"And then came the tragedy. Some of the older men did it. They didn't stop to think. But they meant no real harm. In those days it was considered funny to get another man drunk. But they didn't know Cynthia's strange heart. They brought drink, more than was at all necessary and--and--all I remember of my wedding night is standing in the moonlight, holding on to Cynthia and crying miserably. I knew it would come sometime but I never dreamed it would come to hurt me then. "But Cynthy didn't cry. She never said a word--only her whole little body seemed turned to ice. She smiled and helped us to get through with things as best we could but the smiles slipped like dull beads from her lips instead of rippling like waves of sunshine over her face. "I had been crying for myself, over my boy, but when I saw how Cynthy took her trouble I saw that she was hurt far worse than I. But I never dreamed that things could not be mended, that she would take back her wedding day. But that's what she did. "She refused to see Roger. Her father pleaded with her, even her mother begged her to think; the wedding was all planned, everything prepared; relatives from a distance had already started. But Cynthia never stopped smiling and shaking her head. Roger was frantic and begged me to come with him, to make her listen. I went and Dick went with me. "When Cynthy saw me she let us in. Her father and mother and two aunts came in when they heard us. In the midst of these people Roger and Cynthy stood looking at each other with death in their eyes. They didn't seem to know anybody was there. "'Cynthy--I love you--I love you,' Roger begged. "'I know, Dear Boy, I know!' she cried back to him. "'Forgive--my God, Cynthy, forgive.' "'I do.' "'Marry me.' "'Oh, I want to--oh, I want to marry you,' sobbed poor Cynthy. "'Then marry me. I'm not good enough--but I know no other man who is.' "'Oh--Roger--Roger--you are good enough for me--you are good enough for _me_. But you are not good enough for my children. You are not good enough to be the father of my son.' "I think we all knew then that it was useless. There was no answer and we were too startled to say anything. Roger grew white and the strength seemed to leave his body. His eyes filled with horror and fright. "'Cynthy, sweetheart--' he moaned and she flew to comfort him. She let him hold her and kiss her. Then she drew his head down and kissed his hair, his eyes, his lips. She laid his hands against her cold white cheeks, then crushed them to her lips and fled. "Roger never saw her again. "She went away and was gone a long time. I got letters every now and then from out-of-the-way places.