The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1898-01-14

lamp post. She was tall and dark, ana
SO motionless that she might have been
a statue. Her arms were folded under
her cloak. A policeman, edging his way
through the crowd, asked her a ques-
ton. She shook her head slowly, and
did not look at him. The policeman
passed On, and the next moment there
were two quick pistol shots, a scream,
and a stampede. The officer ran back,
fighting his way through the swirllng
crowd. He found the woman, pistol IN
hand, bending over man lying upon
the pavement. The officer seized her
wrist, and, looking at him with
strange smile, as she relaxed her hold
on the pistol, she said:
'I am a woman, and I demand to be
treated as SUCH"
When she had been taken to the sta
ton and asked to make statement,
she said: MY name is Irene Roma.
The name of the man I shot is Roy
Campbell. shot him because he ought
to be killed. He was engaged to marry
my sister, He did not keep faith with
her, and she died of a broken heart.
nHe is brute. and ought to be dead"
Campbell was taken to a hospital
His wounds were pronounced danger
ous An effort was made to interview
him. But all he would say was: 81
suppose she thought she had right to
shoot me- He asked if they had put
her in jail, and appeared to be. pleased
when told that she had been allowed
out on bail.
Three weeks later the wounded man
was sitting propped up in bed, when a
card bearing the name of Irene Roma
was handed to him. He looked hard at
It, rubbed his eyes, held it further away,
then closer, and then remarked: Il
don't understand why she should want
to see me. Let her come in"
With timid, awe-struck air the wom-
an approached the bed. She coughed
in embarrassment as she seated herself
on a chair which the nurse placed for
her. She put back her hair, made aim
less motions in her confusion, and then,
looking straight at Campbell, said:
81 am awfully sorry I shot you"
Campbell smiled. 'And are you sure
you haven't come to shoot me again? ??
he asked.
She frowned in reproof. you know
i haven't. If you had thought that you
would have told them to keep me out. ,
mo, wouldn't. You have come sc
far out here that 1 couldn't have found
the heart to disappoint you"
"a plaster of sarcasm won't draw ou
a soreness, Mr.. Campbell. l have suf
fered so with remorse that have come
to see if 1 could not find some sort OF
consolation. You don't know how
have suffered. And l must go through
a hateful trial, too, with everybody
looking at me. Oh, do wish 1 hadn'
shot you"
"Yes," he drawled, ST rather wish 81
myself. So, you see, we have some
thing in common. But you needn't b.
worried over the trial. l shall not ap
pear against you"
The nurse had withdrawn. The,
were alone. She put back her hal
again, and he followed the movemen
Of fer graceful hand-the hand that ha'
shot him. mo, I will not appear" Ii
went on. at is something of distine
ton to be shot by the handsomest won
an in Liverpool" He hesitated as h
saw the tears gathering in her eyes
@I take it all back" he said. She wipe
her eyes, and sat looking far ava
through a window. The mystery tha
lies in the cioudland was reflected i
her eyes, and he gazed at her. She turf
ed her eyes upon him, and the myster
few from them.
"Yes, am sorry shot you," she sait
sebut hate you, and never can forgiv
you"
"Ah! and I am therefore consoled b
the thought that you never can forgiv
me-"
"Brutew she said 81 almost wish
had killed you"
''When a woman almost wishes
thing, she wishes it doubly," he repliet
81 don't know but there is some trut
in that" she assented. "But what
beast you were to treat Florence s.
How-coGid your"
Because / was q beast, / suppose
eyes, you were. She was taken
with fever shortly afterward. but it We
a broken heart that killed her." He
ewes shot shafts of hatred at him. "Bl
I didn't come 20 reproach you," sf
said.
"T'han why did you Gomez" he aske'
"To ask you why you could have bee
so heartless. I simply want to know
Was it because Eou have no heart
au"'
"It was because Lad too mue
heart'
4
She darted ferrc look at h'rl- "Al
1t was because you loved another WOE
an"
"Yes. Florence made rae promise