The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1904-12-22
CHAPTER XyIII.

awake from a long. troubled sleep. md
an agony beyond my power 10 describe.
l mnde nm effort and succeeded In
drawing n little apart the curtains NJ
the foo OF the bed. Almost within my
reach stood n table. upon which was
q moderator lamp, burning low. q jug.
tumbler. and some bottles.
The faint rays Of the lamp showed me
a large. gloomy oak-panelled room, with
the ceiling painted to match. The win
dows opposite me were covered with
heavy curtains. and the furniture was
dark and very old-fashioned. On one
side was q huge fireplace. decorated with
oak carvings: In the crate burned q
cheerful FIRE. and there. sitting beside II.
doing. with her face half towards me.
was m elderly woman. a stranger 20
me.
Having finished my survey. I crawied
back TO my pillow and lay still for a
time, feeling very much exhausted with
my slight excrtion. Presently the wom-
an woke up. came TO the side Of the bed.
drew the curtains. and looked nc me.
you are better" she said. kindly.
II am so glad. You have had a long.
weary time of II, but the doctor said
there would be a change one way or he
other tonight You're with friends. who
have taken every care OF you."
Tell me, Is Clara foundY' / asked.
eagerly.
"Oh. yes, she's MI right. and will come
| and see you as soon rs you grow strong
err. but you mustn't talk, or you'll have
q relapse"
If had asked for the Emperor Of
Russia. I believe she would have told
me that he was coming 60 see mo rs
SION rs. was better. Her answers were
by no means satisfactory. but i could
perceive that IL vas useless 10 try TO
extract others from her.
Several days passed. and J saw no
person except the nurse and the doctor.
I put some questions 90 the latter. hut
lac answered c~rabbedly. that II l wished
to get well. l must keep my mind calm.
Ind not ask questions.
To keep my mind calm with such
memories as were haunting mc was I'M
possible. yet. in spite OF my anxieties,
| grew stronger aud better day by day.
But the anguish OF my mind waxed
strength with my body.
Nurse" I said one day. determined
". II must know where ! am. under
whose care. and I must have certain
questions Of vital Importance To me sow
e#l. ! know you are concealing these
things from me for n good motive. hut
IL IL n mistaken one. Instead OF calm
Ing. this lncertitude Is torturing me. re-
tarding my recovery. For heavens sake.
tell me where ! am. whose house this Is.
aud what people I am withT'
swell SIR" she answered. 81 am only
obeying my instructions: IL I was TO 60
fion' them. l should offend my employ
ers and the doctor. too. and l can't af-
ford 10 do that. / will ask leave TO tell
you what I know. which | can assure
you Is very little. But IL you make haste
aud get strong. and get about, you will
be- able TO find out everything for your
self"
That day l GOT out OF bed for the
first time. and sat ut the window. IL
looked into an extensive garden. cncoin-
passed, rs far as | could see. by "A high
wall. lined within 10y rows OF tall poplar
tres. Ny room was upon the ground
iioor. and this wall and the trees bound.
eel my vision. I could see naugh; beyond
them.
one afternoon | had fallen asleep over
the hr-. suddenly I awoke with n jerk;
the rays OF n red. autumn sun were
streaming across me, and falling full
upon the face OF Judith. who was lean
ing against the fireplace. looking ut me.
At FIRST. I thought IL was a specter OF
my sleep. I could not believe my eyes; |
hut | was not long left In doubt "a 10 |
the reality OF the vision. An i~ronIcal
smile cufled her lips nj the sight of my
dismay.
"a visit from your wife il evidently an
unexpected pleasure" she said. mocking-
ly.
I could not answer her: I could only
bury my face In my hands and shudder
at her appearance.
as this my reward for all the tender
caro- that has been given you during
your iilncss?-for bringing you away
from those wretched lodgings, where |
you might rave died? Our married life
seems likely In be n bright one"
Would 10 heaven you had left me 20 |
die" cried. "You are no wife OF
mine"
"You will find Il rather dinicult TO
prove that. or 10 shake me Of"
What pleasure can IL be TO you 20
NV III NtH uiNun'N fIlfQs 4
why not leave me Co myselff"
Because I hate you. aud because I |
have motives OF my own. IL gives me
pleasure to torture you. No living being |
has ever made me feel so deeply the deg. |
radiation OF my life as you have: you. a
miserable, spiritless o~utcast: you. whom.
as n brat, l have beaten with n rod, |
and always despised: you shuddcr at |
my approach. and turn your eyes from
me with loathing: aud you nsk me what
pleasure IL can be TO me 20 torture you!
From the hour OF my birth. my life has
been enc torture. I have ever been the
victim. AZ last, the tables are turned
YOU are my victim: and as others have |
dealt by me. so will I deal by you! No
mercy was ever shown 20 me; why. then. |
should | show IL 10 othersI"
She was still standing against the fire.
place. ! dared not look Mt her. but /
could reel the tigcrish ~ferocity OF her
eyes.
But 4 did not come here 20 rave.
First, | came, like n dutiful wife, 20
congratulate my husband on his conva-
lcscSnce, y she went on. resuming the old
irony or voice; "and TO comfort him
with ihe knowledge that he Is In nncc-
Tomato hands; and. in the second place,