The San Francisco call., 1906-08-26

to prove the truth at last. Revense
yourself Miss Snow. Jane is the hon.
ored wife OF John; Lucy Is the conf
Dental housekeepeT. comfortable and
happy. Tell John the truth and punish
these vixenS"'
"oh. what shall I do2 What canI
dor cried Margaret. 1 do not want
to be cruel. but they ruined my life.
Jane -"
~She is coming TO see you. and John
also said Hagar. rapidly. The two
viii be Zero in an hour. Then you can
denounce the treachery Of Jane and
show John those letters 10 prove It.
Ruin heri She ruined YOU"
Mrs. Mask arrived an hour later. as
Hagar had announced. but alone. Her
husband had been detained by business.
she explained TO the girl. and would
come later. Like herself he was anx-
ious to see their dying friend
Does he know the TRUTH asked
Hagar, before admitting the visitor.
Jane was now large and prosperous
woman. with an imperious temper. and
in an ordinary case would have replied
sharply. But the discovery of her
treachery the knowledge that her vic
tim was dying had broken her down
entirely. With a pale face and quiver-
ing lip she shook her head and signed
that she could not bring herself to
speak Hagar stood aside and permit
ted her 10 pass in silence. She would
woman
her tongue, but deemed it more lust that
the traitress should be punished by the
FRIEND she had wrOnged so bitterly
Mrs MASK entered the room and slowly
walked over TO the bedside. The blind
woman recognized her footstep; yesi
recognized II even after these many
years.
Jane" said Margaret reproachfulIy.
have you come TO look at your work.
The prosperous lady recoiled as she
saw tic wreck OF the merry, happy girl
she had known thirty years before.
Tongue-tied by the knowledge that
Margaret spoke truly. she could only
stand like n eulprit beside the bed, and
like culprit await her sentence. Ha-
gar remained at the door to listen.
Have you nothing 10 say?" gasped
Margaret. faintly-'you who lied about
me with your accompIice-whO made
my John believe me faithless? My
John. alas. he has been yOurs-won by
dishonor-these thirty years."
Il loved hint" stammered the
other woman at last. goaded into de-
Tending herself.
Yes. you loved him and betrayed
me. For years | have suffered hunger
and cold; for years have lived with a
broken heart. alone and miserablyr
'I--I-oh, l am sorry!'
Sorry. Can your sorrow give me
back thirty years of wasted life-Of
me what should have been-what you
are-a happy wife and mother?'
margaret" implOred Jane. sinking
on her knees. forgive me. In spite OF
all my prosperity 1 have suffered in Sc
cret- My sin has come home to me
many time, and made me weep. I
searched for you when I returned to
England; l could not find you. Now I
am willing to make what expiation you
wish"
Then tell your husband how you
tricked him and ruined me-"
Mono! Anything but that. Marga-
reti For Gods sake! / should die OF
shame If he knew. He loves me now:
we are old; we have children. Two of
my boys are in the army; my daughter
is a wife and mother What you will
but not that; it would destroy all; 1t
would kill me-"
She bowed her head on the bedclothes
and wept. Margaret reflected Her re-
venge was within her gasp. John was
coming. and word from her would
make him loathe the woman he had
loved and honored these many years
would make him despise the mother of
his children No, she could not be so
cruel as to ruin the innocent TO punish
the guilty. Besides, Jane had loved
him. and ii was that love which had
made her sim Margaret raised herself
feebly and laid her thin hand on the
head of the woman who had martyrized
her.
Il forgive you. jane Go in peace
John shall never know"
Jane lifted up her face in Amusement
Eat this, Godlike forgiveness. You will
not tell him?" she muttered-
NO No one shall tell him. Hagar.
swear to me that you will keep silent"
Il swear" said Hagar, little sullen-
Iy. But you are wrong"
mo. 1 am right To gain forgive
ness we must forgive others My poor
Jane. you were tempted. and you fell
OF Lucy 1 shall say nothing; God will
bring home her sin to her in-ah, dear
Lord Hagar! I'll die"
Hagar ran to the bedside and placed
her arms round the lean frame of poor
Margaret Her face was gray, her eyes
glazed and her body fell back in the
arms of Hagar like dead thing She
was dying; the end OF her martyrdom
was at hand
.Givei Give" she whispered striv-
ing to raise one feeble hand
1.-THE teapot said Hagar. quick
give it to her"
Jane seized the teapot, ignorant that
it contained the letters which proved
her guilt. and placed it in the hands Of
the poor soul. She clasped il feebly
to her breast and a smile of delight
CT DIT slowly over her gray face
Johns giftg' she faltered. and-died.
A moment later the door was pushed
opeE and q portly nun with gray hair
entered the room. He saw Jane sob
bing by the bedside Hagar kneeling
with tears in her eyes. and on the bed
the dead body of the woman he had
loved.
IT am too late" said he. approaching.
Poor Margaret.
She has just died" whispered Ha-
gar. Take your wife away"
Come, my dear" said John, raising
the repentant woman. I'VE can do no
To fhof
She would not marry me. Well, it is
best so; God has given me good and
true wife in her place"
"A good and true wife," muttered
Hagar with irony.
With Jane on his arm the former
lover of Margaret moved toward the
door Il shall. Of course. see to the
funeral he said in a pompous tone
'She shall be buried like a princess.
Indeed. Mr.. Mask-and she lived like