Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1895-02-21

through my veins and my heart
pounded in my chest like the blows
from a huge sledge hammer.
My first thought was to leave her
at once, but there came the hideous
thirst for vengeance. So she had
tricked me, this gentle, saint-like
woman, and the man who was the
idol of her heart" was that pale
faced rogue, her next door height Dor.
l saw and understood every thing
| now, even to the minutest details of
their clever plans and plottings.
BY dinner time l was calm and COM
posed, but there was a distant
haughtiness about my manner that
repealed my wife in her treacherous
advances. knew her now, and act
ing could not deceive me. She looked
at me wistfully and with actual tears
shining in her eyes, but ignored her
glance completely and busted myself
with the evening paper.
After dinner | went out and left
her alone without so much as saying
crept guiltily back and placed my ear
at the keyhole of my own wife's
| chamber.
1t was as I thought; Belle was
there, and this was what caught of
hurried conversation.
"He was thoroughly Indifferent"
Belle was saying, ''and not only
showed me that he resented my inter-
| ference, but that he was disguised
at what he terms your 'fickleness,' and
| did not care particularly for any
| further demonstration. l am sorry
for you, dear" she added, "but all
men are not alike, l assure you, and
my brother" but here l lost the
| rest
So it seemed that my worst suspi-
cions had been verified. The message
mad been for Arthur Hastings, and
he, the contemplate, pale-fac man,
had declined her offer of affection.
In an instant the whole tide of my
anger was turned toward him-the
man who could scorn q woman's
honor. I forgot that she had
wronged me and disgraced her
self for my brain was burn
ing at this mans audacious treat
ment. There was just a moment
in which to act, for could hear Belle
coming across the floor, and turning
the key quietly in the lock, 1 left her
fumbling at the door and rushed al
most headlong out to call upon my
rival.
l burst into Arthur Hastings pres.
-, 30 ~f
ger, and without word of eXplana.
ton, Iseized him by one feeble shout
der and nearly shook the breath out
of his body.
"Soyou are the black hearted scoun-
drel who has ruined my home and
then declined my wife's affections?'
whispered hoarsely. you are the
meel-faced, skulking hypocrite who
has pretended friendship for me even
while you robbed me of my honorr'
1 stopped then, suddenly, as 1 b
gan, for the man had turned almos
CHASTITY in the face and fallen heavily
before me on the carpet
What had 1 done? Had l really
killed him in my fury? And then
shame, for the horrible advan tage I
had taken, overpowered me complete.
ly, and flushed my face with a
towards crimson.
l stood above him now in horrible
CONSERVATION, when suddenly the
door flew open and my wife and Belle
stood breathless before me.
"Oh, Charlie! Charlie! What have
you dona?" my wife shrieked excited
ly, but Belle Hastings, apparently
understanding all rushed over and
knelt beside her brother.
1T is l who have killed him." she
said in a voice of agony.
1T is who am to blame for this
horrible error. did not deliver your
message, Amy, and your husband has
heard and misconstrued it."
Paralyzed in every limb Amy and
stood silently and watched the
wretched woman as she moaned over
the PROSTATE form and caressed the
CHASTITY features. Then while I, his
murderer, remained mute with horror
she raised her haggard eyes to my
face again, while her dry lips could
hardly express their language.
He loved you, oh, so dearly, Amy,
but he was honorable to the end, my
brother, and would never wrong you
or your husband. But L" here she
shuddered in mortal pain, II loved
him so dearly that was false to you.
l would have parted you if could"
but her calmness could endure no
longer.
While Belle wept and walled above
her dead turned one wild, appealing
glance toward Amy, and in utter
hopelessness my glance was answered.
Shivering with horror she took my
hand and led me close beside my vic
tim, then taking Bellies also in her
own she forced her to look up while
she whispered the words of our con-
demnation.
1--WE are all to blame" she said,
nobly. "but God alone can read our
hearts. He was innocent, poor, dear
Arthur, but weeping will not bring
him back, and now there is nothing
left but to separate and keep his
awful fate a secret" Then rever-
emily we knelt and kissed the dead,
! and when we had arisen, she, the