Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1906-02-01


her; and 1t would seem like sacrilege
to touch this trinket which the poor
girl wore-doubtles gift of the
man she loved so dearly-the man
whose desertion had caused her to
weary OF life, to desire death.
mo, no; can mott will mott"
Leslie breathed, pantingly; but even
as she spoke the words her hand stole
toward the locket upon which the red
sunlight was falling. Once, twice,
her hand approached It and drew
back; but at the third time she took
1t up, raised it slowly, and then
swiftly turned It upward.
Then, still holding 1t, her eyes
rivited upon 1t with gaze of horror
and agony, she cried:
"Yorke! 1t Is Yorke!"
CHAPTER XXI.
1t was Yorke.
Leslie gazed down at the locket ly-
ing in the palm Of her hand, for the
moent too benumbed by the sudden
shock to feel anything.
Yes, it was his face-the handsome
face whose every line, every expires.
sion, were engraved on her heart. For
second or two the portrait, as It
smiled upon her with Yorke's charac-
istic devll-may- look In It's eyes,
gave her kind of pleasure-then she
began to realize where she had found
flying on the bosom of this woman,
She dropped the locsket as If 1t had
suddenly burned her, and she shrunk
back MS far as she could without dis
placing the woman's head from her
knee. Yorkes portrait in a locket In
the possession of another woman! 1t
could not be his face, but that of some
one--some relation closely resembling
| his. She took the locket up again,
and as she did SO, remembering that
the woman had murmured Yorke's
name Yes, it was Yorke. She laid
the locket down-gently this time
and bent over the white face OF the
woman with strange, confusing
throbbing In her heart, loud singing
in her ears. The earth seemed to rock
beneath her, the sky to be falling.
She was faint with physical exhaus-
ton, with the terrible struggle for
life, and this discovery, coming so
closely upon all she had endured, al
most crushed her. Was she really
awake, or asleep and dreaming-de.
| Apls. hn,, 1yAfg,
face lying there on this other woman's
heart! 1t was incredible.
All this passed through her mind,
her heart, in few seconds-ohe can
crowd an awful amount of misery,
anguish, joy, into minute-and by
this time the woman had revived,
where am I?' she breathed, star
ing up at Leslie,
Leslie did not answer, but continued
to gaze at her with wide-open eyes, in
which horror was growing more in
tense each moment.
where am /? Have l been Ill? All"
she drew n deep BREATH remem-
Der. Are we safe? Why don't we
go? What are we staying for?"
She raised herself on her elbow, and
half sat up, pushing the black hair
from her face and passing her hand
across her eyes. Then she looked
down and saw the locket and her
hand flew to 1t.
"Whose-whose portrait is that"
The woman looked at her, and a
dun red stole into her face
whats that to you?" she retorted,
half dehantly. You've looked at 1t,
haven't you?"
Leslie molstened her lips. They
were SO hot and dry that she could
scarcely speak.
YES, have lool>es NJ It." she said
III know"
You know who 1t Isl" As she
spoke she closed the locket hurriedly
and buttoned her dress over It, You
know Who are you? What Is your
name and the dark eyes scanned
l.eslie's pale face with suspicious
scrutiny.
My name is Leslie-Leslie Lisle,"
said Leslie, slowly,
"Leslie-," The woman sprung
to her feet. What. You are the
girl'--she stopped and stared with
flashing eyes, her hands clinched--
you are the girl he left me for?" she
hreathod
ooh, there must be some mistake,
II can not be he. And yet you spoke
his name-Yorke,"
"Iorle' Yes, that's his name and
this is his Portrait" was the sharp
response. And YOU are the girl he's
fallen in love with. and | never
guessed It. must have been fool
not to have thought of it-jumped at
Il, It's lucky for you that didn't"
she added between her teeth. I'D
have killed YOU down there"
Leslie shrunk back and instinctiyely
put out her hand as II to ward on an