expand in its effort to burst its long-imprisoning +shackles and plume its wings for a lofty flight? + +Mrs. Everleigh came to see him every few days, and her talks with him +opened up broader vistas of life and its obligations, and imbued him +with higher ideals and desires. She insisted upon his going out every +day, and frequently sent her car to take him out of the city for an +invigorating drive in the country. + +All this--the cheerful thought, the better purpose and outlook, +together with the kind attentions of those interested in him--could not +fail to develop faith and hope, with better physical conditions, also, +and his improvement was rapid. + +During this time he had completed two very attractive paintings, which, +through the influence of his physician, were placed in a leading art +store, and sold at a fair valuation--enough to enable him to begin +business for himself, in a couple of inexpensive rooms in another part +of the city, which, however, he intended only to be a stepping-stone to +something better. + +On the morning of his departure for his modest studio he did not look +like the same man who, bowed and broken, had come to Helen's door a few +weeks previous. His form was erect, and had taken on a good coat of +flesh; his eyes were clear and bright; his face, tinged with the glow +of health, was full of hope, and his bearing characterized by a quiet +dignity, and also by an unaccustomed energy that bespoke a definite +purpose for the future. + +An expressman had already taken away his boxes, and he had just sealed +and was addressing a letter, when Doctor Wing dropped in to give him a +friendly handshake and wish him all success in his new undertaking. + +"May only prosperity attend you, my friend," he said, when, after +chatting a few minutes, he arose to leave and begin his daily round of +visits; "and, by the way, I have been sorry I didn't take one of those +pictures that were sold at Arlington's the other day. Duplicate that +autumnal scene for me, will you? Or make me something after the same +style." + +John's lips quivered slightly as he received this, his first, order, +and at the same time recognized the underlying motive that had prompted +it. + +"With the greatest pleasure," he returned, his voice a trifle husky; +"and, doctor, I can only regard this as another kindness added to the +many favors I have already received from you and shall always +gratefully remember." + +Mrs. Everleigh made her appearance just at this moment, and her breezy +greetings relieved the physician of the embarrassment he was beginning +to experience, in view of John's expressions of gratitude, and he was +glad to be saved the necessity of replying. + +She had told John the previous day that she claimed the privilege of +taking him downtown and installing him in his studio; she would call +for him at eleven, and it was to keep this appointment that she now +presented herself. + +The whole-souled doctor and the lady had become very good friends +during John's convalescence, for not infrequently they had met in his +rooms, and now and then enjoyed a pleasant tilt at each other's expense +regarding certain differences of opinion. + +Upon this occasion her coming appeared to arouse afresh his spirit of +jocosity, and they exchanged several glittering lances that put them +all in a very merry frame of mind, which was a good thing, for John, +not having seen Helen that morning, was somewhat depressed at the +thought of going away without a few last words with her. + +At length Doctor Wing broke off in the midst of a hearty laugh over a +bright repartee from Mrs. Everleigh, saying, as he caught up his hat +and gloves: + +"Well, this will not do for me, much as I dislike to tear myself away +from such pleasant company; but I am culpably neglecting my duties. +Mrs. Everleigh"--extending a cordial hand to her--"it has been a great +pleasure to know you, and I am hoping that our acquaintance will not +end here, even though"--the old roguish look again dancing in his +eyes--"you certainly stole a very clever march upon me here." + +"How so?" she questioned, with an assumed air of innocence, but with an +answering gleam of amusement, for she could not fail to understand what +he meant. + +"Why, as you well know, I lost my patient the day you first appeared in +this apartment," he returned, with mock severity. Then he added, more +gravely, and much to his listeners' surprise: "And it is not my first +or second experience of the kind, either, with you people." + +"Do you regret those experiences, Doctor Wing?" the lady gently +inquired. + +He hesitated an instant; then met her eyes squarely. + +"No, I do not," he frankly replied. "Honesty compels me to admit it, +to confess that I have been exceedingly grateful for them, especially +upon learning that the patient had been very quickly healed after +changing practitioners--that a precious life had thus been saved, and I +had escaped the most painful duty demanded of a physician. I do not +believe," he continued thoughtfully, "that any conscientious physician, +who had done his utmost to save life, has ever written the name of the +patient he has lost upon a death certificate, and appended his own +signature thereto, without experiencing a very depressing sense of the +inadequacy of materia medica." + +Mrs. Everleigh had regarded the gentleman with mingled admiration and +wonder while he was speaking. + +"Doctor Wing, you are a brave man!" she heartily exclaimed, as he +paused. "And allow me to add that I appreciate the very noble attitude +you have revealed more than I can express. I know of one other who, +like you, having exhausted his resources in certain complicated cases, +has even advised the patient to change the method of treatment, and +quick healing has resulted. I presume there are many more physicians +just as conscientious and broad-minded, and I say all honor to such +men." + +"No doubt I would be severely censured by the majority of my profession +for giving expression to such convictions," Doctor Wing continued, with +a slight shrug of his shoulders; "but I believe human judgment is not +the highest tribunal to which man is answerable for either his deeds or +opinions, and one must be true to the voice within if he would preserve +his integrity and peace of mind, and not become a mere puppet. Please +do not misunderstand me," he interpolated, in lighter vein; "I am not +attempting to depreciate my own school, and I intend to stick to it +until I am convinced that there is a better. At the same time, there +are existing conditions against which I, together with some of my +colleagues, have the courage of my convictions, and am ready, if +occasion requires, to take a radical stand." + +"Such as what, please?--if you have the time to spare to tell me," said +Mrs. Everleigh, who had listened to him with deep interest. + +"Well, in my opinion there should be absolute medical freedom, as well +as absolute religious freedom," he replied. "No one school has any +moral right to persecute or seek to overthrow any other school, or +usurp authority to compel the public to submit to its method of +treatment, any more than any special religious denomination has the +right to wipe out other denominations, compel mankind to adopt its +tenets and submit to its mode of baptism. All men have equal +rights--the right to say whether they will or will not have this or +that remedy for their diseases; this or that doctrine to save their +souls. Any other attitude of class or government savors of bigotry and +tyranny; any law to enforce such conditions would be a criminal +infringement of man's moral and civil freedom, and a rank violation of +the boasted principles of our Constitution. I see by your shining +eyes, my dear lady, that you fully agree with me upon these points," he +concluded, with a chuckle of satisfaction, as he viewed her beaming +face. + +"I certainly do, Doctor Wing--you are an advocate for justice after my +own heart," Mrs. Everleigh heartily asserted. "And let me echo your +words of a few moments ago: 'I hope our acquaintance will not end +here.'" + +"Thank you, madam; and, since the desire appears to be mutual, we will +see to it that it does not," he smilingly replied, as he bowed himself +out. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +FIVE YEARS LATER. + +That evening, when Helen came home from a visit to Dorothy, who had +recently returned from her trip, and was pleasantly settled in her new +home, she found her "neighbor" gone. + +Knowing that John was to leave that day, she had purposely planned to +be away in order to save them both the embarrassment of a formal +leave-taking. She had seen him the previous evening, when they had +merely referred to the contemplated change, and had parted with a +simple "good night." + +But John was not willing to leave her in any such unsatisfactory way, +and when she reached home, after her day up the Hudson, she found the +following note awaiting her: + + +HELEN: I could not go without some expression of gratitude for what you +have done for me, and which you persistently avoided last night. +Through your divine charity, I am going out from this place, not only +in perfect health, but a new man, mentally and morally. + +When I look back---- But you have told me there must be no looking +back, no vain repining; I can see that is wise counsel, for I know that +only by blotting out the terrible past can I remain steadfast in the +new aspirations and purposes that have taken root in me since I have +been a pensioner upon your bounty. Words are inadequate to portray +what I feel, in view of what I owe to you, and volumes of promises, +unfulfilled, have no weight; but I am going to try to make my future +attest the sincerity of my present determination to retrieve the past. +The father within me yearns mightily for his child, but I know I am not +yet worthy to claim her as such. Some time, perchance, you may be +willing to have her know that, after long years of starving among the +husks and swine, the prodigal has come to himself, and is striving to +redeem himself. JOHN. + + +Helen's eyes were full of tears as she finished reading this note; but +they were tears of thankfulness, in view of the fact that she had not, +like the priest and Levite of old, "passed by on the other side," and +left the wanderer to his fate. The lost had been found; the man had +indeed become mentally and morally renewed, and she felt an absolute +assurance that John Hungerford's name would yet rank high among those +of other eminent artists of the world. + +She had told Dorothy nothing regarding these recent experiences in +connection with her father's sudden reappearance. She had given much +serious thought to the subject, for she wished to do right, to be just +to both Dorothy and to John; but in whatever light she considered it, +it did not seem wise that they be reunited at this time. It was true +that John seemed to have really "come to himself, like the prodigal of +old," as he had said; but she reasoned that it belonged to him to prove +it. His regret for the past appeared to be absolutely sincere; he was +full of enthusiasm to begin life anew upon a higher basis, and to put +into practice the promptings of an awakened conscience, together with +the better knowledge he had recently gained regarding man's individual +responsibilities. But, as he had written her, "volumes of promises +unfulfilled have no weight," and until he could show himself able to +stand alone it were better for both, perhaps, that he did not come into +Dorothy's life. She believed, too, that she owed it to Mr. Alexander +and his family also that nothing relating to their tragic past be +revived to cast a shadow upon their present harmonious domestic +conditions or their name. Hence she decided that she would let +everything rest as it was, trusting that the future, governed by a +higher than human wisdom, would unfold that which was best for them all. + +She was exceedingly thankful that Dorothy had been away during John's +entire illness. She had returned only a few days before he left the +Grenoble, and had gone directly to her new home, where Helen and the +senior Alexanders received the happy couple, and where they had since +been busy getting settled. Helen had also arranged to spend the day +that he moved with them, to make sure that Dorrie did not drop in +unexpectedly upon her, to make startling discoveries, and also to avoid +disturbing leave-takings with John. When the young bride at length +came to her, the little studio was dismantled, and it was explained +that the rooms had been given up, as her mother's living apartment was +now ample for all her work. + +* * * * * * * + +Five years have passed. + +Madam Helen Ford still occupies her handsome suite in the Grenoble +apartments, and pursues her chosen profession, still holding a warm +place in the hearts of her many friends and patrons, and +winning---literally and figuratively--golden laurels for herself, both +as an artiste and a noble woman. + +Dorothy is supremely happy in her beautiful home, and in the devotion +of her adoring husband. She is more lovely than ever, for she has +developed something of her mother's sweet, womanly dignity; and, with +her amiable disposition, her charm of manner, and reserve force of +character, is becoming a recognized power in the circle where she moves. + +Mr. Alexander has ever been a very attentive and considerate +son-in-law. He had always admired Helen exceedingly, from the evening +of their introduction, but after learning the history of her earlier +years--her sorrows, struggles, and conquests--he had regarded her as a +wonder. Her unfailing courage, the depth, strength, and beauty of her +character; her wisdom as a mother, and her steadfast devotion to her +profession, all impressed him beyond measure, and he began to idealize +her. That a woman whose life had been so blighted, who had been +deserted and left penniless, with a child to rear and educate, could +have risen to meet and conquer every adverse circumstance, assuming the +burdens and duties of both father and mother, yet preserving through +all the charm and sweetness of true womanliness, making the most of her +talents, and winning for herself and her daughter both affluence and an +enviable social position, seemed a marvel that caused him to bow in +homage before her shrine. And Helen fully appreciated Dorothy's manly +husband, and grew to love him as well as if he had been an own son. + +He had repeatedly pleaded with Helen to come and make her home with her +"children," but she had invariably replied: "My 'children' do not need +me, and I cannot become an idler yet." And, indeed, her many patrons +would have regarded their loss as almost irreparable, had she ceased to +grace their functions; for her voice had lost none of its brilliancy or +sweetness, nor was her personality one whit less charming than of yore. + +She had, however, of late consented to give up some of her younger +pupils, and this had given her more freedom--more time to spend and go +about with her dear ones, for she was still young at heart, and loved +to mingle with young people in their social pleasures. + +During these years she had never seen John. He had rigidly kept his +word, thus far, that he would "never trouble her again." Through Mrs. +Everleigh she had learned, shortly after he had opened his studio +downtown, that he was doing well, having plenty of work, and getting +fair prices; and this success, she was inclined to think, was, in a +measure, at least, owing to the influence of that good lady herself. A +few months after he left the Grenoble she had received a letter from +him, but he wrote very briefly, to explain that the check he inclosed +was intended to cover the expense of his illness while at the Grenoble, +including a generous thank-offering to Mrs. Harding for her devotion to +him at that time. + +Doctor Wing had later been remunerated for his services, and had felt +himself more than repaid upon receiving a beautiful autumnal scene, +done in oils, for which the artist refused to accept anything but the +physician's receipted bill, he claiming that even then he was the +debtor. + +Mrs. Everleigh also was the recipient of what she termed a "little +gem," and Helen, while studying it during one of her visits to her +friend, felt that it far exceeded anything she had ever yet seen from +his brush. Then he suddenly disappeared from New York without telling +any one of his intention or future plans. + +Long afterward, Helen read some complimentary notices, copied from both +London and Paris papers, referring to the work of a rapidly rising +American artist by the name of Hungerford; and this gave her great +encouragement for the time, but for the last two years she had seen +nothing relating either to his work or his whereabouts; and now and +then the fear that perhaps he had again lapsed into old habits that had +resulted in total failure would haunt and oppress her. + +One afternoon in December, having an engagement to dine out, Helen made +an elaborate toilet, and had just put the finishing touches to it, when +her bell rang, and a registered package was delivered at her door. +Upon opening it, greatly to her astonishment, a bank book and a check +book fell into her lap, together with a letter, the superscription of +which she instantly saw was in John's handwriting. With trembling +hands and quickened pulses, she unfolded the missive, and read: + + +HELEN: The inclosed books will, to some extent, explain themselves, but +I will add that I have deposited in the National Bank of Commerce of +New York, subject to your order, the sum of twelve thousand dollars. +If five thousand dollars were allowed to remain at interest for fifteen +years at five per cent, the result would be somewhere in the +neighborhood of the amount named above. I am not going to rehearse the +past; I simply wish to say that I have put this money aside for +Dorothy, if you think it best to give it to her and explain how it has +come to her. If, on the other hand, you feel it will disturb the +harmony of her life to recall a great wrong of the past, let it remain +to your own account, and use it as your heart dictates--it was really +your money, you know, although set apart for Dorothy. I offer it in +all humility, as a tardy act of reparation, which conscience demands of +me. I have prospered beyond my expectations. For a year after leaving +New York I studied and worked under my old master, Monsieur Jacques, +who has been more than kind to me. Since then I have had more orders +than I could fill, and nay name and work have been winning honorable +mention in various art centers. I am now in New York, on an important +commission, but expect to return to Paris within a few weeks. May I +come to see you, Helen, and ascertain if Dorothy, for whom my starved +heart is yearning beyond expression, will accept my offering, and grant +me an interview? Address me at the Hotel Astor. JOHN. + + +Helen was deeply agitated while reading this letter. She fully +appreciated the writer's position in wishing to make amends for the +wrong he had done so long ago, and she wanted to deal justly by him in +all things. But she did not quite know what to do about telling +Dorothy, for the passing over of this little fortune, that had so +unexpectedly fallen to her, would involve the rehearsal of many painful +details, that might, perhaps, mar her present happiness. + +Dorothy had never known of her father's return, five years ago; for, +having been away on her wedding trip during most of his stay at the +Grenoble, Helen had no difficulty in concealing the fact of his +presence in the house from her. + +Mr. Alexander was in prosperous circumstances; some time he would fall +heir to great wealth, and Dorothy would never need this legacy. Still, +it was a peace offering--an effort to atone, which she felt, in justice +to John, should not be ignored or rejected. + +Had she any right to deprive Dorothy of the privilege of accepting or +rejecting it, as she might see fit, or longer keep from her the fact of +her father's reappearance, his reformation, and the renown he had +recently achieved for himself? Did she, herself, wish to see him +again? Would it be just or kind to deny him audience, withhold +congratulations upon his success, and a Godspeed upon his future career? + +These were difficult questions, and for the time plunged her in deepest +perplexity. + +But she tried to reverse the situation, to put herself in his position +and to judge dispassionately what was the right thing to do. + +John had evidently made good his avowed determination to retrieve his +past; the tone of his letter was both dignified and sincere; the spirit +of humility and fervent desire to make restitution, pervading the +letter throughout, deeply impressed her, and caused her to feel that he +was at last worthy to claim his daughter, provided Dorothy wished to be +reunited to her father. + +"Dorothy is a practical, sensible little woman," she sighed at last. +"She is capable of deciding this matter, and certainly has the right to +speak for herself. Yes, I must tell her." + +She glanced at the clock. It was after four, and Dorothy would be +there presently. She was coming to spend an hour or two with her, then +Mr. Alexander was to take them to the Waldorf to dinner, and afterward +to hear Melba in "Il Trovatore." She resolved to improve the present +opportunity, discuss the matter fully with her, and so free herself +from further responsibility, as far as her child was concerned. + +She had barely arrived at this conclusion, when her bell rang again. + +"That must be Mrs. Alexander, Nora; I am expecting her," she observed +to the maid who appeared to answer the summons. + +So Nora, as had been her custom with Dorothy, touched the button +controlling the lower door, and, leaving the upper one ajar, went back +to her work. + +Meanwhile Helen had stepped to the mirror over the mantel to refasten a +brooch on her corsage, which had become unclasped; then, at the sound +of approaching steps, she turned, with outstretched hands, to greet her +dear one, a fond smile on her lips, a glad welcome in her eyes, only to +find herself looking into the white, eager face of--John Hungerford! + +All the light went suddenly out of her own face; her arms fell limply +to her sides; the smile froze upon her lips, and she caught her breath +sharply, shocked beyond measure by his sudden appearance. + +"John!" she gasped, with white lips, a look almost of terror in her +eyes. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +SOME INTERESTING REVELATIONS. + +"Yes; forgive me, but I simply could not wait to hear from you, +Helen--I had to come; I could not endure the suspense, so followed +close upon my letter, which," glancing at the package on the table--"I +see you have received. Besides--I--had something else to say to you," +he added, drawing nearer to her. + +"Something--else," she breathed, as he paused, yet scarcely knowing +what she said. + +"Yes; I have dared to hope--dared to come and plead that you will +forgive me the awful past and allow me to take care of you in the +future," he resumed, in tremulous tones. "Wait--oh, wait!" he begged, +as she put out a hand to check him, "let me speak--let me empty myself. +I cannot conceive how I ever could have been so heartless, so selfish, +so--brutal toward the most faithful and self-sacrificing wife in the +world! Let me atone--let me try to blot it out during the coming +years. You shall never know a care nor sorrow from which I can shield +you. My financial future is assured, I know I am a better man, and I +want to prove it to you. This newborn love for work, for right living, +and noble achieving has made me yearn to mount even higher upon the +ladder of success, and you would be a continual inspiration in my +career; while, having been lifted out of the depths myself, I long to +save others as you saved me, and we could work together in this way, +for our faith and aims are now the same. Helen--oh, Helen! will you +come back to me? Can you--can you?" + +He was as white as marble as he held out appealing, shaking hands to +her, his burning eyes fastened in agonized yearning upon her lovely +though colorless face. + +But in spite of her exceeding pallor, Helen had never appeared more +beautiful in her life. She was the picture of health. Her splendidly +developed form was clad in a rich evening gown of silver-gray chiffon +velvet, elaborately decorated with duchess lace and touches of rose +pink here and there to give it life. A costly comb of gold gleamed +among the massive coils of her bright hair, which scarcely showed a +thread of silver even yet; a curiously wrought chain, to which a +diamond cross was attached, was clasped around her white throat, and +handsome diamond-studded bands of gold--a recent gift from her devoted +son-in-law--encircled her shapely arms. With her beautiful, high-bred +face, and these becoming and elegant accessories of costume, she was a +most attractive woman. + +While John was speaking, she had stood motionless regarding him with +mingled astonishment and dismay. + +He had never seemed so manly to her before. He had become more erect; +his form had expanded, and he bore himself with a masterful dignity and +self-possession that bespoke a wonderful growth in character. His face +was earnest and purposeful; his clothing was fine and rich in texture +and fitted him perfectly; his linen was immaculate. What a contrast to +the broken-down, shabby suppliant who had come to her door five years +previous! + +He now looked the cultured, distinguished gentleman, and she knew he +was a "better man"--clean within as well as without. + +Why, then, did not her heart respond, her pulses quicken, to his +impassioned appeal? + +She could not tell; she was simply appalled, breathless, almost +paralyzed by his words. + +"Oh," she faltered, when he ceased speaking, "why did you come?" + +A groan of agony escaped him at this involuntary betrayal of her +attitude toward him. His hands clenched convulsively, then dropped +heavily to his sides; the veins swelled out full and hard upon his +forehead. + +"Because I could not keep away. Because, ever since that day when you +bade me try to live, start out anew and make my mark in the world, I +have had but one aim--one overmastering desire in life--to make myself +worthy of your esteem; to win an irreproachable name and position in +the world to offer you, and atone, if ever so little, for what I made +you suffer during those dreadful years of our early life. It was you +who aroused the dormant spark of manhood within me; now let me share +with you the fruits of that awakening. Oh, Helen! I honor, +reverence--I love you as never before; let me prove it." + +The man's voice, which had grown hoarse and painfully intense during +this appeal, suddenly broke and became almost inaudible as he ended his +appeal. + +Helen was also deeply moved. A great trembling seized her; the room +began to grow dark; she swayed dizzily where she stood, and then sank +weakly upon a near-by chair, but involuntarily throwing out a repelling +hand, as John sprang forward to her assistance. + +He paused abruptly, at her gesture, as if he had received a mortal +blow. Was his presence so repulsive to her that she could not endure +to have him come near her? + +For the moment he was crushed, humiliated beyond the power of speech; +then he slowly drew himself erect, his chest heaving with a long, +shuddering breath as he strove to recover something of self-possession. + +"Helen!" the name burst sharply from his hueless lips; "that means that +I have asked too much--that you cannot----" + +"No, John, I cannot," she gently interposed. + +The kindness in her tone half reassured him. He leaned eagerly forward +to search her face, but knew instantly from the look in her sorrowful +though unresponsive gray eyes that his hopes were vain. + +"Oh, I might have known you never could forgive----" he began, when she +interrupted him again. + +"I have forgiven." Her voice was tremulous but very sweet. "I hold no +bitterness against you in my heart--the last vestige was blotted out +five years ago, as I then assured you, and to-day I realize that you +are as worthy of my esteem as any other man who has resolutely overcome +the errors of his past and is steadfastly adhering to high ideals and +noble purposes. I can and do rejoice most heartily in the conquest you +have won," she went on, speaking with more calmness--"in the fame and +prosperity you have achieved, and which I am sure you will continue to +win. But--John, the ties which once united us were too hopelessly +severed to make it possible for us ever to piece them together again. +When I pledged myself to you thirty years ago it was a lifelong vow I +took. When the law annulled that union and--you formed other +relations, it was the same to me as if death had claimed you--I gave +you up, as absolutely and hopelessly as if you had literally been +buried from my sight; it was an unconditional surrender--the bond that +had united us was rent asunder, leaving a great gulf between us, and I +knew that the void thus made could never be filled again. Then I took +up my life to live it alone, and--thus I shall live until the end." + +The man had stood before her while she spoke, with averted face and +bowed head, which sank lower and lower as she proceeded, until it +rested upon his breast, while his attitude was like one bereft of hope. + +"I cannot bear it, Helen--even though I know the sentence is just," he +faltered, at length breaking the silence. "It was through your +heavenly compassion five years ago I gained a new lease of life, and +that life I solemnly vowed should be spent in the effort to master the +weaknesses that had been my ruin, and bereft me of all that a true man +holds most sacred--family, home, and reputation. Clinging steadfastly +to this resolve and your dauntless motto--'that there is hardly any +situation in life so adverse that it cannot be overcome if one only +goes to work in the right way'--I have conquered self in many ways. I +have won a competence and some measure of renown as an artist; and my +one inspiration throughout has been the hope of a blessed reunion with +my dear ones. Failing in this, the future holds nothing but emptiness +for me," he concluded dejectedly. + +"The future holds all good for you, John," Helen returned, and, as once +before during his illness, her voice was full of strength and +encouragement. "You have, as you say, learned how to overcome--how to +govern your life by principle instead of by impulse, and so have found +your true manhood. And you will keep on in the same way, for, as we +know, there is but one goal for us all--one ultimate attainment really +worth living for--the full stature of the perfect man." + +"But I wanted to atone to you--to take care of you--to bear burdens for +you, as you once bore them for me; I want to make you happy, Helen----" + +"You have already done that," she said, smiling up at him through eyes +that were full of tears. "To know what you have been doing--what you +have been achieving during the last five years--to see you as you are +to-night--redeemed--gives me greater joy than you can realize." + +He turned and walked away from her. He was crushed--almost on the +point of breaking down utterly before her, notwithstanding his manhood, +in view of this bitter disappointment. Yet he began to understand that +the old ties, which he himself had so ruthlessly severed, could indeed +never be pieced together again. There was between them a great gulf, +in whose fathomless depths there lay a royal heart rent in twain, and a +priceless love slain by his own reckless folly. How could he bear to +live out his life bereft of all his fond hopes? + +Presently, having in a measure regained his composure, he returned to +her. + +"At least you will allow me to make some substantial provision for your +future," he observed, with a pathetic air of humility. "That surely is +my right after my culpable improvidence of those early years. My +income is ample, and constantly increasing. I will settle an annuity +upon you for----" + +"But I do not need it, John, although I thank you for the kind +thought," Helen gently interposed, her heart aching for him, and +feeling that she herself could not much longer endure the strain of the +interview. "My own income is more than sufficient for my support, +especially now that Dorothy is settled in life; and, besides, I could +not be happy to give up my work. Ah!" breaking off suddenly, as her +bell rang once more--"that must be Dorothy; I am expecting her." + +"Dorothy! And I am here!" the man exclaimed, in dismay. Then, a sharp +ring of pain in his tones: "Helen, am I never to see Dorothy?" + +She hesitated an instant, thinking rapidly. + +"Yes, I think you should see her," she then said. "At least, I will +tell her that you have returned, show her your letter, and she shall +decide for herself. But, wait! you cannot get out now without meeting +her, and the shock would be too much for her to run upon you without +any preparation; step into the library behind you for a few minutes." + +She waved him toward the room, and he slipped into it, partly closing +the door, just as Dorothy blithely swept through the reception hall and +clasped her mother in her arms. + +"Mamma, dear, how lovely you are!" Dorothy exclaimed, in a sprightly +tone, as she fondly kissed her. "Your gown is vastly becoming; but +aren't you a trifle pale to-night? or is it that tone of gray? Sit +down, do, and when I get my things off I have something very important +to tell you." + +She threw off her elegant evening cloak and stepped forth, radiant in a +beautiful costume of pale-pink silk, chiffon, and lace, while the +nodding plumes of the same color on her dainty hat lent a piquant charm +to the happy, sparkling face beneath. + +"Now, I have great news for you," she resumed, sinking upon a low chair +beside her mother, and beginning to pull off her long white gloves. +"Whom do you think Clifford met to-day at the Gotham Club? Oh, I am +sure you could never guess, and I--I don't quite know how to tell you +without giving you a tremendous shock; but the--the stranger was--oh, +mamma!"--with a little nervous catch in her breath--"my father!" + +"Dorothy!" + +It seemed to Helen the most marvelous coincidence in the world that +Dorothy should have thus been already prepared, in a measure, for what +she was about to reveal to her! + +"Wait, dearie--just try to be calm until I tell you all about it," +Dorothy continued tenderly, as she slipped a supporting arm around +Helen's waist. "It was Mr. Carruthers who was entertaining, and it +goes without saying that he never dreamed he was introducing the +father-in-law to his son-in-law. Clifford, evidently, was the only one +of the company who comprehended the situation, for, of course, he +recognized the name, and then I had shown him that photo, which I have +always kept. It seems that he--my father--has been abroad again for +several years, devoting himself to his art, and has won great honors; +has had pictures hung in Paris and London exhibitions that have been +raved over, and it is said he has made a great deal of money. Mr. +Carruthers met him first in Paris, and says he stands high there with +the best artists, and is a conscientious as well as a tireless +worker----" + +"Dorrie--I----" + +Helen was on the point of checking her, for Dorothy's voice was so +earnest, so full of animation, she thought John could not fail to hear +every word. But Dorothy would not be checked. + +"Wait, mamma," she interposed; "I know just how you feel, for all the +strength went out of me, and I almost broke down when Clifford told me +about it, and what a prepossessing gentleman he is to-day; he says that +whatever he may have been in the past, he is sure he is fine now, +through and through. Dear," she went on tremulously, "it nearly takes +my breath away to know that he has come back--is actually here in New +York; and if he has changed--has become all that they say he has, it +shows that there was good in him--I wonder what kind angel found him +and rekindled the vital spark. It makes me sorry, too, that I was +quite so bitter against him, and said such cruel things to him that +last day--I could almost wish to see him again if--if it were not +for--that woman----" + +"She is dead, Dorothy." + +"Mamma! how do you know?" + +"I have known it for more than five years, dear," Helen gravely +returned; and, thinking she might as well tell her story now, for she +saw that Dorothy was inclined to be lenient toward her father, and +there was no reason why they should not meet at once. "While you were +away on your wedding trip," she resumed, "he--your father--came +here----" + +"Here!" + +"Yes; I have never mentioned it, for you have been so happy I could not +bear to tell you anything unpleasant. He saw me one evening on the +boat, as I was coming home after putting your house in order, and +followed me here. He looked poorly--was really ill, and I sent him to +Mrs. Harding for the night. He was taken alarmingly worse before +morning, when I had him brought here, and Mrs. Harding took care of +him, in the studio, for several weeks----" + +"In the studio!" repeated Dorothy, breathless from astonishment. "Did +she know who he was?" + +"No, dear; he gave his name to her as Williams, and she has always +believed he was some one whom I had once known in California, and +wished to befriend in his trouble--at least, until his relatives could +be notified." + +"Then he was here after I returned?" + +"Yes, for a few days only; but, before that, as soon as he began to +gain strength, he seemed to want to take up his work again. He painted +two lovely pictures here, then hired a couple of rooms downtown, where +he worked until he made enough money to take him abroad again." + +"Mamma! then _you_ were the good angel who rekindled the vital spark!" +cried Dorothy, who was now almost sobbing. + +"It has comforted me, dear, to think that I may have helped to inspire +him to take up his art again," Helen returned, adding: "But it was Mrs. +Everleigh who was really his 'good angel.'" + +"Mrs. Everleigh!" + +"Yes, I brought her here to see your father, and you know what she is +able to do for people who will listen to her; but I will tell you more +about that later." + +"Did she know _who_ he was?" Dorothy inquired. + +"No, dear; no one has ever known anything except as I told you--that he +was an old acquaintance whom I would not allow to be taken to a +hospital." + +"Have you never heard from him since he went away?" + +"Yes; several months after he opened his studio--I think it must have +been just before he went abroad again--he wrote me a brief letter, and +inclosed a liberal check to cover the expenses of his illness, he +said," Helen explained. "Now and then," she continued, "I have seen a +newspaper notice commenting favorably upon certain pictures he had +painted, and I have rejoiced in his success. This afternoon I received +a package from him----" + +"Oh!" + +"Here it is, with the letter accompanying it. Read it, dear, and then +it will rest with you to say what shall be done regarding the matter of +business to which he refers." + +Helen laid the missive on Dorothy's lap as she concluded. + +"How wonderful!" breathed the young wife, as she seized and unfolded it +with eager hands. + +Tears rained over her cheeks, as she read; but she dashed them +impatiently away and devoured the pages to the end. + +"Oh, what a transformation! And isn't it beautiful to read between the +lines and realize all that it means?" she cried, a note of exultation +in her tremulous tones. "He loves me still! he wants to see me! +And--we should accept this money," she went on thoughtfully; "don't you +think so? It would be unfair, unkind, to refuse it, when conscience +has prompted him to make this restitution; unless, mamma, dear, you +shrink from receiving it and from meeting----" + +"Dorothy," Helen hurriedly interrupted, "it shall be as you say; if +your heart yearns for your father----" + +"It does--it really does; I feel that he is good and true and worthy." + +"I am sure he is, dear," said Helen heartily; "and if you can give him +the welcome he craves, and so help to make his life brighter in the +future, it will give me joy to have you reunited." + +"That is simply angelic of you, mamma," Dorothy eagerly exclaimed. +Then, leaning nearer, she looked deep into her mother's eyes. "And +you, dearest?" she questioned. + +But her mother's lips were mute. + +They held each other's gaze in silence for a minute; then Helen bent +forward and softly kissed her daughter on the lips. It was as if she +had said: "That book is sealed forever." + +Dorothy's beautiful face clouded with a look of keen pain. + +"Yes, I can understand," she murmured, scarcely above her breath, and +with a regretful sigh. "But you will let him come, as he begs in his +letter--you will see him just once, to--to congratulate and wish him +well; will you not?" + +"Dearest, I have already seen him." + +"Mamma! when?" cried Dorothy, startled beyond measure. + +"Just before you came in--immediately after receiving the package. He +could not wait for a reply to his letter--I had barely finished reading +it when he came. He is here now--in the library--waiting to see you." + +Dorothy sprang to her feet as if electrified, as indeed she was. + +"Here!" she exclaimed, her voice resonant with joy. "My father here!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +A HAPPY REUNION. + +What of the man sitting alone there in Helen's library during the +interview between Dorothy and her mother as just related? + +Obeying Helen's behest, he had slipped into the room just as Dorothy +entered the reception hall, where he had dropped into a chair, and sat, +with his elbows on his knees, his face buried in his hands, like one +bereft of hope--dazed, almost benumbed by his crushing disappointment +in view of Helen's obvious attitude toward him. + +For five long years he had lived and labored for this hour; with one +high aim and end--one coveted goal set before him. + +His aim was to redeem his wasted life. To do this meant, first of all, +to make of himself a man worthy of the name--a man, the pattern of +which he had caught an inspiring glimpse during Mrs. Everleigh's +never-to-be-forgotten visits to him at the Grenoble five years ago. +And second, to achieve fame and fortune by means of the great gift with +which he had been endowed, but which he until now had never fully +appreciated, or possessed the energy and stability to develop and +perfect. And the end, the goal upon which his heart had been fixed, +was to win back the beautiful and wonderful woman who had once been his +wife, and with her his lovely daughter. + +Only he himself knew what battles he had been forced to wage, while +trampling under his feet the John Hungerford of former years; with his +indolence, ease-loving habits, with his aversion to everything like +real work and the propensity to shirk every possible responsibility; or +how, during his first year or two in Paris, he had struggled with +poverty, living in one poor, ill-furnished room, denying himself the +luxuries, sometimes almost the necessities, of life, in order that he +might avail himself of the coveted instruction of his old teacher. + +Upon his arrival in Paris he had at once sought Monsieur Jacques--who, +however, received him somewhat coldly at first--frankly stated his +position to him and begged that he would accept him as a student +again--at least until he could get a start for himself. + +When the kind-hearted Frenchman was convinced of his sincerity--when he +saw how eager he was for real work, he was overjoyed, and all his +former interest in, and enthusiasm for, his old favorite, who he felt +assured possessed the soul of the great artist, was aroused, and from +that hour he spared no pains to encourage and inspire him to the +highest achievements. + +John himself was indefatigable. He gave the closest and most +conscientious attention to his work; no criticism or suggestion from +Monsieur Jacques was unheeded; the smallest details were most carefully +observed, and his progress was almost phenomenal. The soul of the +great artist was at last thoroughly awakened and began to live and +breathe and glow in every stroke of his brush. + +At times his teacher was almost afraid that his zeal would exhaust +itself, or his strength fail; and occasionally he would compel him to +leave his easel and go with him to his country home for a day of rest +and recreation. + +John's evenings were mostly spent in reading and study--in strange +contrast to the opera-loving, theater-going habitué of former years. + +Many things that Helen had dropped, much that Mrs. Everleigh had said, +during those weeks of his illness at the Grenoble had shown him that +they were living in a higher and purer mental atmosphere than he had +ever known, and he craved to learn more of the faith or motive power +that made possible the invariable peace and serenity that illumined +their faces and exhaled from their presence. He knew that if he were +ever to win Helen again he must first rise himself, mentally and +morally, to her stature. + +At the same time he was daily becoming aware that, even though this +great boon were to be denied him--even though the broken threads of his +life could never be pieced together again, he was yearning, and would +ever continue to yearn, for this inspiring faith for its own sake. He +had never forgotten the sense of something new having been born into +his consciousness with Mrs. Everleigh's first visit to him--something +that had been steadily expanding and unfolding within him until he had +come to recognize it as the insatiable desire for conquest and +dominion; conquest over self--dominion over all things unworthy in his +life. + +When the merit of his work began to be recognized, when his pictures +began to be sold as soon as they were hung, no one was more jubilant +than Monsieur Jacques himself; indeed, he seemed proud as a father over +a gifted son. + +"Ah, Monsieur Hungerford will be great--his work will live!" he was +wont to say when asked for an opinion by would-be purchasers; and such +praise could not fail to add value to the artist's productions and +bring him plenty of orders. A strong and lasting affection grew up +between the two men; they often visited each other's studio--for by the +beginning of his third year John had been in a position to establish +himself in a handsome suite of apartments, with the simple legend +"Hungerford" hung in the great front window--where they spent many an +hour in social converse, or in discussing the merits and possibilities +of various schools of art. When, during the last year before his +return to America, the great teacher passed from his sight, it seemed +to John that he had lost a dear father as well as a wise counselor. + +Now, with name and fame established, with an enviable social position +attained, together with an assured competence, he had come back to his +own country, his heart beating high with the hope of a blessed reunion +with his dear ones--a hope that had been suddenly dashed to earth +during his recent interview with Helen; and despair filled his soul as +he sat there alone in her library and awaited the next move on the +checker board of his life. + +Dorothy's clear, sweet voice, as it floated to him from the next room, +thrilled him through and through; and, as he could not fail to overhear +much, if not all, that was said, he gradually became more calm, and +began to take himself to task for his own shortsightedness. + +He reasoned that he had been very unwise in coming upon Helen so +abruptly--walking in upon her without even announcing himself, like +some unbidden and unwelcome specter of the past. + +He had been greatly surprised at having been admitted so +unceremoniously; no one had inquired at the tube who was seeking +entrance, and no one had answered when he asked if Mrs. Ford were in. +Instead, the lower door had been immediately unlatched for him, and he +had found the upper one open when he reached the suite. Even then he +felt he should have rung her private bell and waited until some one +came; but, in his excitement, he had mechanically pushed the door +wider, when, seeing Helen standing at the mirror, looking more lovely +than he had ever seen her, he forgot all else save that he was once +more in her presence. + +He began to realize how he had startled--shocked her beyond measure by +this impatient, unwarrantable intrusion upon her. He should have been +more considerate--should have waited a day or two, until she had had an +opportunity to thoroughly master the contents of his letter and become +accustomed to the thought of his return; when she could calmly decide +and write him whether she wished to see him or not. Yes, he had made +what seemed to him an irreparable blunder, and he was proportionately +miserable. + +Then, as he caught something of what Dorothy was saying, as he detected +the ring of eagerness and even joy in her tones while she told of her +husband's meeting him at Mr. Carruthers' lunch; when she had said that +her heart really yearned to be reunited to him, for she now believed +him to be good and true and worthy, and--bless her dear conscientious +soul!--that she had been sorry, and condemned herself for the bitter +things she had said to him, the last time he had seen her, when he +deserved them all, and much more--he began to take courage again; and +it seemed as if he could control himself no longer--as if he must go to +her, take her in his arms, claim her as his own, and bless her for her +heavenly charity. But he must not blunder again; he must not ruin his +only chance by again being too precipitate. Perhaps, after all, Dorrie +might be his salvation--the one link that would eventually unite him +with the woman he adored. + +He almost wept when Helen had said if Dorothy could receive him and +help to make his life brighter in the future, it would give her joy to +have them reunited; then held his breath to catch her answer to +Dorrie's question: "And you, dearest?" + +When there came no reply, his heart sank again; especially when the +young wife had said she could understand, but begged her mother to meet +him just once to congratulate him on his success and wish him well. + +But the minute following, when he caught those eager, joy-ringing +words: "Here! my father, here!" he was thrilled to the depths of his +soul--he could restrain himself no longer. + +The next moment he was in her presence! + +Dorothy stood breathless, motionless, for a brief interval, searching +his face with earnest, yearning eyes; then involuntarily she drifted +toward him with outstretched hands. + +With a great sob of joy welling up from his heart, John Hungerford +gathered them in his, and, drawing her close to him, laid them upon his +breast, holding them there while he feasted his hungry gaze upon her +loveliness. + +"Dorothy, my darling! You do not repudiate me!" he faltered. + +"No, indeed, papa! I am glad--glad that you have come," she responded, +with an emphasis that left no doubt of her sincerity. + +How his heart leaped with joy as the old childish form of address fell +upon his ear! And there had been nothing forced about it, either; it +had slipped out as spontaneously as in their happiest days long ago. + +As a child, Dorothy had been very fond of her father and he of her; but +as she grew old enough to perceive his moral weakness, her respect for +him had begun to wane. Then, later, his indifference to duty, his +neglect of, and last his unfaithfulness to, his wife had hurt her +cruelly, had mortified her girlish pride, and aroused hot resentment of +her mother's wrongs. Yet there had been times when she had longed with +all her heart for his cheery presence and genial companionship, and +when she had grieved sorely over those last bitter, disrespectful words +she had flung so passionately at him. + +"You--are--glad!" he repeated, with deep emotion. + +"Yes, to see you--to hear you speak; to know that you have found your +true self and your own place in the world, and I am very proud, too, of +that!" She was beginning to recover her composure, although there were +tears in her voice as well as in her eyes. "You do not look so very +different," she continued, smiling up at him through them, and drawing +a little away from him for a better view, "and yet you do; you are +stouter, you have grown a little gray--a little older, but your eyes +are the same, yet they are clearer, more tranquil; your face is graver, +but more peaceful, and you are more----" + +"I hope I am more of a _man_, dear," he broke in upon her passionately, +then suddenly checked himself. "But I am not going to recall the past +to mar this blessed reunion, and the future will prove whether I really +am or not. I am filled with joy to find you willing to recognize the +tie of kinship between us; it tells me that you have forgiven me; it +augurs some measure of happiness for me in the coming years. You +already know something of what I have been doing of late years," he +continued, after a slight pause; "your mother has told you--I could not +help overhearing some of the conversation between you--but you shall +learn more in detail later. How strange that I should have met your +husband to-day! Of course, I did not once suspect his relationship; he +had the advantage of me there, and no doubt was sifting me with those +clear, searching eyes of his. Your husband! To think of you being +married, Dorothy! I cannot realize it! I am sure Alexander is a fine +fellow, though." + +"Indeed he is!" asserted the fair wife, flushing with pleasure at this +tribute to her dear one. "I am more proud of him than I can tell you, +and very, very happy. Listen! I think he has just come in." + +Her quick ears had caught the sound of a latchkey being inserted in the +outer door. The next moment she turned to see her husband standing +upon the threshold, viewing, with evident astonishment, the interesting +tableau before him. + +"Oh, Clifford, dear!" said Dorothy, throwing out a pretty, jeweled hand +to him, "come and greet my father, although I know that you have +already met him. Isn't it wonderful that I should have found him so +soon after what you told me this afternoon?" + +Mr. Alexander came forward and smilingly possessed himself of his +wife's hand, while at the same time he cordially greeted his new +acquaintance. + +He had been strongly attracted to the man during their previous meeting +earlier in the day, and truly John Hungerford had lost nothing of the +personal charm of his earlier years. Indeed, he had gained much in a +new and gentle dignity, and a certain purposeful poise that had come to +him with his awakening to the higher demands of life, and the stern +realities and experiences of the last five years. + +Mr. Alexander had been somewhat fearful that his wife's peace might be +disturbed by her father's unexpected return, and now, even though he +sympathized with her in her evident happiness, he secretly wondered how +this reunion could be perfected without arousing unpleasant comment and +curiosity regarding the past history of the family. + +He had searched Helen's face as he saluted her, but was unable to read +her thoughts, although he observed that she was exceedingly pale. + +Dorothy graciously invited the gentlemen to be seated, and for fifteen +or twenty minutes they chatted pleasantly of the events of the day; +John keeping Dorothy close beside him and clinging to her hands as if +he felt her to be his only anchor of hope in this critical hour. + +Now and then he ventured a look at Helen, who was sitting a little +apart, apparently listening; but her face told him nothing. Her +exceeding loveliness, however, impressed him as never before, and not a +detail of her exquisite costume escaped his critical, artistic eye. + +At length, after glancing at his watch, he arose, observing that he had +an appointment with a party who was about to place an important order +with him, and he must not linger longer, even though he was sorely +tempted to do so. + +Mr. Alexander had been considering the propriety of inviting him to +join his party at dinner and later for the opera. While he thought +Dorothy might be glad to have her father with them, he was not so sure +about Helen--he knew that this meeting must have been a great strain +upon her, and it was now quite a relief to him to have the matter +settled by Mr. Hungerford's reference to his important appointment. + +"I have some pictures with me which I think will please you," John +continued, including them all in his glance as he spoke. "I would be +glad to have you come to my hotel to view them privately, at your +leisure; and as soon as it will be convenient for you, for next week +they are to be hung for the exhibition of the Excelsior Art Club." + +"We shall be delighted, and I can hardly wait to see them," said +Dorothy eagerly. "May we come to-morrow?" + +"Do, by all means; come and lunch with me. Mr. Alexander, can you +spare the time to join us?" John inquired, turning to the gentleman. + +"Certainly; and it will give me great pleasure to do so," he cordially +responded. + +"Then shall we say one o'clock for the lunch?--if that will be +convenient for the ladies," and John Hungerford bent an anxious look +upon Helen as he concluded. + +Helen had remained quietly in the background during the foregoing +interview, having merely nodded a smiling welcome to Mr. Alexander as +he entered. She had been glad of the little respite to recover from +the excitement occasioned by John's unlooked-for coming, and also by +his impassioned appeal to her just preceding Dorothy's entrance. + +Her father's invitation to lunch with him brought Dorothy to herself +with a sudden inward shock. + +"Mamma, have you any engagement for to-morrow?" she inquired, turning +with an appealing look to her. + +"Yes, dear; I go to Yonkers for Mrs. Forsyth's reception." + +"Then let it be Wednesday, if that will suit you better," John quickly +interposed. + +"Wednesday I am booked for a concert, and Thursday for a house party at +Tuxedo. But pray do not let my plans interfere with yours; and, John, +I will see the pictures later," Helen concluded, in a friendly tone, as +she arose, came forward, and joined the group. But intuitively the man +knew, with a sinking heart, that he would not see her again, except, +perhaps, as they might meet casually at the art club or some social +function. + +There was a suggestion of finality in her calm, self-possessed bearing, +and even in her friendly tone, as she pleaded her engagements and +promised to view his pictures later, which told him that his most +cherished mission in returning to America had failed. + +An icy chill struck at his heart, blighting all his fond hopes, and +marble could not be whiter than was his face as he mechanically made +his adieus and passed from the room. + +At the door he turned and stood a moment, looking back at her, an +expression of mingled reverence and despair in his eyes. Then, with a +slight renunciatory wave of his shapely hand, he was gone. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +A FINAL RENUNCIATION. + +The following day Dorothy and her husband lunched with Mr. Hungerford, +as had been arranged, and afterward viewed with delighted appreciation +the paintings that were soon to be exhibited at the Excelsior Art Club. +There were twelve in all, and they displayed remarkable artistic +ability, both in coloring and workmanship, together with certain +realistic suggestions that appealed at once to the admiration and +sympathies of the beholder. + +As one studied them carefully one could not fail to be impressed with +the depths of thought and a certain something forcibly suggestive of +high ideals portrayed in them; or to recognize both the dignity and +purity of sentiment that had inspired the hand that had so skillfully +wielded the brush. It was as if the artist's chief aim had been to +give all that was best in himself to kindle the noblest qualities of +heart in those who might look upon his pictures as long as they should +endure. + +They were, in truth, beautiful poems in color, to feast the eye, +elevate and refine the thought--"songs without words," to make glad and +uplift all who were able to appreciate in any degree the divinity of +art. + +Dorothy realized much of this as she went, day after day, to study +these treasures which her father had brought from his atelier in Paris, +and her heart glowed with ever-increasing pride in these unquestionable +evidences of his genius. It also overflowed with devout gratitude as +she read, beneath the surface, the story of a wonderful consecration; +of the courage, fortitude, and perseverance which the man, in his +lonely exile, must have exercised in order to have been able to rise +out of the depths to which he had fallen to achieve such grand and +noble results. + +One day she went alone for a last look at these beautiful pictures +before they were hung for the public to view. Upon this occasion the +father and daughter had a long heart-to-heart talk with each other, +during which John confessed to Dorothy that he had allowed himself to +cherish strong hopes of a reunion with her mother, if he could prove +that he had become worthy of her. He realized now, however, he said, +that under no circumstances could he be worthy, for he had cut himself +off from her, absolutely and finally, by that irreparable mistake of +long ago, and he ought to have known that such hopes could never be +realized. Hence, as matters now stood, he thought it would be best +that the world should never be enlightened regarding their relationship +to each other as father and daughter. + +"It could not be done, dear," he said, with lips that trembled +painfully, "without involving explanations and a rehearsal of past +history which would make your mother unpleasantly conspicuous in the +circle where she has maintained an honored position for so many years; +and I could not bear to have a breath of gossip touch her, to mar her +peace in any way." + +"That is very considerate of you, papa," replied Dorothy, who had been +greatly exercised in view of the matter herself, after becoming +convinced that the breach of fifteen years ago could never be bridged. + +She had already talked it over with her husband, and they had both +agreed that, for her mother's sake, it would be better that the +relationship between herself and the talented artist remain a secret +among themselves. Still, it was not an easy task for her, as she sat +beside him, looking into his yearning eyes and listening to his +faltering tones, to assent to his self-sacrificing proposition to +relinquish his claim upon her, also. + +John's heart sank at her words. He had not quite given up all hope +until that moment; but Dorothy's noncommittal reply had seemed to +confirm his worst fears, that there was absolutely no hope of a reunion +with Helen. + +"Then, for her sake, we will agree to----" he began, in a hopeless +voice. + +"For your own sake, papa, as well as for hers," interposed Dorothy, +laying a gentle hand upon his arm, and almost weeping as she read the +misery in his face. "We must not ignore the fact that it would not +leave you unscathed in the midst of your honors; and, I imagine, there +might arise other complications for us all." + +He captured her hand and stroked it tenderly with both of his own. + +"The problem might so easily have been solved if--if I could have won +her anew; then we could all have come together again naturally, and no +one would have been any the wiser regarding the past," he said. "Oh, +Dorrie! do you think I could, even now? _Is_ there no hope?" + +His voice was hoarse from an agony of yearning as he concluded. + +She could not answer him for a moment. At length she lifted her +tear-laden eyes to him. + +"Papa," she breathed, almost inaudibly, "I--know there is--a grave in +mamma's heart." + +"The grave of a royal love brutally slain! The grave of a love for +which there can be no resurrection!" he groaned. "I know it, too--God +help me! Well," he went on, after a struggle to recover himself, "she +has given you back to me as a pledge of her divine forgiveness, and for +this I am unutterably grateful. So, dear, we will keep our secret from +the world, and make the most of our love for each other. I shall go +back to Paris within a couple of weeks, take up my work again, and keep +on striving to accomplish something that will make the name of John +Hungerford worth remembering. I shall, probably, never return to this +country, Dorrie; but you will occasionally come to me, will you not? +Say that you will grant me these oases in the desert of my future." + +He looked so crushed, yet seemed so patient under his bitter +disappointment that Dorothy, with difficulty, refrained from sobbing +outright; but, forcing herself to speak cheerfully, she replied: + +"I certainly shall. Paris is only a week away, and Clifford and I will +enjoy slipping over now and then to spend a little time with you; +besides, he always goes to London on business twice a year and takes me +with him, so we shall see each other oftener than 'occasionally,' and I +will write you every week." + +Thus it was arranged; and John tried to make the most of his reunion +with Dorothy--tried to be grateful that there would be some blossoms of +comfort to cull along the way, during what must otherwise be a very +desolate future. Nevertheless, the crushing blow his hopes had +received, the bitter cup of renunciation he was forced to drink, +seemed, for the time, almost more than he could bear, and left their +crucial impress upon him. + +He was a frequent visitor in Dorothy's lovely home on the Hudson during +the remainder of his stay in New York, and both she and her husband +exerted themselves to make his sojourn as delightful as possible, and +so give him something pleasant to remember when he should leave them to +resume his work and his lonely life abroad. + +All Dorothy's old affection for him was revived during this visit, +while both her admiration and wonder increased more and more with every +interview, in view of his mental and moral attainments, to say nothing +of the rapid advancement he had made in his profession, and which +seemed likely to place him, at no distant period, in the foremost rank +of artists. He certainly was a distinguished-looking man, and one +could not converse with him half an hour without becoming aware that +beneath the attractive exterior there were depth and strength of +character that would lead him still higher as years passed over him. + +His work won honors at the exhibition of the Excelsior Art Club. His +two finest pictures were marked sold on the opening day, and were sent +to grace Dorothy's home at its close. The others were all disposed of, +and when the artist finally left for Paris he not only bore with him a +rich harvest from his brush, but several orders for paintings to be +executed at his convenience. + +He had made his presence in the city known to Mrs. Everleigh as soon as +he could conveniently arrange to do so; and upon meeting him she had +also appeared deeply impressed by the great change in him. It hardly +seemed possible to her that he could be the same man who, five years +previous, had expressed little hope of his life, and manifested no +energy or wish to prolong it. + +At her request John had called upon her at her home. When he sent up +his card bearing his own name instead of that of Williams, under which +she had previously known him, she came to him wearing a look of +perplexity; but she instantly recognized and greeted him cordially, +although she studied his face earnestly as she shook hands with him. + +"My friend, there has certainly been a remarkable change in you," she +said. "I am more than glad to see you, however, after all these years, +and"--smiling into his eyes--"I am sure you have been forging straight +ahead." + +"You once told me, Mrs. Everleigh, that 'there was still work for me to +do here,' and I have been _trying_ to do it," John returned, with an +answering smile. + +"I feel confident you have; but"--referring to the card in her +hand--"how is it that you have sent me this--that you now call yourself +John Hungerford?" + +John explained that at the time he first met her, when he was so low +down in the world, he had dropped his last name, using his middle one +instead, to avoid recognition. + +"You do not mean to tell me that you are John Hungerford, the artist, +who has been exhibiting at the Excelsior Art Club?" the lady inquired, +with sudden alertness. + +"Yes--the same," he quietly replied. + +"Well, I congratulate you!" she earnestly returned. "I have seen your +pictures, but, of course, did not dream that I knew the artist. You +certainly have been working to some purpose. But how was it that you +ran away from us so unceremoniously five years ago?" + +"That must have seemed rather ungrateful of me, I am compelled to +admit," said the gentleman, with a deprecatory smile. "But I had +already been the recipient of too many favors; I felt I must begin to +stand alone--I had to _prove myself_--so I suddenly cut my cables, and +launched out into the deep." + +"We all have to stand alone in the sifting process," returned his +companion. "We all have to prove ourselves, and I believed that you +would make good; but I would have been glad of some tidings from you +now and then." + +"Thank you; and it is very gratifying to know that you had that +confidence in me," said John, with evident emotion. "I feel, however, +that I owe much to you for the measure of success I have attained, for +you taught me something of what life and its individual +responsibilities mean. But for your and H--Mrs. Ford's unparalleled +kindness to me in my darkest hour, I shrink from the thought of what +might have been the alternative." + +Mrs. Everleigh shot a quick glance at him as he made the slip on +Helen's name; then she gently observed, with her old winning smile: + +"We must not forget the Power behind, my friend." + +"No, dear lady, we must not; neither must we be unappreciative of His +faithful messengers," John gravely returned. + +Then he proceeded to briefly outline something of his life and work +abroad, speaking in high praise of his teacher, Monsieur Jacques, and +his kindly interest in him; and referred modestly to his own success, +both in Paris and also during his present visit to America. + +They spent a delightful hour together, and when he finally arose to go +Mrs. Everleigh named an early date for him to come and dine _en +famille_, "for," she told him, "I have not heard half enough even yet. +I must see more of you while you are here." + +When he was gone she sat a long time in deep thought, evidently +reviewing the very interesting story John had related to her. At last +she looked up with a slight start, a peculiar look sweeping over her +face. + +"Hunger--_ford_!" she said aloud, dwelling with emphasis on the last +syllable of the name. "I wonder----" + +What she wondered can only be surmised, but, knowing what she did of +Helen's life--even though she had never been told the story in +detail--it is safe to say that a suspicion of the relationship between +John, Helen, and Dorothy had been aroused in her mind. + +John did not see Helen again during the remainder of his stay in New +York. Helen felt that it would be better for them both to avoid +another interview, and she persistently kept herself in the background. +But she went to see his pictures, as she had promised, after they were +hung at the art club, choosing her opportunity one day when Dorothy and +her father were out of town, and thus securing for herself plenty of +time in which to examine his work without fear of a personal encounter, +which would have been both awkward and painful for her. + +She afterward wrote him a frank, friendly letter, in which she +expressed highest commendation of his beautiful pictures, and her +assurance that the future would bring him even higher honors. + +She closed by asking him to paint her a portrait of Dorothy the first +time she went to Paris to visit him, which, she knew, would be in about +three months. + +This request was like balm and oil to the man's wounded spirit, for it +assured him that she never would have made it if there had been aught +but good will in her heart for him, and immediately upon his arrival in +his adopted city--adopted, for he knew that it would henceforth be his +permanent home--he at once proceeded to fulfill her wishes, doing what +he could from memory and the aid of photographs, that he might not have +so much to do when Dorothy should arrive to give him sittings for the +finishing touches. + +Six months from the time she had made her request, Helen received a +beautiful, richly framed, three-quarter size portrait of her dear one, +that was to make her heart glad during all her future years--glad not +only because of the faithful likeness, graceful pose, and artistic +costume, but because of the masterly work that proclaimed it a +production of high art, and which, to her, seemed like a priceless seal +set upon the complete redemption of the man who had once been her +husband. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +A MASTERPIECE. + +Three years later, at the earnest solicitation of Dorothy and her +husband, Helen temporarily gave up her work to make an extensive tour +abroad with them. + +It proved to be, on the whole, a most happy and restful experience; and +yet there were times when a tear would start, or a regretful sigh +escape her lips as they went over ground and visited many places which +she had traversed with John during their ideal honeymoon, so many years +ago, and which could not fail to revive old associations. + +But her two devoted children were delightful traveling companions, well +posted, observant, and thoroughly appreciative in their sight-seeing; +always careful for her comfort, and allowing her to rest whenever she +did not feel quite equal to their more vigorous desire to "miss nothing +that was worth while." + +During these years previous to their trip, Dorothy had visited her +father, in Paris, several times, and when at home had corresponded +regularly with him; thus Helen had been in the way of knowing something +of the details of his life and work. + +She had also read of various notable things he had done, from foreign +papers and art journals. But he had never directly communicated with +her, nor she with him, except to thank him most gratefully for, and +express her delighted appreciation of, Dorothy's portrait when it came +to her carefully packed and ready to hang upon her wall. + +She had realized that when they reached Paris, where they planned to +remain longer than in most of the places they visited, she would be +liable to see more or less of him, and she had taken this carefully +into consideration before giving her consent to the trip. She felt +that if she went she must cast no shadow upon the pleasure of the +others. Dorothy had again become very fond and exceedingly proud of +her father; Mr. Alexander also held him in highest esteem; hence, in +justice to all, her own attitude must, in some measure, at least, +conform to theirs. She believed, too, that John understood her, and +would not allow himself to do or say aught that would disturb her +harmony, while she would be able to avoid awkward situations by always +having one or both of the young people with her. + +John received them, upon their arrival, with delightful hospitality, +and they found that every possible arrangement had been made for their +comfort in one of the best pensions of the city, as they preferred to +be located thus, rather than in a less homelike hotel. + +He had also a most attractive program planned for nearly every day of +their stay, subject, of course, to their preferences. But Helen found +herself more weary than she had anticipated on reaching Paris, and +decided it would be best for her to keep quiet for a few days before +attempting to do very much sight-seeing. + +As usual, she was allowed to follow the dictates of her own judgment, +while the others fell in with John's plans, and went about with their +accustomed vigor. + +The third day after their arrival, one of Helen's former patrons, who +was residing just out of the city, and had known of her coming, came to +call upon her, and, seeing that she was not quite herself, begged the +Alexanders to give her up into her hands for a week or two, promising +to give her every care, and take her about to whatever points of +interest she desired or felt able to visit. + +Dorothy was wise enough to see that it was not altogether weariness, +but something of a mental strain, under which her mother was laboring, +and she unhesitatingly, even eagerly, consented to the arrangement. So +Helen was whisked away to Mrs. Hollis Hamilton's delightful villa, +where, with an unacknowledged burden lifted from her heart, she began +immediately to rally, and was quite herself again in a few days. + +She saw John only twice after that, until the day before they were to +leave Paris. They had planned several times to visit his studio, but +something unforeseen had interfered each day. Now they could put it +off no longer, and that afternoon found them all gathered in his rooms +to view his treasures and have a little last visit together before +their departure on the evening express for Italy. + +It was the studio of an artist who had won both wealth and renown; +richly furnished, artistically decorated, and hung with rare gems from +his own brush, as well as from that of others; besides being graced +with various costly curios, with some fine pieces of sculpture, upon +which one could feast the eye for hours at a time, and never become +weary of the privilege. + +John had a few minutes' chat alone with Helen after they had made a +leisurely circuit of the rooms together, and during which he explained, +among other things--what interested her most--the underlying thought +that had inspired the subject and been wrought into many of his +pictures. + +It was the last time he ever saw her, and the memory of her face as she +listened to and talked with him never left him. As long as he lived, +it shed its luster on his pathway. It was like a radiant star, newly +risen, which would henceforth illumine the gloom of his darkened +firmament and cheer his lonely hours. + +She had been charming, had seemed to forget everything but her interest +in what he had been doing since his visit to America. She showed +herself well versed in art, also--that she had kept up with the times, +and was even well posted upon some of his own more important works that +had received honorable mention in some of the art journals. She was +eloquent, winsome, and witty by turns. Her manner was frank and +gracious, without a vestige of self-consciousness to suggest that she +even remembered the tragedy of their earlier years; something as her +attitude might have been toward a brother or a friend in whom she was +deeply interested. And when at length they paused in a great bow +window that overlooked a beautiful view beyond the sunlit Seine, she +observed, with glowing eyes: + +"What a glorious thing it is to be a 'great artist!' Yes," she added, +as he made a gesture of dissent, "Monsieur Jacques' prophecy is proving +true; I can see it unfolding more and more. It is a rare and noble +gift to conceive exquisite mental pictures like these, and then be able +to portray them for others to enjoy. Who can estimate their refining +influence upon the world, especially when one can _feel_ the uplifting +thought and inspiring lessons underlying their surface beauty? If you +are putting as faithful work into your life problem, John, as you are +expending upon your art, you surely are making rapid strides toward +that 'goal' of which we talked three years ago." + +"I believe I am honestly trying to do so, Helen," was his quietly +earnest reply; "but"--his lips whitening suddenly--"the way, at times, +has seemed toilsome and--lonely." + +His voice almost broke on the last word. + +Helen's clear eyes drooped; her face clouded for an instant, and, with +an inward shock of misery, John knew that his words had recalled the +lonely way she had once trodden, bearing both her own burdens and his. +He could have scourged himself for his thoughtlessness. He had charged +himself that morning not to recall by look or word one sorrowful +thought to mar her visit to him. But the next moment she looked up, +serene and smiling. + +"That is an experience we all have at times, I fancy," she said. "It +is a suggestion of that little demon--self-pity--that is liable to make +a great deal of mischief for us if we do not speedily conquer him." + +"I have found that out for myself," he observed, with an answering +smile; "he is at hand to trip at every step, if one is not alert." + +"And we know, John, there can be no company warfare, the battle is +individual, one must toil and fight alone for self-conquest. It does +seem wearisome at times, but it is grand, too, for every individual +victory won is just so much more achieved toward the redemption of all, +because it lessens the evil in the world in exact proportion to our +achievements, and also becomes an incentive to others to buckle on +their armor and do likewise." + +"That is a beautiful, helpful thought. I shall not forget it," he +gravely returned. + +"And I shall not forget my visit here," Helen went on brightly, "nor +this lovely view out over the Seine; these beautiful rooms, so +artistically arranged--they make an ideal studio--and particularly your +work. It has made me very glad to know what you are doing and how you +are doing it." + +"Thank you for telling me that," was all that John could trust himself +to say. + +"By the way," she continued, after a moment, during which her eyes had +roved over the place with a lingering look, as if to impress it +indelibly upon her mind, "what have you behind those draperies? I +thought it a window as I passed them; now I see it is not." + +John glanced in the direction she indicated, then back at her, +hesitated, and for a moment seemed at a loss to know how to answer her. +At length he said: + +"That is a picture upon which I have been working, at intervals, for +seven or eight years. Many times I have thought it finished, but I am +not yet through touching it up--not quite satisfied with it." + +"It must be something intensely absorbing," said Helen. "What is the +subject, if you will not deem it an impertinent question?" + +"I have called it 'My Inspiration,' because it and what it portrays +have long been that to me." + +"How interesting! You make me very curious. May I see it, John?" + +Again he hesitated, flushing slightly, and Helen, thinking perhaps she +had been presuming, was on the point of begging his pardon for her +thoughtlessness, when he smiled faintly, and replied: + +"Yes; while I am showing Dorothy and Alexander a little gem in marble +in the other room, go and look at it--no one as yet, save myself, has +ever seen it." + +He turned to the younger couple, who were approaching, and, saying he +had something to show them, led them into the adjoining room; while +Helen, experiencing something very like a sense of guilt for having +begged such a favor--a favor that as yet had never been granted +another, not even Dorothy, it appeared--stole to the curtained alcove, +loosened the knotted cords, parted the heavy draperies, and looked up. +A low exclamation of astonishment escaped her. + +The picture was a full-length portrait of herself, wearing an evening +dress of silver-gray velvet, garnished with costly lace and touches of +rose pink, and standing just as she had stood that night, three years +ago, when John took leave of her in her apartment at the Grenoble. The +figure and costume were perfect in every detail. John had a remarkable +memory, and he had caught not only the unconscious grace of her pose, +but also the sheen of the velvet, and almost the exact pattern of the +lace she had worn. And the face! It almost made her weep as she +studied it, for she could not fail to read the tender, worshipful +stroke of his brush in its every line and feature. + +She could not bear it; the story it told was too pathetic. She let the +draperies fall gently back into place, reknotted the cords as she had +found them, and stole softly from the room into the reception hall, +where she waited, trying to recover her color and self-control, until +the others rejoined her. + +Evidently they had been having a playful tilt over something, for +Dorothy was bubbling over with merriment, and both gentlemen were +smiling in sympathy with her mood. Thus Helen escaped any sense of +awkwardness in meeting John again, or in the leave-takings that +followed; no reference was made to the picture; he did not even seem to +be curious as to how it had affected her, and she parted from him with +what appeared to be but a cordial handshake and a simple good-by. + +But when they were gone, the man stood, white and motionless, for +several moments where they left him, struggling mightily within +himself. The supreme test had come--the test of absolute and final +renunciation. At last, with a quick indrawn breath that was very like +a sob, he went to the alcove where Helen had stood but a few minutes +before, loosened and drew back the draperies, and studied his picture +long and critically. + +Then he brought his pallet and brushes, and worked with great care upon +it for nearly an hour. + +At last he stood back and searched the face again. He had changed the +eyes in some way that made it seem almost as if a living soul were +looking through them, and the lips wore a softer, tenderer expression +that was like a gentle benediction. + +The new light in the eyes, and the sweeter lines about the mouth were +the result of what he had caught from Helen herself an hour ago while +they stood talking together in the great window overlooking the Seine. + +"It is finished; and it is my masterpiece!" he breathed, as he +reverently drew the curtains over the picture again, and then went +thoughtfully back to his workroom. + +* * * * * * * + +During many years that followed, the work of John Hungerford continued +to win fame and fortune for the faithful artist. A "Hungerford +painting" was regarded as a prize by its possessor, and its price as of +secondary importance; while, as a man, his name became the recognized +synonym of all that was benevolent, good, and philanthropic. + +Struggling artists of merit were generously and tactfully helped over +hard places, and sent on their way rejoicing; the idler was kindly +reproved and inspired to more persistent effort; the prodigal and +profligate were sought after, and, with convincing argument and wise +counsel, won from their degrading and enervating pleasures to higher +appreciation of the talent with which they had been endowed; the +faint-hearted were encouraged, the sick befriended, the homeless +sheltered. In fine, the distinguished artist was not only recognized +as an authority and a connoisseur in his profession, but also as a +great-hearted _Man_, whose beautiful and hospitable home, as well as +his studio, became a delightful and instructive resort for lovers of +art, or a refuge in time of need, as the case might be, and open to all +who, with worthy intent and honest endeavor, chose to avail themselves +of his generosity and kindness. + +Thus John Hungerford not only labored assiduously to charm the eye, +elevate and refine the taste, and mold the character through the medium +of his art, but he also--having himself been disciplined and purified +by suffering, and redeemed by faithfully working out his own salvation; +having learned also the higher meaning of Life, and its sacred +individual responsibilities--became the beloved benefactor of many who, +in later years, followed in his footsteps, to enrich, in turn, the +lives of others. + +Thus he abundantly fulfilled Helen's inspiring prophecy: "The future +holds all good for you, John," and so found peace, if not absolute +happiness, at eventide. + + + +THE END. + + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Redeemed, by Mrs. George Sheldon Downs + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 59277 *** |