The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-15

handle Of her door all that was swept away
in the great and shuddering horror that
fell upon her. That which she had dread
ed had come. Her door was locked on the
inside. She had never fastened IL since the
day OF the murder, on the morning OF
which she had accidentally left 1t I'M
locked. Since then she had always left II
unfastened, so that the room might be a
refuge in ease some miserable hunted fugl-
tive from Justice might fly there. There
was no pity in her action. Pity was turned
into hate and lay cold at her heart as the
murdered love which had once been be-
tween her and that fugitive. II was q
mere sense OF moral obligation. She was
bound TO this fugitive by hated letters,
but she was bound, and she was compelled
TO help him.
ut is l." she breathed rather than
spoke.
The door was opened, and she faced a
tall, poveriuly-built man, whose face and
figure were 80 terribly worn by hunger,
need, desperation, exhaustion, that for q
second she scarcely recognized him, and
stood gazing at him. lie pulled her into
the room with fierce, hunted look in his
eyes, and closed and locked the door
again.
"Why have YOU come here?" she gasped
in low, honrse voice. "When--"
lie laughed harsh, sinister laugh.
$50 you found out that had been therel
Well, he was a traitor2"
ooh, the wiCkodncss OF III lie was nm
honest, happy, Woodworking man; his
only crime that he had once been one OF
yours."
81 oh lo,o,, ,,;,h N go,,o,,a annual
threatening in his ewes. Don't talk OF
what you don't understand Get me food
and let me rest. have been hunted
down like wild beast since that day. The
police, curse them, have been on my track
ever since. ! could not get out Of the
country. have gone without food, shell
ter, warmth. But have given them the
slip. They will hardly think ! have
doubled back here. How did you know
that ! was here that dayY'
"Whon came home found that had
left my door uniastened, and when ! came
in saw the red marks OF fingers on the
box where my money was kept. The
money was gone. Only you knew the So.
cret OF the lock, besides, | knew you had
a personal grudgc against"
Course youl He was n traitorl Give
me something 10 eat, / have starved for
two days.
She prepared Il meal for him and he sal
down and ate IL wolfshly She could moi
even pity him for the awful hunger he
must have felt 30 eat like that. She began
10 be- afraid OF the hate in her heart She
felt sick with il. To see him sitting there
in her room, which she had kept unpol.
lutcd from his presence for three years,
filed her with desperate, wild loathine
and rage. She could not look ut him, speak
10 him.
by and by, when the food, and warmth,
aud rest had strengthened him n little,
and lac could think OF other things besides
his own desperate, hunted self, he looked
at her, and something maliciously amused,
and yet cruel and angry, leaped into his
eyes.
"Nou aren't pleased 10 see me-" he
said, with laugh. at isn't dutiiul, and
lac flung out his arm rs she passed him
aud caught her a. him.
GLOW dare youl' She had wrenched
herself free and caught up a knife from
the table at the same moment. "lf YOU
touch mc-spcak 10 mel will stab you
Ia the heart
lie was cowcd by the splcndor Of her
passion, her anger, and he fell back, sui
| len, cnug"d; but, remembering that hC
| was for the moment In her power, h,
| cursed her under his breath, and ther
| flung himself down on the bed to sleep.
She could scarcely breathe in the sam,
atmosphere ~ lac did, and yet she did moi
dare leave the room. Suppose Mark Grey
came and found him there.
The quick, light footsteps she knew "
well came running up the staircase Outsid,
her room. Before her tortured brain coulC
| think what she must do they stopped n
her door There was quick, eager tap
ping ON Il. She sprang 20 her feet an,
ran 10 II, opened Il aud passed ont on {,
the landing, closing II swiftly behind her
Mark Grey stood there waiting for her
Some powerful feeling stirring him touch
cd her, aud she knew before hc la,
spoken that this was not the Mark Gre,
she had hitherto known. Hut she had M
time "a wonder what the change was. II,
caught her hands In his. She felt then
burning her.
"lt seems 10 long since have seen you
Janet. May ! call YOU Janet"
"lIushl' she whispered in q sharp voic
that pierced her own ears, ''yOu must no
speak 80 loudly. My husband is in Their
asleep"
"Your husbandl" His burning hand
went suddenly cold ~ death, aud thci
chill struck TO her heart Your husband
Janct2'
"Ycs. Her husband" The door Of IA
room was flung open, and Joseph Malon
stood in the light falling from the room /
The dark landing, his eyes ablaze wit
jealousy and fury.
80 this Is Why you would not kiss Inc
You"
"llushl Joseph! oh, hush!" Sh
pressed her hand against his liIs 20 chez
the foul words upon them. Go bach
unless you wish 90 Kill mcl'
hut lac stood ior second like q ma
turned suddenly Ia stone The light iroi
the ruum tell fall on the white, sci face
the other man, and NJ the mist VI fury f.
itum Malonc's eyes hc aw that fac
plainly tot the inst time. lie drew hac
insiinciiycly into the room and she e.
lowed, swiftly shutting the door betwec
them aud Marx GRAY.
why did YOU risk N much by show
ing ~ she began. aud then stopped, te
riiicd by the look ON his face.
You vile tfaitorl' hc Missed, ito Nc
me Ia the police Don't pretend YOU don
understand, W I will choke the lie Ia you
throat That IL Jcrmyn, the dctcciiy,
who has been hunting me down like
bloodhound Hut will"
lie pulled ogt u rcyolycrirom his brcas
But, with n cry, she spnng between hiI
and the door.
"llc shall not touch you'll You are m
husband And"
She was out Of the room before she Ia
finished her sentence. She heard steps
little heavy aud uncertain descending III
siairrasc, and she ran down 20 oNcTtak
them.