The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1892-06-23
OfGial PaDaF Of North Yakima.
Sixth PAoD.


promised to write. and the wild notion
got hold Of me that mebbe you would
take up with me IL Yinie was ont Of
your reach. guess l was half crazy,
and treated Josiah like the dirt under
my feet. But It didn't seem to make
any difference with him in the end-hp
was almost too stupid to know it. Well,
vinie was looking for that letter.
hadn't breathed a word, but she knew
you would write. I could see It in her
face as she went every day to the post
offiee with a light step and then came
dragging home with her eyes CLASSY and
her face kind Of pinched and withered.
She grew whittier and whittier every day.
most as II you could look right through
her body. But she would drag herself
to the postoffice and come back disap-
pointed, and could not help exulting.
don't know whether | wanted her to
die or not. | was wicked enough to.
But finally she broke down in the first
OF her hysterical spells, poor weakly
thing that she was, and she would make
me go to the postoiice. and the letter
came that very day. | couldn't bear
she should have it. Thought Id rather
be tore limb from limb. didn't know
what was about, guess, for walked
around long time in a kind Of daze,
and at last found myself down by the
river at the old red bridge. and took
the letter out Of my pocket and tore it in
little strips and threw them out on the
water. and can see them now 60 bob
bing tip and down on the current"
Every particle Of color had left the
captains face, and his eyes were blazing
like balefres. He gave 4 wildcat spring
and seized her two wrists in a grasp Of
iron. And 1t was you that spread that
dannable story all over the town that
had wife and children in Saint Kits,
and was trying to commit bigamy. And
when came home her mother met me
and told me the report, and said her
daughter hated me and would never
willingly see me again"
Let me CO. shrieked Sister Martha.
rs the vicelike grasp frightened on her
wrists. ''rd have took you il you'd had
forty wives in all the ports. but you
treated me as II I'd been a toothless
thing. You spurned me, George Bligh,
and forced me to marry Josiah Whit.
cumb Let me go, or III screech bloody
murder. You look as II you meant to
kin me. I tell you Mother Mayhem he'd
She was a good Christian woman, but
she lied. Vinie loved you: she always
has, poor shadow. sitting at her window
year in and year out to see You pass,
without so much as ever turning your
head, watchin nights the light in your
house as II her life hung on it.
The captain let go her wrists. There
was a horrible look in his face. His
fingers crooked rs II ready to seize the
woman's throat. She had gradually
backed into corner, whence there was
no deliverance. At that moment the old
parrot awoke on his perch and called
out in a sleepy. raucous voice. Don't be
4 fool, GEORGE" The captain stumbled
back and fell into his chair. He wac
terrified at the murderous impulse thai
had come over him. There was a long.
snarp knife on the table. he Just
glanced ut It and fell into shuddering
Ct, turning sick and giddy.
She was at the door Of the room now,
and had stopped to say she hoped he
would forgive her, or something to that
effect, but his head was in q whirl and
he could not take IL In. BE had almost
been q murderer. and the horror Of it
and The weakness that came with sense
Of escape 6lled all his being. Her voice
seemed to come from q long distance
Oh; and rs he sat there, crouched over,
with his head in his hands, he heard
steps go along the passage and the front
door open and close. There was such q
humming and roaring in, his ears, he
wondered II he were growing deaf.
Niagara seemed poured through them;
every drop Of blood In his body was
ebullient. Something had happened TO
the captain.
Sister Martha meantime had managed
10 get into AIMS kitchen by the back
way. Miss Mayhem saw her pass the
front Of the house as she sat at her win.
dow engaged on 4 pink zephyr wool sack
Tor Tom Murphys seventh baby. Tom
Murphy was her gardener and factotum
and at that moment was cutting the
lawn IN front Of the house. She was
startled, and the work hung suspended
on her hand to see how Sister Martha
stopped and halted. How old her figare
looked in spite Of the smart mantle and
the artifcials.
Ann, too. as she stumbled into the
kitchen was surprised at the sallow
ghastliness Of her face. She fell bach
gasping on chair, and when she came
10 herself she found that Ann had taken
Of her gloves and was chatting hel
hands.
1T was q stroke like" said she feebly
Nothing serious. Ann. I've had EN-
before. They're due to my bad nights
Could you bring me q thimbleful o.
brandy I'm that shAly don't feel o
u l could get up stairs without q drop o
something strengthening. You may tel
Sister Vinie I'm going home on tn
three O'Clock train"
CHAPTER ~.