Part 14 (1/2)
”I don't know,” answered Miriam slowly, ”whether he would or not.”
”What!” gasped the girl.
”Don't misunderstand me,” pleaded the woman. ”There are two Lawrence Challoners--one is the man I love--that loves me; the other is the Lawrence Challoner who--well--I don't care,” she added fiercely, ”what he's done, I want him back.” She sobbed for an instant. ”You didn't know, s.h.i.+rley, that we had a quarrel--I treated him badly, shamefully; he hasn't come back since.”
”You quarrelled--you, Miriam!” The girl opened her eyes wide. ”What about?”
”Money,” admitted the conscience-stricken woman--”money. He wanted me to give him some--a perfectly natural request, wasn't it?--Men have got to have money,” she went on, repeating his words, ”and I wouldn't give him any. It was brutal in me--I can never forgive myself!”
A look of astonishment crossed s.h.i.+rley's face.
”You wouldn't give him any money? And he didn't have any when he went away?”
Miriam wept. After a moment she answered:--
”No. My poor Laurie--think of him starving, freezing, perhaps dying!”
s.h.i.+rley Bloodgood drew a long breath.
”And Colonel Hargraves was robbed,” she murmured to herself.
”I don't think you understand,” Miriam went on, breaking in upon her thoughts. ”Of course I don't believe that Laurie is guilty of the things they charge him with; but he must come back and stand trial and be acquitted--and I must stand by his side through it all.” She broke down completely.
”On the evidence they have,” s.h.i.+rley returned, trying to comfort her, ”they'll----”
”What's that?” inquired Mrs. Challoner, starting up nervously, in alarm.
”It's that horrible bell ringing again,” she went on breathlessly.
”Don't you hear voices below? Listen--I thought I heard....”
s.h.i.+rley stole to the door and listened. Presently she called back:--
”Don't worry--whoever it is, Stevens is sending them away!”
”I hope so,” sighed Miriam, ”for I can't see any one--I won't see any one, unless--Oh, Laurie, Laurie,” she cried out, ”why don't you come home!”
Suddenly s.h.i.+rley fell back from the door; it was being stealthily pushed open.
”Oh,” she gasped, ”it's only Stevens! How you frightened me!”
Stevens stood in the door at attention, looking neither to the right nor to the left, but straight over the heads of the women. He drew a long intake of breath, then he spoke the name:--
”_Mr. Challoner._”
And hardly were the words out of his mouth than he was thrust aside, and there stood in his place a spare, gaunt, tottering figure--a man dishevelled, soiled, exhausted--James Lawrence Challoner had come home!
At the sound of the name the young wife's face turned pale, and for a moment words failed her. Then all of a sudden she sprang to her feet and rushed to him, crying in an ecstasy of joy:--
”Laurie, Laurie, you've come home to me at last!” And throwing her arms around his neck, she kissed him many times, laughing hysterically and crying the while: ”You've come back to me!” And once more the freshness of youth, joy and hope were in her voice.