The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-07-24

furiously. and the wind seemed to be
increasing. Annoyed by the conscious
ness that a parlor window was up. he
had lain as long as he had dared. hop
ing that the storm would slacken and
relieve him of the necessity of rising.
Even had not this duty of shutting
windows devolved upon him by right,
he was quite certain that tonight he
must be the one to attend to the mat
ter or it would not be attended to at
ALL Assuredly his wife would not be-
stir herself after tie words of the pre-
ceding evening. Hardly!
While lying awake he had gone over
and over the things that had been said
the assertions. the rejoindcrs. the
reckless threats. He smiled grimly.
Yes, miSundcrsta ndingS had accumu-
lated and now had culmna ted. Which
ever was the more to blame-and of the
two it was not he-it was better that
they cease associations: separate for
time ut least He was sensitive and she
was sensitive: he was proud and she
was proud; he was stubborn and she
was stubborn; discortl was caused by
mere tritica, vet trinps which appeared
insurmountablc
So finally had come the parting of the
ways He would 20 on by one path
AMI She would - Nv another He
would not utter word of protest or
appeal. He could live without her. ha
reflected angliIy; he had lived thus for
a., MI l,n
simply would drop into his old hachc-
lor role
Now he found his slippers. His solcs
invested. he stood, and, lifting his bath
robe from the foot of the bed where he
had thrown it upon retiring. he wrap
ped it around him. He began to adj
vance cautiously, for the blackncss was
murky and he could not see an inch.
However, his route was comparatively
straight and unobstructcd, and he had
in his mind clear picture of the posi-
ton Of the articles of furniture in his
room and in the parlor.
He did not catch a sound from his
wife's chamber, the other side of the
portieres. She might be awake and lis
tening for him to move, but of course
she would not indicate it. Or possibly
she was not awake. With little tug
ging Of his heartstrings, he recalled
that she must have sobbed herself into
exhaustion and sleep.
Hands outstretched to warn him of
immediate obstacles, he proceeded I'M
til he encountered the wall and, skirt
ing it, in an instant more had reached
the door to the hall. He fumbled
blindly for the knob. His fingers
clasped it, and he twisted it carefully.
His irresistible desire to avoid noise did
not spring on account of his wife eX-
actly, but somehow he was seized with
an incXplainablc dread of noises amid
that inky quiet, a quiet only intcnsi-
fed by the rain and the low rumble of
artillery as the tempest leGions
marched adown the horizon. Covering
their withdrawal, upon the field of bat
tie behind them the floods were de
scending in torrents.
Suddenly burst forth a vivid flash of
lightnng 1t Skctchcd to Page the lg-
urc of IA man, upright, Il few yards ON
his left. Darkness, dense, impcnetra-
BILE, ruled again.
It was as if in front of his eye an
instantaneous camera shutter had
opened and closed, leaving an image
indclibly fixed on the retina.
Stunned into an icy horror, not shift
ing 4 muscle, his hand upon the door
knob, Page stood and strained his ears.
Nothing met them save the Irregular
gusty beat OF the rain.
Everything that he had lately rrat
III the news OF thugs aud hoUSchrcak
ers rushed upon him. The slightcs
morsel of gossip repeated to him by IN
timl wife REQUIRED To him in gasp
Recent nights had been extraordinarily
prolific OF deeds by highwaymcn ant
burglars Not paper but chronicle,
in each edition Il shocking list of crimes
The city was in the throcs of its yearl.
attack of hold ups and assaults an,
robberes. Nobody was exempt Ever
in that very block a dwelling had beer
entered, husband and wife drugge,
and bound in their beds and the prem
Uses thoroughly ransacked.
Good God. Had this man alrcad
been in Helen's room, and was he no,
pursuing his work further? Yes. h
must have been in lIelen's room an
had just made exit through the POI
there's between the two chambers.
And that was why Helen had ut
spoken. moved. She was not designed
" and bitterly still. She was uncol
scious. dead. or perhaps she was at Il
will of ruffian, the confederate of IL
fellow revealed by the lightning. VIII;
untold tortures she might have el
dured. might be enduring. SupposiI
she were harmed-Or-or-nev
speak again. How could he bear it!
All those many things that he hs
said or done and that had hurt her a
sailed him as life record passes
fore drowning person. His imp
tience. his fault findings, his selfis
ness the countless acts that he had II