“I shall never close my door against her.”
“May I ask you a question, Mr. Wilmer?”
“As many as you choose.”
“And you need not answer me unless you wish. Could you take her back and love her as well as ever?”
Scott waited some time before answering, as was his custom when asked a very important question.
“Paul,” he said, “I could never take her as my wife again. As far as that is concerned, I had better buried her; but should she ever return to my home, she shall never want if I have the power to aid her.”
“Oh, Mr. Wilmer, I am so glad to know that she will not suffer, for how terrible it would be to come to poverty after having lived in luxury, as she has. I knew you were noble, but did not know any one could be so generous.”
“No, Paul, I am not noble; you do not know, and heaven grant that you never may know, how hard were 150 the battles which I have fought to bring myself to that decision, but I have found that my marriage to Irene was a terrible mistake—a very grave error. Had she remained as my wife I should have endeavored to do all in my power to make her happy, but her own hand has severed the tie, and with God’s help I shall turn my back on the grim shadows that she has thrown across my pathway, and try to do life’s duty just the same as though all had been sunshine. I do not wish to censure her. I am only fearful that her sin will bring her more unhappiness than she can bear, for invariably the wages of sin is death. Paul, I am sure you will keep secret all that which I have entrusted to you; and now there is a matter of which I wish to speak, and I may want your help, if you will consent to aid me. The work requires cool, calculating and close figuring. The happiness of a life is at stake, and we must lay aside our own cares to work out the problem.”
Scott then related the interview between Mr. Le Moyne and himself.
Paul started to his feet, and grasping Scott’s hand in great agitation, he said: