Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-01-20
81 would that he were dead" she

Z.
she repeated the thought, and wert that
he had ever lived.
Slowly and uncertainty she arose and
walked to her desk on the other side OF
the room. Almost mechanically she
took up her pen, and without knowing
the words it fashioned she wrote:
''Your curse and your memory are
alike to me- The evil | have done you
does not compare with what you have
visited on me. go to join one whose
life may be as you say, but whose heart
is still true and pure"
The brown eyes were fearless and
dull and the hand was firm that folded
the note, placed it in an envelope and
addressed it. The determination to go
and be done with everything that had
been her life was on her and her heart
beat madly at the thought of freedom.
She went from room TO room. gather
ing few necessary articles of wearing
apparel. For a moment she stood be-
fore the hall rack, pinning on her hat,
and debating which gloves she should
select. With womanly instinct she ar
ranged her desk neatly, and placing the
note she had written in conspicuous
place she walked firmly toward the
door.
Without one look backward, without
one thought of the home she was lea,
ing, of the friends she was never to
know again. she passed through The
portal and out into the night.
For moment after reaching the
yeranda she paused. She did not care
for the rain, and yet she realized thai
she should not venture out in such d
storm. She would not return for the
other covering and walked quickly
down the few steps and reached the
gravel walk.
Then she stopped. The click of the
iron gate and the sound of voices
reached her ears. People were coming
to the house and she knew she ought
not be observed leaving at such time.
Quickly she turned and secreted herself
in the shrubbery that guarded the walk
from the lawn.
The noise of approaching footsteps
grew louder. and she peered anxiously
through the darkness. The idea struck
her that it was strange her husband
should have brought home friends in
such storm. Then she laughed, for she |
thought how funny it would be for the
friends when he read her note before !
them. Indeed. the devils mood was on |
her.
Now the party were almost upon her
and still she could not see. A sudden |
flash of lightning and her gaze fell upon
four men, who bore between them what |
TO be heavy load. The glare
showed her the presence of large
number of people near the gate.
''She may be there where the light is. |
a voice was saying. MY God, who will
break it TO here"
They paused and she crouched lower
in the shrubbery. The rain beat pitt
lessly upon her already drenched and
form. \ thorny branch tore
her cheek and drew the blood, but she
needed il not. Her senses were as numb |
as her body, and she did not realize what
it all meant. She wondered vaguely |
if she was needed. but her one thought
was TO get away unnoticed.
Another voice came through the dark
ness and downpour. The speaker was
so close that she was startled and the
shock almost brought her back TO self
'He had just fallen when l reached
him. We would better carry him in"
Slowly they moved forward, and, inn
PEELED by something she knew not
what, she rose aud followed The rain
fall drowned the sound of her foot
steps and she reached the veranda
nnheeded just as they deposited their
burden under the shelter. One of the
party stepped forward to open the door.
It was not locked and yielded to his pres.
sure.
A broad sheath of light fell upon the
strange scene and lit up the still re-
Ginning mass on the floor. One of the
men turned, and. seeing her, respect
fully removed bis dripping hat. She
lid not recognize him, and her eyes
swept slowlSbver the others without
discovering 4 familiar face.
No one spoke and this seemed strange
o her. With painfully unwilling steps
she moved 70 the BURDEN the men had
aid down and knelt before il. She did
not want 10. kneel there and wondered
strangely what the Visitors would think
If her. W4h the movements ,of an au-
omaton shl lifted the cloth and looked
Town uponta face that gazed back al
Ter unrecogt izing.y. \ dark-red streak
lcross the temple and cheek aold her
Ill she had MP known before.
you will cArry him in she said. and
he voice souhsled strange to her. She
ose aud, stepping forward, opened the
loor wider and allowed them to pass
inside
1t was the room she had quilted ons
! few moments before. The men aeais
eposited their burden on the floor and
TODD about awkwarJily brushing the
ain from their clothing One cleared
is voice preparatory to speaking. but
lis words died before being uttered as