The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1904-07-10


voking her denial of this same petition
made a week ago in the first interval
Of consciousness from a second shock
of paralysis. But the same con-
ditions met her now as then.
She could not bring her will
to yield. There seemed a power out
side herself impossible to resist con-
straining her refusal. How other
wise could she deny him? He had been
generous, Kind, devoted; why could she
not return bis beneficence toward her
and cheerfully acquiesce in his dying
wish? 1t was his dying wish. for she
knew, though he did not, that he
would never leave his bed again. Why
was she so: determined against this
concession when the thought Of such
a possibility as he suggested had never
entered her Imagination before he
planted the seed? Her attitude of def
ance was shocking. What grim and
unholy force controlled It? She did not
realize that neither perversity nor dis
loyalty was the motive. but violent
reaction against the bondage of life
time She wanted freedom. This idea
Of tyranny after death. however gentle
the thrall of the grave, revolted her,
and she had set her face agfnst resign
ing the control of her future where
alteration and revision were impossi-
BILE
Once more she sat down at the bed
side and fingered the paper roll
did you think when you wrote this
will, Harold, what 1t will mean to the
world?'
That you and have crossed the bar
Of romance for the harbor of common
sense"
She shook her head.
when first read your will. Har-
old. dear, thought + would keep 1t
as you directed and break 1t at the
proper time. Then the notoriety OF 1t
all was too horrible. and I determined
to destroy 1t without a word to any one.
This seemed best. except that you
would be ignorant of my plan. and that
made me afraid there might be some
thing criminal about It, So l decided
1 not to add crime to our unhappy con-
lclusion, and 1 have brought the paper
tonight to tell you what / am going to
do with It,"
| He gazed at her speechless, with the
| fascination of a shared bird.
| '"I have determined that It is best
to burn II now before your eyes; then
there can be no fraud about my atti-
tude, and 1 shall know you were not
deceived"
Calmly as a surgeon prepares for q
vital operation she stepped to the chin
ney piece struck a match and set fire
Ito the ROLL 1t consumed quickly, and
her assistance was several times needed
to fan the blaze into new yigor wher
It flickered and died. She did not wav'
err until a small heap of black ashe.
in the yawn ing fireplace was the sole
| record of Harold Daingerheld's last will
and testament. Then she turned to the
bed.
Harold" she resumed. but a glance
at the patient sent her into a panic o
fear.
She turned up the light and ran 70
the nurse across the hallway. WIFI
answered on the instant, buttoning he
wrapper as she came. One glance o
her alert professional eye assured he
, that further haste was needless. Harol
Daingerfield was past human assistance
, and the end was only a matter OF shor
Watching.
When It was over Edith lay on he
, bed in wiled eyed and fearless horror
. II.
with none to contest for her hus
bands wealth, Edith Daingerfield wa
perturbed by a troubled doubt of he
own claims. the more poignant afte
she entered upon possessions OF i
l. with a pentitent's zeal for retributio
she entered upon possession of II
llegacies in the will she had destroye
every word of which was engraved o
her memory as by an acida-on a ste'
: plate.
I I The grim spectre of her iniquit
stalked beside her conscience perpet
. luai menance 1t rose with siniste
bearing at every innocent banquet o
Iher hopes, and foredoomed them
. the death. She would have gladly fol
feited all memory of the past and live
>. her future thus manned II happily sr
i. might be rid of this ghoulish obsessio
At last 1t forced her to the nepenthe {
:. foreign travel as one with the val
Expectation that self would not be
z companion of the journey.
She turned to the setting sun as IL
as Japan. fearful of Europe and tt
we'll worn travellers routes alon
Northern Africa and the shores of tt
Levant. made omnibus to her inflame
limagination by former visits and he
Introduction to their bizarre charm
her husbands loving companionshi
she was reaching out now for untri'
and fresh sources of help unrelated
anv previous experience.
The experiment was nearly success
ful in laying the disturbance OF h
peace of mind. and she fingered in u
BIRTHPLACE Of Fujiyama. that concreti'
of burning fires beneath a breast
snow. nartlv from a sense of fellow
ship with the sacred mountain and mar
Nv from the solacing distraction OF h
novel SURROUNDINGS
The nntidote proved effectual duriI
two years, when as storm tossed
Noah's dove she sought home ono
more and found herself again on Anne
lean soil with something OF a gent
excitation at the fact
This time she fled not onlv the 2
menjdes of her past. but the add
goad Of a real presence that al1ur
her The possibility Of such an ad"e
into her life was no loncer unfamili
10 her vision in the abstract. ev
while she avoided through some o
freak of feminine perversity eve
channel leading to it's reality.
In Withholding her promise FRI
Harold Daingerfield her purpose h
not hesn second marriage but the VI
dication Of her liberty and person
rights. and this secured she felt contt
in the estate IN which her husban
wishes would have secluded her.
though other and delicate fantas
played on her imagination.
Suddenly the substance of her Ore
stuff took living shape, and all
avoidance was idle. In the face of
potential energy OF disquiet Edith CT
sistent in her Inconsistency. promo
the enchanting tuncture with all
powers until within twenty-four HOY
of her violent self-rescue. when
forced the wrench with a snap Il
made her brain reel.