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

from justice, but gung Of evil confeder-
ates, was closing in on Them. This very
night his plans were TO be put into execu-
ton. II would be q proceeding OF no little
peril, and he had come 10 have one last
look at her in case
And now when he had thought his
quarry secure in totally different quarter
Of London, he found him in the very
house where. All the modification OF his
batiled plansIand it would have been
cruel enough at another time-was swal-
lowed up in the, greater passions rending
his heart. This man-this murderer, round
whose neck he had with such matchless
| skill and patience been twisting halter
was her husband And he had not even
known that any man had called her wife !
He stood outside, gazing across the street,
his eyes dark, and burning with suffering,
jealousy bitterness.
Why had she not told him?
| MARX She stock by his side. For
the first time she used his Christian name.
| The name by which she had hitherto
called him was not his, and she could not
use his other, which showed him to be
the dead mans avenger. He did not stir
nor speak, and she laid her hand on his
arm. "Mark," she said again, IL never
told you, because | was so ashamed that
such man had called me wife. We were
married seven years ago. | was a girl
then-only eighteen-ioolsh, ignorant,
romantic. ! met him in America, he was
over there posing as q MARTYR for his coun-
try-lreland. He was eloquent, enthu-
sastic about the bitter wrongs Of his coun-
! try and people, and believed him." Her
! voice broke into more passionate note,
but she quelled it. 81 believed that he
was brave patriot, who had given his all
for his country, and was being shamelully
prosecuted by its oppressors. | married
him and found him TO be liar--rapacious
revengeful, cruel Instead OF having
given up all OF his country, he was grow
ing rich out Of the poor and ignorant who
trusted him. learned to hate, despise
and fear him. After time left him,
and have lived as you know how. And
now, 10 add TO his crimes, he has commit
ted this last, most dreadful one Of all-and
still | come 10 you 10 plead for his life,
though he has been the anguish OF mine. Z"
She knew the man 10 whom she was
! pleading; some desperate, dumb fear of
herself guided her TO the knowledge. II
she could plead for that miserable wretch,
he could crush his own feelings and listen.
II was no time for love; vet she knew that
he loved her as she loved him. But be-
tween them this unspokcn love lay like a
naked sword, commanding their faith and
purity. And she could sec but one way TO
obey that command-tos spare the man who
kept their livesapart. He understood her.
But his mind refused to submit, because Of
another element warning in it,
There was lovcl II he let this man
escape, he lost his love. Fearl For IL he
laid his hand on this man, might il not be
n trcacherous revenge for the love he was
losing? But amid this tumult OF heart
voices another spoke, and il grew louder
and clearer. Dutyl Ii he LET this man 90 he
was n traitor himself. lie hal had his or
ders. Till tonight he had obeyed such or
dcrs ~ an honorable man should. Yet, II
he obcycd tonight, would she not turn
from him ~ n coward who had sacrificed
this rival for the sake Of his love? She
could not see this duty. She was arguing
desperately against their love 10 save their
honor. hut there was this other call
And then suddenly, all fear Of her mis-.
understanding him vanished. The clouds
of stormy passion cleared from his brain.
lie had always made duty plain path 10
his feet. And now in this moment of his
supreme ordeal, the simple rectitude Of his
| life saved him.
"Janc," he said quietly, though his
voice was fainter for the storm that had
shaken him, 81 cannot do what you ask. ;"
She fell back against the railing, clasping
II with her hand TO steady herself. All
hesitation gone now, he ran up the steps
leading to the house door. II was ajar as
she had left IL. Though the scene might
have taken an age II measured by the
passion Of Il, II had In reality passed in O
few seconds. But now that lac was acting
again, every second lost seemed preciou.
as an hour What II his quarry had es
capcd2 lilo ran up stairs with quick, light
feet, drawing his revolver M he went
The man was powerfully built and des
pcratc. II ho had met any men on his
way up stairs he would have told them "a
guard the door and windows in casc-bul
only a woman came out OF one Of the
rooms ~ he passed, and he had no time &c
stay and seek help. lie must grapplo Will
the murderer alone. Ills only fear nov
was that he had escaped by the back o.
the house.
Oh Why had he los, even those few
scconds2 lie reached the landing-ther,
was no sound from the closed door o
JAnei = foou.
lie tried the handle. II was locked OF
the inside, for, bending swiftly 10 look, h,
saw the key showing dark against the ligh
In the room.
With n mighty effort he flung himscl
with his whole force against the door. Til,
irai lock gave way, and bursting open IN,
door Jcrmyn rprang into the room. 4,
see that Joseph Malone had cscapedl Tn,
, room was M he had always seen II, when
In passing he had caught a glimpse int,
ia purity of ncatncss aud clcanncss Tn,
only disorders were the remains Of tina
supper left on the table aud the disarrangc,
coycrlci, upon which the murderer la,
flung himself, mud stained, weary, sullcl
and fall Of hate Of the woman who Ia,
done her best 10 save him. Aud he In,
now across her hearth beyond the rcacI
oi justice NJ Of human help. done 10 dealt
I 10y his own desperate, dcspairing hand
This was his last way of escape from th
halter already closing round his neck
, Patrick UConnor was avenged, aud
. problem Of love and life solved.
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