Then she stood with her
back to the light of the window. He saw a figure standing in the shadow,
came forward and bowed, not at first looking closely at the face.
"I have come from your husband," he said. "My name is Mark Telford"--
"Yes, I know," she interrupted.
He started, came a little nearer and looked curiously at her. "Ida--Ida
Royal!" he exclaimed. "Are you--you--John Gladney's wife?"
"He is my husband."
Telford folded his arms, and, though pale and haggard, held himself
firmly. "I could not have wished this for my worst enemy," he said at last
"Gladney and I have been more than brothers."
"In return for having"--
"Hush!" he interrupted. "Do you think anything you may say can make me
feel worse than I do? I tell you we have lain under the same blankets
month in, month out, and he saved my life."
"What is the message you bring?" she asked.
"He begs you to live with him again, you and your child. The property he
settled on you for your lifetime he will settle on your child. Until this
past few days he was himself poor. To-day he is rich--money got honestly,
as you may guess."
"And if I am not willing to be reconciled?"
"There was no condition."
"Do you know all the circumstances? Did he tell you?"
"No, he did not tell me.
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