The Washington times., 1901-12-08

died upon his lips unfinished.
"Oh, no; / didn't go in. What kind o
a fool do you take me for? Do you sup
pose hat would give myself away to he
first. and let you have a chance to ski
out together before could nab you?''
+ feeling Of intense disgust crept owe
him. He was a coarse man. unprinciple,
n as might be- but he fully appreciated, il
5 the young woman he had deceived. al
| those virtues which he lacked. In dumi
1 sort OF way he fancied that her refine
t ment and moral uprightness Offset hi:
own failings. and when with her he al
: ways radiated gentle benignity oddly at
variance with his natural brute selfish
, ness. That she should be classed as a
t guilty partner in his crime filed him
| with mingled shame and rage.
II should have killed you il you had
: dared to sea her." he cried. She Is as
far above you and me as the sky Is above
the earth. II she knew. She" He
paused suddenly. He had no wish to in
form the woman before him of the
fact that the other one would
spurn h.m at once and forever IL
the truth about his past became
known TO her. But for a second time his
words betrayed hin. His wife read his
face nrigf't, and completed his unfinished
sentenes for him.
'-she would leave you, eh?" she said.
with a ehuckle. Angel. is she? Well.
her wings will be pretty well dirtied up
after I'm through with herr" She arose
from her chair. crossing her hands prim-
ly. Il don't want to waste words with
you, Jim. I guess Iii move on
Higgins spraGg to his feet.
"Stop, Mary. There's no use in our
fighting this way. We always used to.
knOw''-he attempted to smile little as
he spoke-"but what's tho good? Let's
talk sense. You've found me out. l don't
pretend I'm glad of it. l was a fool to let
my picture go into that book. l knew it
at the time. but God knows | never
thought one Of them would get to such
hole IN the ground as Ellensyille. But
as long as it's happened, I'm willing to do
the square thing. In a rich nan" Even
in his excitement he remembered that
this was a conditional fact. I'm rich
don't care anything about me, and you
are poor. What's the use of spelling my
life and not helping wOur own? If you
will 20 away and not say anything. III
give you he hesitated, true TO his
business craft to the last, trying to hit
upon the least sum which might accom-
plish his rurpose-"TlI give you 5000
ha-
drawing her shabby black shawl about
her shoulders.
Ten thousand If you'll go away, any
where but to Ellensville."
still she remained silent, looking up at
him with a grin.
Fifteen Jhousand.' he gasped. wonder
ing where he might be able to lay his
hands upon that amornt
why. YOU fool" she broke forth sud
denly, you must think I'm crazy. Amt
your wife? Aiu't that big house mine il
want to live ib it? Amt good pile of
all you've got mine if want TO claim it,"
What a rus ty Nemesis she was. this yell
low faced little woman with her dull eyes
and thin lips! But she was a Nemesis. |
an held his destiny in the hollow OF her |
misshapen. toil-worn hands. Whether she |
went away or remained near him he would |
never again be safe frcm her attacks. |
After all the years, she had tracked him |
down to denounce him. to ruin him, or
1.-THE best to make his life a perpetual |
nightmare OF dread. He felt his past sue
cess. his present power. his future hopes.
crumbling into the dead ashes OF defeat
before the obstinate, malicious hate Of
this worn, old woman, old beyond her
years, who stood silently before him with
folded arms and grinnirg lips.
4 sudden fury seized the man. His
breath came in great, quick. unever pasps.
The woman shrank from him as she saw
the change, and stepped backward. but his
hands were upon her throat. his arms PIN
ioning hers to her side. She struggled,
and tried TO cry out but she was a weak
little creature, powerless. lost in the
clutch Of his great hands. in the vlse-li like
grip OF his arms against her own. He
pushed her back against the wall with his
hand clinging to her throat. his breast
pressed against her mouth. His eyes were
1Ioolshot. his red face showed great
1lotehes Of purple about his heavy checks.
There was mighty roaring like that Of
aging wind in his ears.
1t was past In a minute. His hands !
weakened their grasp on the woman's
hroat. and he began TO tremble. He look
d about him dazed and anxious. What
lad happened? What was he doing? He d.
tepped back; the woman's body swayed
md fell forward. 1t would have struck
he floor, but he caught it in his out
tretched arms. There were great dark =
marks upon her throat where his fingers
lad pressed. lie bent over her and whis-
'ered her name. He unfastened her
hawl. and placed his ear to her heart.
. great horror froze him as he realized :
rhat he had done
He stood with the woman's body in his
rms, staring at her distorted face He
ad hated her almost from the first day ),
{ their wedden life In the remote village .
thence she had jft come, and where he ;,
sd deserted her years before. For fifteen .
ears she had been but hateful memory -
t first. he remembered, he used 10 fear -
ursuit and discovery but afterward with (.
is change OF name and increasing pros
Gritty she had become only Il bad dream :,
hich came upon him sometimes In the
light. But she was here now. in his arms; =
ere. and
He glanced again toward the door and
indow. Had Dodge heard anything? 4,