The Truth About Tristrem Varick

and. He strolled past the row of hotels that front the sea, and pausing a moment at the Casino, fragrant then, and free of the stench of drink that is th

antless bath-houses, and on through the glorie

hite, gurgling an invitation to their roomy embrace. And when the hotels were lost in the distance and the solitude was murmurous with nature

And as he idled over the meal he recalled the horrors of the night, and smiled. The air of the morning, the long and quiet stroll, the plunge in the sea, and the after-bath of sunlight that he had taken stretched full length on the sand, had dissipated the enervating emoti

it ran, "your father is

mes when I am utterly imbecile. Your father is dying. Yes, of course, I must go at once. But it isn't possible. H'm. I remember. He looked ghastly when I saw

ts children, if a father treats a son as a guardian might treat a ward, the ties are conventional; and on what shall affection subsist? It was he who called me into being, and, having done so, he assumed duties which he should not have shirked. It was not for him to make himself a stranger to me; it was for him to teach me to honor him so much, to love him so well that at his death my

se a reply. She suggested, however, that information might be obtained at an inn which stood a short distance up the road. He scr

er summer far back on his head, and his feet turned in. He listened to Tristrem with surly

n Tristrem from the station the night before, and w

; I just took a pa

edgment. "Can you take me to the station?" he asked the negro; and on receivi

w Viola's assistant of the precedi

a night out of doors, I'll bet. And none the worse for it, either." He

!" he exclaimed, and cracked his whip with delight. His horse started. "Here," he said, "I near forgot. Whoa, there, can't you. This g

adside. Save for an incidental speck or two it might have come fresh from a bandbox. Tristrem

she began, "Vio

e? May I n

ely slept

y's face. The lids of her

her? May I not, m

etter that you should not. The doctor has been here. He says that she should

hat they were due, who shall say? She seemed to

question, Mrs. Raritan almost choked. She shook her head, however, but Tristrem w

d night. When you are able to come back, it will

erent. Mrs. Raritan appeared

fflicted. "You will tell her, will you not?" he added; "tell her this, that I wanted to see her. Mrs. Raritan, my whole lif

tan bowed

erstand. Tell me," he continued, "last night I awo

l wh

wholly asleep, but I thought I heard

u must h

own the luggage, and st

Raritan-I love her wit

ivered. "She knows

ask her

I will

t words failed him, it was his face that completed the message.

nded, and the station stood in sight. And just as the

egro exclaimed, "you ou

in gone?" Tr

" The man was insolent in his familiarity

iven much not t

less uncivil. "Would you ree-ly li

uld i

twenty-five d

rem n

e shunts off till the mail passes. Like as not the express is late. If I ge

onnection I will

t there, boss. Just lay ba

roads of New England, through a country for which nature has done her best, and where only

e horses to their utmost speed. Peacedale was in the distance; Wakefield was passed, and in a c

gro exclaimed, exultingly. "I'

the negro was counting a roll of bills, and in a dra

d drink. By this time the train had reached New Haven, and there Tristrem alighted to smoke a cigarette. He was, however, unable to finish it before the whistle warned him that he should be aboard again. The port

e him, and lit a fresh cigarette. As he smoked he looked at the reclining form of his vis-à-vis. About the man's neck a silk handkerchief had been rolled, but one end had come undone and hung loosely on the cushion, and as Tristrem looked he noticed that on the neck was a wound,

trem saw that it was Royal Weldon, and that on his face was a bruise. He would have spoken, for Weldon was looking at him, but he recalled the wanton lie of the week before, and as he hesitated whether to sp

key, and rang the bell. But when Harris appeared he knew at once, by

it happen?

nd showed him the address you left. When I went to hannounce dinner, sir, he was sitting in his arm-chair with his hat

ed my grandfathe

in this morning, and left word as how he wo

vis, and get my thi

sir," he added, "would you wish some di