Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-09-09
THE WOMAN IN THE ALcovE.
CONTINUED From Page six1

I have feared 1t would drop off and |
roll away over the adobe down the
mountain side. Was I right?"
Eyes, yes" The words came with !
difficulty, but they were clear enough. |
Its of small value. like it be-
cause
He appeared to be too weak to finish.
A pause, during which she seemed to
edge nearer to him.
I'VE all have some pet keepsake"
said she. But l should never have
supposed this stone of yours an mex
pensive one. But l forget that you are
the owner of a very large and remark
able diamond, diamond that is spok-
en- of sometimes In the papers. or
course If you have a gem like that this
one must appear very small and value
less to you
Eyes, this is nothing, nothing" And
he appeared to turn away his head.
"Mr. Fairbrother! Pardon me, but
want to tell you something about that
big diamond Of yours. You have been
Ill and have not been able to read your
letters, 80 do not know that your wife
has had some trouble with that dia-
mond. People have said that 1t Is not
| q real stone, but a well executed imi-
tation. May l write to her that this Is
a mistake-that 1t is all you have ever
claimed for it-that is, an unusually
large diamond Of the first water?"
! listened in amaZement- Surely this
was an insidious way to get at the
truth, a woman's way. But who would
say it was not a wise one, the wisest
perhaps which could be taken under
| the circumstances? What would his
reply be? Would it show that he was
as ignorant of his wifes death as was
generally believed both by those about
him here and those who knew him
we'll in New York? Or would the ques-
ton convey nothing further to him
than the doubt-in itself an insult-of
the genuineness of that great stone
which had been his pride?
A murmur-that was all 1t could be
caIled-broke from his fever dried lips
and died away in an inarticulate gasp.
Then suddenly, sharply, cry broke
from him, an Ineligible cry, and we
heard him say:
mo imitation! No imitation! 1t was
sun! A gloryl No other like It'll It
Lit the air! 1t blazed! 1t burned! l
see It now! l see
There the passion succumbed, the
strength failed. Another murmur, an
other, and the great void of night
which stretched over-I might almost
say under-us was no more quiet or
seemingly impenetrable than the al
lence of that moon enveloped tent.
Would he speak again? did not
; think 80. Would she even try to make
him? did not think this either. But
I did not know the woman.
Softly her voice rose again. There
: was a dominating lnsistence in hel
tones, gentle as they were; the In
t Sistence of healthy mind which seek
to control a weakened one.
You do not know of any imitation
2 then? 1t was the real stone you gavt
her. You are sure of It, You woulC
be ready to swear to it if-sak .rst ye'
or no." she finished tn gentle urgency.
Evidently he was sinking again int
Inconsistencies, and she was just hold
ing him back long enough for the nee
essary word.
1t came slowly and with a dragging
information, but there was no mistakinl
the ring of truth with which he spoke.
"Yes," said he.
:, When / heard the doctors voice ant
felt movement In the canvas agains
d which leaned took the warning AM
stole back hurriedly to my quarters.
g was scarcely settled when the sam
group Of three had before watches
silhouetted itself again against tn
moonlight. There was some talk,
mingling and separating of shadows
Then the nurse glided back to her dT
ties, and the two men went toward tn
clump of trees where the horse ha
4 been tethered
4 Ten minutes and the doctor was bac
in his bunk. Was it imagination or di
feel his hand on my shoulder befor
he finally lay down and composed hin
Ia self to sleep? l cannot say. I onl
- know that l gave no sign and thf
i, soon all stir ceased in his direction
and l was left to enjoy my trump
- and to listen with anxious interest
- the strange and unintelligible SOUND
which accompanied the descent Of I'll
% horseman down the face of the eli
AZ and finally to watch, with fascinatio
which drew me to my knees, II
ne passage of that sparkling star of ligl
De hanging from his saddle. 1t crept
ar and fro across the side of the opposi
ty mountain as he threaded its endle
be zigzags and finally disappeared ov,
n the brow into the invisible canyons b
5a yond
With the disappearance of this be
=. con came lassitude and sleep, throus
whose hazy atmosphere foated wi
sentences from the sick tent, whit
showed that the patient was ba'
cd again in Nevada. quarreling over L
at price of a horse which was to car
him heVond the reach of some thres