Part 50 (2/2)
”Where is your -roohtn't a doctor to be fetched to hi htful pause, and then the visitor said firmly, ”Go and ask Mr Chester if he will see me for a few moments”
”Please, miss--htened me so last tio in”
There was a third period of hesitation, and then without a word the visitor went straight to the consulting-room, entered, and closed the door
Chester did not stir, but sat there in the glooe of utterly abased despair; and the visitor stood looking down pityingly at him for soalvanise hily ”Isabel?” he cried ”Yes, Fred; I have come”
”Hah! and Marion? How is she?” There was no reply for a few moments; then in a low, coht, but later on she dropped asleep, and I left her about three, perfectly calazed at her wildly
”Yes,” he cried, ”go on”
”I went in to see her at intervals of an hour, and she was still sleeping calrily ”You should not have done this”
”No; I ought not to have done this,” said Isabel, sadly ”You placed her in e, and I have betrayed your trust”
”What! What do you mean?”
”I went to her roo up and catching her ar
”Tellback”
”Must I tell you?” she said faintly
”Yes, yes!” he cried ”Why do you torture me?”
”Fred, I was to bla for your sake I could not foresee it all She has gone!”
”Gone?” he gasped
She held out a letter addressed to him, and he snatched at it and tore it open, to read with burning eyes:--
”Good-bye for ever I love you too well to come between you and the happiness that may some day be yours Do not seek for ive entle woive you the past as I have prayed her to; and she will forgiveas she does that it was in all innocency I did her that wrong Think of me as one as not to bla; they kept it froed in some unlawful scheme, and prayed my brother to take me away; but he could not shake off his bonds--I could not leave hiain”
Chester read to the last word, then turned half round and fell heavily to the floor
It was as if the tie which bound him to life had snapped in twain
CHAPTER THIRTY SIX