Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-04-22
CHAPTER Xxi.

forgive MIN. tIliH anu n-aNtAi ntGAA
seem to him to grow ciearar, DIS heart
lighter, his life brighter.
More than once as he: parted the
branches. the gun that he carried so neg
hgently caught; more than once he said
TO himself that he must be more care
full or it would 20 off. Then be saw
that she had reached a SMALL pretty open
ing in the wood. one evidently where hui
man feet seldom trod.
Irene" he called. and the sound of
his voice died away in the tail ferns.
Irene" he called again. and this time
hearing him, she turned quickly round;
her face grew white with anger and
seem.
"IIe has followed his fancy" she
SAID to herself bitterly.
Irene, / want to speak to you for a
few moments / have followed you SO
long and so far"
Great heaven. what followed?
The scornful answer died On her lips.
There was a sudden crash, a cry, the
sharp ring Of shot. and he was lying
in the long grass, with his face on the
ground.
With her quick. keen instinct. she knew
at once what had happened In parting
the branches of the trees to reach the
open leeI his gun had caught, in trying
10 recover it he fell, and tue contents
OF the gun entered his side
He fell, wounded. but NOT nlortally: all
this she saw at glance. A deep moan
came from his lips. and she stood by in
silence. With q desperate effort he turn
ed over on his side and gasped for breath.
The fall had net stunned him, but he
was quite unable to move.
"Oh, help he cried. help
She did not move or stir, aud then the
strong man tainted from excess of pain.
How long he layein that swoor he did not
know; it was the very torture of pain
that woke him from it,. He woke TO find
her still standing by him, mute, silent
motionlcss.
oh. help me-" he cried; Creme, help
mel" lie might as well have cried out
70 the grass, the ferns. the trees, for III
the heed she took. Irene he cried
again, while the great drops of agony
and exhaustion fell from his brow,
Irene, go quickly TO the house and tell
them what has happeend: all The shot is
here 10 my right side. Bid them bring
litter; / cannot move"
scarcely breathe for pain. But the Ouch
ess OF Bayard did not move or speak; her
face had grown very white, and there
was strange. defiant light upon it. He
looked at her in wonder.
oh Irene, hasten" he said. Il am in
such pain, such terrible pain: Ny side
burns as though il We're on IRE. All,
help me quickly, or l shall die"
- IL, =
almost frightened hint was so much
Ike madness. Then she came a little
nearer 70 him, and bending down, looked
into his face,
Can you hear me:" she asked; "can
you understand
yes, I hear. Irene. Help me. for
heavens sa6e.'
2 Listen. You have read the bible, per- |
haps, when you were child ct school. |
DO you remember that when strange
nations fell into the hands of the Jews it
was said that heaven had delivered them
into the hands of their enemiesf Do You
remember thatT
( yes" he gasped. Help me, Irene"
"As it happened to the Jews, so it has
happened TO me" she said; ''yol are de-
livered into my hands; you have fallen
living into my hands,
"Oh, Irene, hasten for help for me-"
NO." she replied, slowly, Il shall bring
no help 10 you"
Bring no help" he cried. Hlou are
mad. l shall die il you do not,
You must die" she replied The
life OF the body is as nothing compared
10 the life of the soul-less than nothing.
You tried TO kill my soul. You would
have taken from me my good name and
fair repute. and it is just-heaven knows
that it is just-that |, in my turn, should
take from you the life Of your body. 1t
is hut JUST" she cried, passionately.
His eyes grew livid with horror, his
eyes terrible with fear.
You cannot mean it, Irene. You are
a woman, gentle and tender Of heart,
know. dear. You are trying to brighten
me- And l am sorry. sorry for my sin,
sorry TO my heart FOR the wrong | did
YOU. / was following you just Tor that,
Irene. to ask your pardon-to ask you 10
say that you had forgiven me. Do you
know that if you leave me here, Without
help. shall die the most cruel, lsEsering,
torturiug death?'
AS my soul would have diiS." she
Il
revenged on you. l had but to ssseak one
word to my husband and he wo9sa have
set his heel on your face That would
have been mercifnl revenge. prefer
this"
Il would not believe you. Irene" he
cried, III you went on your knees and
swore It.
She knelt down among the fern aud
dead plants,
Il swear that 1 will do it," she said,
with the same strange CLEAN Of defiance
on her face. Il will leave you lying here
TO die in punishment of the wrong you
did me."
Irene" he said. you are mad; you
must be mad! Do you know that this
would be murderT
1T is vengeance she said. righteous
vengeance, l have thought over 1t by
night and 5rocded over il by day, what
should DO 70 be avenged; how l could
reach Won: how l could best make You
feel; and now l exult that you axe deliv-
cred over to me. bound. helpless as peo-
ple were delivered 10 the tortures OF old.
IL Is righteous vengeance. You sortured
ms soul, avenge myself on youf body
ooh, heaven" he cried. Can. this be
true To die While the sun S0iiseS, ana
the birds sing-to lie here through the
long. silent hours Of day and night, Oh,
Irene. iSr heavens sake take pits on me,
have mercy on me, To you know" and
nc broke down with terrible sob, do
sou know that i viii take week TO diey
I am Sc strong-ah, So strons, But yoT
DO nos mean il. A man might do such 4
Jced-no womsn could
Her face neither softened nos trem-
hled: She looked quite as steadily at him.
Say shat you viii, l shall leave you
here 10 die; no prayers, no pleading viii
prevail and what is more. | Shc0 lave
The courage TO come AVID see yos ,ie, just
s. dsy By day. You Watched tie slow
crushing OF my soul"
is there no help for rles' he groaned.
nc, none. The sUnbeamS viii be
warm and bright ever you; wondering
birds. with bright eyes. viii perch on