The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-02-03
Ce,yrifh' 1901 BY
T. Fitzgerald nalloy

showed him the figure of the woman he
sought. seated at a table on which she
mad thrust o0t her arms, between
which her head was buried. There
was something so pitiful and despair
in the abandonment of her attitude,
that all the misery he had felt that day
became suddenly accentuated, and he
recognized that here lay the cause.
VITA intuitive delicacy he stepped
back until the servants entry having
disturbed her mistress, the latter rose
and turning her back to the light pre-
pared to receive him. Dimly seen as
1t was, her pallid face, drawn and bag
gard, with its eyes dull and swollen;
its mouth quivering and above all its
expression of utter misery, startled
him.
The hand he held in his trembled and
felt cold as DEATH
What has happened?" he asked
while dreading to hear her reply.
You have not heard 2" she said, in a
low broken voice.
II have heard nothing new. Tell me
what it is?"
"All hope of saving me Is lost"
mo. no. not that" he cried out fierce
ly, as If in defiance of the statement.
All. That mantle Italian"
Has escaped? 2"
Has been traced to his grave"
"Well?'
HE died in hospital a few hours
before my husband was killed. she
said, striving to steady her voice.
In a second he realized what the con-
sequences of this discovery might
prove to the woman before him. The
hope that she had entertained Of being
quickly freed from horrible charge
the only hope which had been held out
TO her. had been destroyed and she
was once more face to face,with the
accusation Of murder, and with the dire
| consequences that must ensue.
All the great love and pity he felt
for her swelled within him. but all
words were for the moment frozen on
his lips. She sank back into her chair,
and for some seconds the silence was
| unbrollen between them. Meanwhile he
was searching his mind to find some
consolidate which he might hold out
| to her even while he felt there was
none he could reasonably or truthfully
! offer.
when did you hear this news?" he
asked presently.
This morning; the inspector came
| to tell me-"
"And you have been alone ever since
! with your trouble?" he said looking at
| her.
Il sent for my cousin. but | suppose
he was not In his rooms. when my mes
sage reached him." she replied.
For your cousin?'' he repeated in a
tone Of reproach, regretting the mo-
ment they We're spoken, not only the
words, but the tone in which uninten-
tionally he had uttered them.
Il felt sure you would come later
| when you heard it; l knew you would,
said said quickly conscious that she
had panied him and anxious to make
! amends.
4.But tell me. about Maclworthi;; has
| Ia nfh oil
mot that l know of, at least" she
answered YEARLY.
He may have, though he withholds
1t from. you," he remarked
why do you think he would keel
1t back from me?"
He might not wish to speak unit
he was able to- prove his case"
Il See she answered, a grateful lool
In her eyes, you are striving to give
! me hope, but l cannot blind myself
! to the fact that circumstances seen
! dead against me-"
Though her voice was calm there was
| an undertone Of pitifulness in it tha
appealed to her nearer more directly
more keenly than she would have be-
lieved possible.
mo matter; it's my belief one of two
1 things must happen" he said, his man
ner growing more serious If possible.
and that?" she said eagerly.
EITHER the man who killed YOU
! husband will be found"
"Or"
cor he will confess"
She shook her head sadly, saying :"
fear the murderer will never be dis
! covered; you see all these weeks gone
/ by and no definite clew has been OBJ
tanned; as for confession-that l dar,
not hope for"
why not?" he asked.
II cannot imagine a man who would
/ be guilty Of murder sacrificing himsel
to save the innocent"
But 1 can conceive circumstances
replied Bostock, speaking slowly ant
with emphasis, under which a confes
! sion was not only possible, but prob
able"
What are they?" she asked.
He withdrew his chair beyond tn
focus Of the lamplight before replyin
in clear decisive voice. that Indicate
his words had been well considered
"a man may commit murder throug
a feeling of hatred or revenge, an
yet shrink from infiicting q terribl
blow on one who had never wronge
him." he said.
you think so?"
rs it not reasonable surnise? Fl
may through moral coWardice, and +
the hope that you may be acquitted @
this charge without the necessity q
ment, and then If there are no othe
means of freeing you, he may speak.
She shook her head saying, 81 can
4! not agree with YOU man who com
mits murder Is not one to make sue
a sacrifice"
"Who can tell? The passion tina
blindly hurried him to take a man
life having been satisfied he Nigh
come to regard his deed in the sam
light as other men,"
In speaking he leaned forward. an
as his face came within the circle {
light cast by the shaded lamp sh
could see the pallor which had sprea
from his hollow cheeks to his bar
polished temples.
You think that possible?" she aske,
impressed by his words.
Certainly"
"Then you judge others by yoursel
my friend"
He gave no answer. he made n
/ movement. She could no longer sc
his face, for he had withdrawn int
the shadow, but she could hear h
breath coming hard and fast in IL
silence.
After pause she continued, 1T
so easy to imagine what we might {
were we situated as others are or wer
and yet so difficult for US really to d,
ourselves in their places. The ma
who took one life to crafty his hatre
or revenge, would not, 1 think, hesita
to see another life sacrificed to sa,
himself from the consequences of h
action"
There may be exceptions" he al
swered from out of the darkness.
There are exceptional men in IL
1lr clHy Ir.1, D.