Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-04-11

crime blacker than he had intended.
since death followed in it's wake.
Justice demands that should convict
him of 1t. Beatrice. one woman alone
can dissuade me from this duty. That
woman is my wife. Let that tie bind
US, and you shall ask Of my hands
what you will"
A low moan burst from the girls
white lips. Reason seemed deserving
her. Her senses reeled. Suppose that
she were wrong in her estimate of this
man who pleaded his cause so elo-.
quently? Had not father, mother-all
deceived her? Why might not her low.
err have deceived her, too? Then Ran
dolph Chester, the man she had so dis
trusted and disliked, was, after all, the
only one true-the only prop on which
she might lean?
No, no-a thousand times no! Or II
yes, then death would be less bitter
than that she might thus make her
escape.
Leave me!' she murmured, family.
Tomorrow you will understand"
Half-prescient Of her fatal meaning.
he reluctantly turned away.
then she raised her head and looked
about the pretty room. which had been
hers from babyhood.
She was very pale, but the unrest
had vanished from her face and the
anguish from her eyes. She drew a
table toward her, and took from it's
drawer a tiny package of letters.
They were five in number. and bore
dates far apart; but all were signed
by one name-Bertie!
Slowly she read them through, and q
faint color kindled her cheeks. 49,
II cannot leave these for other eyes,
my darling!" she murmured; and, one
by one, she held them i'm the candies
flame. ''Ashes to- ashes!" she whis-
pered to herself. 'sAh, will 1t be as
easy for me to follow? Will, the end
be for me like this?"
And once more she leaned back her
head against the cushions of her chair.
and YEARLY closed her eyes.
Night fell, but she stirred not. They
brought her food, but she sent 1t away
untouched, and gave orders not again
to be disturbed. The little French
clock licked on the mantle, its sound
alone breaking the intense Stiffness of
the room.
Suddenly it ceased. Startled, she
opened her eyes. Then she remem-
bered she had forgotten to wind it.
The hands pointed to half-past 10.
"It is an omen!" she whispered.
''This is the appointed hour!"
She rose as she spoke and, crossing
the room, opened small medicine
chest, containing many remedies fol
| sudden illness. and took from it a bot
| tie filled with dark liquid, and la.
beled "Poison."
Then, taking small glass, she hall
filed it with the bottles contents, a
the room as she did so; but her hand
did not tremble nor her cheeks grow
pale.
When this was done she knelt down
an instant, and buried her face in her
hands.
"God forgive mel" she prayed. "All
that trusted has been taken from me
Nothing is left but this. Mother-dear
angel mother, whom they tell me was
false to her first marriage-if true, thy
child forgives thee. All, thou wilt
plead for me with thy God and NINE!
A sob was in her throat as she spoke
but her purpose had not wavered.
| She caught up the glass and held II
| to her lips. Another moment, and the
last drop would have been drained; but
| God looking down on that young, un-
| tried soul, had sent His messenger tc
| save her.
Even as the liquid touched her lips
| a shadow darkened the open window
| A man concealed in the branches of
| tree outside swung himself within the
room, and, dashing the glass from hel
now nerveless hand, it fell mass OF
broken fragments at her feet.