Waterbury Democrat., 1901-03-20


 nothing more?"
 Nothing"
 Her mood seemed to change. "will you favor me with cigarette?"
 He laughed, evidently relieved. 'Why, certainly! Getting into your old habits? Fact is, Louise, that is the only natural thing have heard from you since I entered. Come, now, light up and be sensible. You know what I think of you. All will work out right, and, as the stories say, we may be happy yet"
 She lit her cigarette by his, and, leaning against the center table, took one or two whiffs, letting the smoke escape slowly from between her curv- ing lips.
 .'There is one fatal defect in your plan,' she said, at length.
 ''Yes? What is that?"
 "You-do not leave-the mother a chance. You forget that am a mother IS we'll as a woman"
 1'I do not understand"
 -'You will, though. Either way, as you put it to me, my child's life is for ever blasted; there is the defect" He looked somewhat. cautiously up in her face. The smoke was now coming from her lips in rapid puffs; she cast aside the cigarette. "Ishall not assent" The words were mere whisper. She continued, with growing emotion: Raymond, l have been your slave; that is ended now. From this moment, if you live, you shall obey mel"
 If live!"
 ''If you live! Do you suppose that l am to stand by and see my child's life destroyed by you! I have listened to your excuses; I have temporized, hop ing against hope that you would make good your promises; 1 have accepted your explanation for my child's sake and to-day know you have lived lie through it all; that you had not then. nor ever have had, any intention to make me your wife. The time has come for me to act. Sit here by this table and address note to the clerk of the hotel directing him to register Ray mond Holbin and wife in room 2s! Here is pen, ink and paper!"
 Are you insane?' he cried, rising. angry and amazed.
 "Yes; totally so! Insane enough to kill you" Then she deliberately leveled a pistol at him. 'Sit down and write! 1 leave this room with an acknowl- edgment from you in the hands of witness, a wife-or a murderess. l did it once, Raymond; I can do it again. I killed man for you last night!" As she uttered this confession her face grew pale as death. the pistol was low ered and she stood shivering in abject terror. You have not heard of t?'' she whispered. Are not the papers full of it?" Her form, which had been erect, seemed to shrink; she looked over her shoulder towards the door, listening. The man strode forward and wrenched the weapon from her cold hand. Then he forced her into chair. 'Louise! Louise!" he groaned; and then in awe he said: "1nsane!" She made no resistance. A tide of memories had swept over the new issues.
 "No," she moaned, mot yet. Would to God I were! You do not believe me, Raymond. Listen. l found out where you were stopping in the city. I found the street and number. I had de- termined to go in and bring the horrid uncertainty to an end, for you had not answered my letter-you had not come!"
 But you did not go in!" he said, ter rifed. Surely, you did not" No. I walked by again and again. I went around to the side street and looked into the garden; but said: I will see him first; Raymond cannot mean to be so base!' Still you did not come. Will you believe it, I went back at night, hoping to see you? l could not stay here alone in this room slipped out! Two men entered that gate, and one of them I would have sworn was you. I followed and saw them enter the wing room. While l waited there, wondering if you would appear again-it was but few min utes, I think-one of the men came from the wing-room. passed me, and. going out, locked the gate. l was prisoner. for the fence was tall with spikes of iron. Then I went and stood under the window. thinking the room was yours, | and I might attract your attention; and I heard your voice and mans in there"
 "It is a lie-a lie! the room belongs to Frances. l was not in the city,
 Frances? Who is Frances? But no matter, they were there all night; and I, crazed and abandoned, wept and l ragged outside."
 You are simply daft, Louise; you don't know what you are saying"
 ''They were there, tell you. Once a match was struck. and I could hear a woman pleading; and-there l was, lying upon the ground, the window just out of my reach. Then I found myself climbing the ivy and clinging to the shutters; and I saw you sitting 1 there. this woman with curly golden hair kneeling in her night dress before you, her hand upon your shoulder, saying good-by to her lover while she held a lighted1Dlatch above his face-'' Louise, this is unbearable!" Hol- bin was beside himself.
 1 II thrust your pistol between the 1 shutters, took aim at you and fired; i; my aim was true; the man fell for ward into the darkness, and I back upon the wet grass. Look! See the l stains of the crushed ivy! see the soil