“‘Oh, do you know him?’ she exclaimed, with a show of delight.
“Pleased to know that I had met one of his friends, I felt the flood of joy which shone out of my face as I said, ‘Yes, I have known him a long time.’”
“‘And do you know his wife?’ said my friend, as we started across the street.
“‘I met her once,’ I said, ‘just before she died.’
“‘Oh, I mean his present wife, formerly Miss Bringhurst.’
“‘Is he mar⸺’
“I heard the shout. I caught a glimpse of the horse’s hoofs as they pawed the air near my head, but I was falling, and all I know was that I could not stop. When I awoke I was in the hospital.
“I was not so badly injured from the fall as was at first supposed, although I received a bad scalp wound, which caused me to bleed so profusely that I must have been a terrible sight. I quickly recovered sufficiently to be taken to my home. I suffered days of untold agony. I could not believe what I had heard; I was sure it must be false. Roy, my Roy, was true to me; he was too true to our boy to do anything to make us suffer.
“Each day made my load heavier. Years were added to my age by the terrible strain which was brought to bear on me. I viewed my position from every standpoint and at last with a love greatly overshadowed with fear and doubt, I took steps to ascertain what amount of truth there was in the report.