Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1907-01-03
Lavender
Lovers
Copyright, 1905. by Olivia B. strOhml
By OLIVIA B. sTRoHM
CHAPTER XvI.-CoNT1NUED.

have. The old mans blood is on his
head. This, and his presence in the
forest, for which he could not, prob
ably, give a satisfactory reason-surely
all this is condemnation enough? One
other love affair, more OF less-what
does it matter? And you-it would
distress your sister to know you were
mixed up in this murder" Gerald
WINGED at the ugly word. "And you
would much prefer not to be knowninit."
"But Mr.. Winslow-he will explain
some day."
Some day, perhaps" Gonzaga re-
piled. For the present" There was
artful suggestion in the unfinished SEN
tence, in the %insinuating smile, the lift
ed brows which, even in the darkness,
was not lost upon Gerald. He hest
tated, then, without reply, walked slow
ly toward the inn.
The Spaniard followed In satisfied ST.
lence; the leaven of temptation was set
that it would work he had little doubt.
Lavender greeted her brother, with
hands outstretched. Gerald! Let us
go, and quickly"
The Spaniard assisted him with the
boat, then waved farewells as he
watched them skim the water, the man
rowing with long, impetuous strokes,
his sister dropping in the stern, crushed
beyond her usual endurance.
For some time they went on in ST.
IS lence, the silence of the river at night
broken only by the dip of oars, the
cry of q qua-bird, or the startled retreat
of a deer that had come down to the
water to drink.
What ails you, lavender" Gerald
said, suddenly, the thongs of his self
disgust descending upon her innocent
head.
Meekly she answered: I'm tired, and
1t is late"
Tired " he echoed, petulantly. you're
a tender-hearted creature, a grateful
girl, indeed! Your friend is wounded,
dying, maybe, and you have n COM
ments, give no aid, are merely in the
doldrums, tired forsooth!"
The injustice reused her. "Gou are
mistaken, Gerald, as well aa unkind.
l did inquire of the woman at the tav-
ern If there were anything WE could do.
But Mr.. Winslow is out of danger, she
thinks, and does not need our help. l
am most distressed ut the accident, but
l can say nothing more will say moth
ing more. l do not forget what we owe
to Mr.. Winslew. 1t is because l am not
u%ngrateful that I am silent now"
Silent about what?" he demanded,
irritated by her unsatisfactory atti-
tude. If he intended shielding himself,
her silence was his best protection;
by 1t he was called upon neither to ex-
S nor condemn. But his purpose
wavered between two plans. Lacking
courage to confess his own connection
with the affair, he lacked, too, boldness in
the dishonest course. Thus, while cow
ardice held him back, a native honesty
spurred him into a negative champion
ship. He talked fast in time to violent
rowing. "Senor Gonzaga told me of
the scandal, so-called, and intimated
that you were upset over it,"
A faint, sarcastic smile was her only
response to this remark.
What, in Heavens name, has the
mar done?" Gerald burst out at last.
Can't one have a love-affair without
gossip? Can't he meet a girl without
consulting his neighbors as to how,
and when. and where?"
Gerald spoke with the unconscious
eloquence of n pleading his own
cause. His eyes flashed, his voice rang
defiance to unseen accusers. For the
first time Lavender sat bolt upright,
her spirit on fire with all the pent-up
feelings Of the night.
ut is, perhaps, true, that Mr.. Wins
lows morals are not our affair, bur, il
so, then Mr.. Winslow's lines in life
are not cast with us. The man into whose
morals we may not look may be our
creditor, may load us with benefits; in
return he wins our gratitude, our pity
Ing silence, but our friendship, our es-
teen, never"
"You are talking nonsense" Gerald
fetorted. Il have always been proud
of you, Lavvy, because your look on
life is less restricted than custom die
tates for women. You are usually less
narrow, less"
She interrupted him %scornfully:
Narrow You call it narrow to lose
reverence for a man who kills his fell
lowman? Who lies to us about his ar
rest in st. Louis, that he may be the
better rid of us, and live his own life un-
trammeled? Let him live it!' She
flung herself back in the stern, and
gazed at the sky, her face white and
fearless.
Gerald tugged at the oars ia des-
perate, wondering silence. OF the
nights occurrences he had a confused
recollection. At the party, and later
at the tavern, he had drunk freely, and
his brain was not clear. He knew only
that he h&d gone to keep the tryst with
Susan. He had found, instead, the dead
body of her father, and the wounded
Winslow. How the latter came there
was a mystery. He was only sure that
the stab which had laid Winslow low
was intended for himself. 1t was, there
fore, a salve to his conscience to think
the worst; to give a bad motive, bow
ever vague, for the strangers pres
ence there. Besides, had he not killed
Sues father? Tie recollection of his
sweetheart's grief, quite, for the moment,
o~verbalanccd whatever of personal gain
there might be to him in the taking-off
of this old hunchback, whose murder
GUS intent had nearly cost a life. The
deed was done; Jabez was dead, and by
rIri.a1Au.,a la-l- ~. rL..l-a