Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1901-05-16

ing lips.
"There is one fatal defect in your
plan," she said, at length.
''Yes? What Is that?"
"You--do not leave-the mother Il
chance. You forget that am mother
as we'll as a woman"
81 do not understand"
"You will, though. Either way, as
you put it to me, my childs life is for
ever blasted; there is the defect" He
looked somewhat curiously up in her
face. The smoke was now coming
from her lips in rapid puffs; she cast
aside the cigarette. II shall not assent"
The words were mere whisper. She
continued, with growing emotion:
Raymond, | 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 I
am to stand by and see my child's life
destroyed by you! I have listened to
youy excuses; l have temporized, hop
ing against hope that you would make
good your promises; / have accepted
your explanation for my chld's sake
and to-day | know you have lived a 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 a 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!
l leave this room with an acknowl-
edgment from you in the hands of
witness, a wife-or murderess. l did
it once, Raymond; l can do it again.
killed man for you last night" AS
she uttered this confession her face
grew pale as death. the pistol was low
cred, and she stood shivering in abject
terror. "You have not heard of it?"
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 strobe 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: "Insane!" She
made no resistance. A tide of memories
had swept over the new issues.
NO" she moaned, mot yet. Would
to God l were! You do not believe me,
Raymond. Listen. l found out where
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
come!"
But you did not go in!" he said, ter
rified. Surely, you did not"
mo. l walked by again and again.
went around to the side street and
looked into the garden; but ] said: i
will see him first; Raymond cannot
mean to be so basel Still you did not
come. Will you believe it, went back
at night, hoping to see you? l could
not stay here alone in this room-I
slipped out! Two men entered that
gate, and one of them | would have
sworn was you. ! followed and saw
them enter the wing room. While l
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 l might attract your attention;
and l heard your voice and woman's
in there"
'It is lie-a lie! the room belongs
to Frances. I was not in the city"
Frances? Who is Frances? But no
matter, they were there all night; and
ragged outside"
you are simply daft, Louise; you
don't know what you are saying
They were there, 1 tell you. Once
match was struck, and / could hear
woman pleading; and-there / was,
lying upon the ground, the window
just out of my reach. Then / found
Sell IIc Ivy
to the shutters; and l 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 a 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
ward into the darkness, and 1 back
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! l got
up and ran for the gate, but man
was entering and his carriage stood
opposite. Crouching in the shrubbery,
/ saw him come back"-her voice sank
to whisper-"with dead man in
his arms. I got here-how, 1 do not
know-and locked myself in. When