Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1905-07-19

"Fancy old Pauls horror if he
saw me risking your precious neck
on horsep he laughed. "He could
not lift a kitten"
"You are cruel" said Elizabeth
holly. "Can't you possibly enjoy
your own strength without saying
such things?"
zone says what one thinks about
ones relations. That's a family
privilege"
GAS you pleasel But you shall
not sheer at my husband"
mo? l say, Elizabeth, don't be
angry. / do care for old Paul
more perhaps than you think. Be
good, and Phi sing to you when we
get home. What Paul didn't tell
you sing? Nasty of him, / call it,
And, indeed, Elizabeth herself
wondered her husband had not re-
ferred to it as, an hour later, Bever-
ly's magnetic, compelling tones
brought before her the desert chief
speeding to his rendezvous
love thee-I love but thee
With a love that shall not die.
The wind of the desert brushed
her cheek. AS she listened a new,
overwhelming, passionate JOY OF
mere living seized her. She was in
e1plicably free, she and Beverly
TIL the stars are old
And the sun grows cold
And the leaves OF the judgment book
unfold!
The word Judgment" shocked
her back to herself. The vision
faded. In it's place Beverly rose
from the piano and came swiftly to-
ward her, his eyes afame.
Elizabeth stood still. She must
face this man coolly, indifferently.
He must not guess that she, the up
right Elizabeth, longed to crawl
across the room to him and lay her
head on his shoulder.
"Please 60 away, Beverly" she
said bravely, locking her hands to-
gether because they wanted so much
to rise to the throb in her throat.
''You are not enjoying yourself
here"
LET us forget his existence for a
week at least"
Forget"
"Don't you understand, you love
ly simpleton?" He slid from the
table and caught her hands in his.
She wrenched them loose, staring
at him with wide, Mortified gaze.
Don't look at me like that, Eliz-
abeth. You love me. Why deny it ?
I'm rich, Elizabeth. Leave this
stupid place with me. Let him scold
his parrot and his valet alone"
ooh, you shouldn't have said it;
you shouldn't have said it~ she
cried in harsh, strained voice.
"That was all l had-my self re-
spect."
He was so close now that his
breath warmed her cheek, his exult-
ant personality radiated power. She
grew faint with dread Of him, that
abysmal dread which only those we
love have power to create in us.
Then from its spoiled city Of
peace her better self rose blindly.
She could not ask him to leave her.
She had for the moment lost all
power of speech, but she caught a
carved ivory fan from the mantel-
piece and struck him heavily, cruel
", across the face a blow that made
him stagger back from her.
Then she found speech.
"You're coward! He's no
match for you. That's the reason
that / will never wrong him. He
trusted me-and your she added,
with exceeding bitterness.
Beverly, wiping blood from his
face, received the blow very strange
ly. His eyes shone as those OF low
ers do who have been granted kiss.
His action was stranger. He tore
the covering from his right shout
der, exhibiting a peculiar long red
scar.
Don't you know that, Eliza
beth? And here's the hole where
Hilaire spilled that acid on me-"
"You-you" - stammered Eliza
beth. "Oh, you are madp
Not mad, you great hearted,
beautiful woman! Oh, Elizabeth,
don't you understand? Why, Eliza
beth, you are awfully stupid, dear
est! / had no brother. l spoke OF
myself, of the man l used to be.
And a friend, common servant,
fairly dragged me into salvation.
III never be able to repay him.
Pm Paul Beverly Vandermore.
Don't stare like that; you brighten
me. Listen, look"
He dropped into an armchair, let
ting his chest cave inward and his
shoulders SLOUGH with feigned weak
ness, while he said in impatient,
querulous tones:
TGive me ray drops and gOl The
carriage hes been waiting this
hour"
The transformation was perfect.
Elizabeth, half swooning, threw her
self into her husbands eager arms.
Clinton DanRer6elc !.
-r----------~
How the News Spread.
nok,ocoo II'bot 40 x,n,, &hink