Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-03-29

fer his return and grown old In wait
ny
Ills parents had been unfeignedly
glad. for they had always objected 10
hsr. not even relenting when the glad
( light went from her eyes and the
SNOW spread SO thickly over her mag
ulHecnt hair
Vow, be- had returned a young mar
-~she had become an old woman In APP
/ pearanees but he should pay the price
pf her youth aud hope. No man should
rob her ~ both with reckless hand
and leave her 90 bear the pain and
humiliation alone. Perhaps Dune had
iFaunsied her above al else when it
ssld she had thrown herself at this
boy % win him: perhaps IL had helped
tp harden her into The stern, relentless
woman she Aad become. At any rate,
De- bad returned. h~ must pay the
price.
DC WAS almost dark when she arose
80 poll down the curtains, light the
lamp and rekindle the fire, yet even
Ia the semi-darkness, the unwonted
rilllancc ~ her eyes, and the firm, set
furge of the lips were perceptible, and
they bodied no good 60 Robert Halleck.
Spring came and went. then sum-
mer burst IN fill glory upon Dune. and
still Robert tallcck fingered. A rumor
went over the town that Isabel Iren-
aer's face was the charm that chained
him there; later, their engagemen
was announced.
Janet bad aged perceptibly since his
re urn. and she staid away altogether
from the Aid society, not even going
out upon the street except in the dust
81 the evening, fearing. with some
thing 81 wild terror, that she might
meet him, yet huugering for a sight of
his face with passionate longing. But
face 10 face with him she might weak
ca, might turn from her purpose.
The golden summer weeks crept
slowly by for her. so slowly that she
wondered how she could endure the
long "afterward." II it crept like the
time Of waiting. Nights. when the
moon hung like a silver bow in the
sky. when the wind sighed softl,
through the trees, and all else was
silent and hushed, she walked the
length Of her room saying again anC
again to herself that he should pay
the price.
The semi.madness that crept over
her weary brain while she waited and
brooded over her wrong seemed to her
ike the spirit Of her ancestors hover
ing over her 20 arouse her to action,
for the Wilson's had never died with
a wrong unavenged, and she was a Will
son, with all their passionate blood
coursing through her veins.
The waiting came to an end at last.
The announcement of Robert Halleek's
engagement was the signal for Janet's
action. His happiness. now, depended
upon the beautiful girl be had chosen
from Dune. even as hers (Janet's) had
depended upon him. lie had robbed
her, she would in turn rob him. II she
were hereft. so must he be; II the light
OF her life had gone out, even so must
his. She thought Of il night and day
with thirst for revenge that knew no
bounds.
1t was a moonlight night with gem
tie breeze stirring the trees. letting
the moonbeams ripple through them
in little dashes-aud. throwing shawl
around her. Janet stepped out into that
glory of moonlight and ripping leaves.
casting a long. dark shadow upon the
ground rs she moved. Needless Of the
soft beauty around her She had reck-
oned well, for when she stepped noise
lessly among the shadows Of the trees
in the Bremen grounds she saw Rob
ert and Isabel walking together little
way beyond her
Isabel's beauty was ten-fold in the
soft moonlight, yet the sight Of il did
not add a pang 10 the miserable woman
who watched IL with wild bright eyes.
in the strange. mad passion of Janet
Wilson, there was no jealousy of lisa.
bells fair, girlish face. The face would
be the means of her vengeance, for men
worship woman with a face like that.
Isabers voice reached her ears. clear.
ly, distinctly. She was saying:
Are You sure you love me as much
rs you did Janet Wilson,"
81 thousand times more" came Rob
ert's feryent reply.
Neither moonlight nor sunlight could
riyal the light in Jauet's sunken eyes
as she listened with bated breath to
what was bitterest pain 10 hear. Some.
thing flashed like the simmer Of tenn.
pered steel in her eager hand, but
she waited, she knew not why.
Did you really love her, Roberto"
Love her? Yes. with the wild. head
strong love Of youth. Why. darling,
/ ] remember TO have awakened in the
night crying aloud for her. That was
! when first went away. She fascinated
me, then. aHd-yes. loved her. Ipron-
/ ably would have been happy with her
had they left me alone. She was ter.
I-rihly handsome"
J,net's hand tremhled upon the
knif. she held, a culver went over her