The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1901-03-08
CHAPTER ". Continued.

made no resistance. A tide OF memories
had swept over the new issues.
mo" she moaned. not yet. Would
IN God ] werel You do not believe me.
raymond. Listen. ] rounc cut wnere
you were stopping in the city. found
the street and number. / had de-
termined to go in and bring the horrid
uncertainty TO an end, for you had not
answered my letter-you had not
eome!"
"But you did not go n!" he said, ter
Tifed, Surely, you did not
mo. | walked by again and again
went around to the side street and
looked into the garden; but said: j
will see him first; Raymond cannot
mean to be so basel Still you did not
come. Win you believe it. / went back
at night, hoping to see you? / could
not stay here alone in this ROOM
slipped out! Two men entered that
gate, and one of them l would have
sworn was you. l followed and saw
Ihem enter the wing room. While
waited there, wondering if you would
appear again-it was but a few min.
utes, think-one of the men came from
the wing-room. passed me, and, going
-out, locked the gate. ! was prisoner
for the fence was tall with spikes OF
iron. Then | went and stood under the
window, thinking the room was yours,
and | might attract your attention;
and l heard your Voice and a woman's
IN there"
1T is a Liza lie! the room belongs
to Frances. ] was not in the city"
Frances? Who is Frances? But no
matter, they were there all night; and
I, crazed and abandoned, wept and
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 | could hear a
woman pleading; and-there l was,
lying upon the ground, the window
just out of my reach. Then l found
myself climbing the ivy and clinging
to the shutters; and / saw you sitting
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 lighted match above his face"
Louise, this is unbearable!" Hol-
bin was beside himself.
81 thrust your pistol between the
shutters, took aim at you and fired;
my aim was true; the man fell for
Il s,,4a
upon the wet grass. Look! See the
stains of the crushed ivy! see the soil
upon the gown! see the blistered
hands! look at your pistol! The ham
mer is upon an empty shell! I got
up and ran for the gate, but a man
was entering and his carriage stood
opposite. Crouchng in the shrubbery
saw him come back"-her voice sank
to a whisper-"with a dead man in
his arms. l got here-how, l do not
know-and locked myself in. When
you came thought it was your spirit.
What will they do with me? Will
they lock me in gaol? Will they hang
me? Why don't you speak to me,
Raymond? Why do you look at me
shat way? Raymond! Raymond!-I
did not know what l was doing!
was insane, jealous! I had lost my
ehild-oh, they ought to know that
Raymond, before they judge me toe
harshly. Raymond, Raymond, answer
me-answer!" He mastered his emo
9ion by powerful effort.
"You have had your revenge!" he
said, hoarsely, his lips parting in a
soundless laugh. "The shot went tC
the mark" He sank in his chair by
the table aud gazed helplessly upor
Rer agitated face, his thoughts else
where.
"But do not understand" she said
~My rey.nge, if you were not the
man-"
why, it is incredible!" he cried, an
grily. "Give me the key! the key
she key! Quick! the clock is striking
ten-the key!"
"You will not give me up Raymond
the mother of your child!-you viii
not"
"Ah-no, no, Louise. You are SAT,
while l live. Quick! the key!" Sh
gave it to him, and, passing out, h
said, sternly: "Stay here Don't lie
your face he seen outside this door
Change your dress, remove every stair
upon it, and be ready to leave tn
city at a moments notice. Courage
Twill save you IL | can" As he steppe
into the hallway he muttered to him
SELF "Now for the will! Long liv
the nightmare! and vet" He added
pausing in doubt; suppose it wer
true?' He unbrpached the pisto
"One cartridge is gone! the muzzl
stains my finger. Louisel Louise
lie turned, locked the door and var
iShed.
The woman in 2S," he said to til
clerk, has escaped from an asylum
Keep a watch in her hall until / r,
turn. and let no one enter"
We thought So said the function
uy behind the desk.
CHAPTERV
Facing the sun on the same morl
ing which broke through the length
tned slumbers Of Louise in the Ricl
mOnd hotel, an old man sat in an il
valid chair. Everything that weali