The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-11-03

Then he turned slowly. like a man
who has been through a long illness,
and walked toward the doorway
Murray drew the lamp close and be-
gan to read.
What a tragedy was barred to him
behind those words starred In places
with pathetic blots! What a poor
naked soul lay in its agony!
Even Murray's bitterness was
merged in an infnite pity for the wo-
man who had blighted his life.
It was old, this story-old yet new
old q 5 the hills and young as the race
that treads them.
Four years ago she had quarreled
with the man she loved, and in mo-
ment of passion had bound herself ir-
revocably to another. That WAS all. A
sentence can tell the story, yet the vol
uumes of all the ages will not hold
its sorrow.
st am very i'll, the letter. concluded
"dying-the doctors won't say so.
but I feel it. That is why I write now,
because I cannot die-I cannot-tilI
you know the truthful you know
how I have been punished for the sin
I committed four years ago. There is
20 disloyalty to my husband in writing
now; it is the last letter 1 shall ever
send you-the-''
There it stopped suddenly. The
sword had fallen.
But she didn't die thought Muir
~
heart. And she loves ne@She--''
Then suddenly he -remem bered Hes
lin. The latter stood In the doorway
looking out through the gray gloom,
wondering vaguely what all the row
was about over in How-lou.
Thousands of torchlights fiuttered to
and fro, and across the plain rolled
noise like the humming OF a great hive
of bees Then the memory of his own
misery swept all other thoughts aside,
and Heslin prayed that for him the
noise might cease, the lights go out,
and nothingness be his for evermore.
But Murray stood beside him, the
fatal letter in his hand.
ITS quito true, ! suppose ?" asked
Heslin YEARLY.
quite true." replied Murray thick
". Dear old chap, he went on, plac-
ing his hand on the other mans shout
der. Heaven knows I would rather
have died than cause you this misery
L doesn't matter two pence about me,
but you"
sAnd you love herr. continued Hes
lin. in the same even voice.
Yes" said Murray, drawing a long
breath. Heaven help me, I dol''
Even as he spoke a great roaring
and shouting came rolling across the
plain, and a forest of lights came trail
ing out of Efow-lou. The two men gazed
at the advancing wave Of light for
some moments wonderingiy: then
Murray sprang toward his revolver.
The Boxers!s' he cried. They're up
al last and coming for usi''
Heslin remained in the doorway. He
was quite cool now, and eyed the adj
vancing multitude as if making a cal
cula tion. Then he went inside and
opened his gun-ease
Your alternative has come sooner
than we expected he began quietly
as he put a couple of magazine rides
on the table. TN half an hour reck-
on the fiends will be on US, and with
luck" he went on, II am good for an
other forty minutes: that makes a to-
take OF seventy rninutes=IonE enough
TO get up steam. And now you'd bet
ter make for the engine at once
q But you -
T1eslin instinctively- glanced at a
photograph CT his wife which had a
place on the rough mantelpieee.
II am the odd man.. he said, with
a queer lauza-ssI STAY
NO. BY Heayens.'' cried Murray,
III stay-you co."
Heslin made an impatient gesture Of