Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-07-13
The Justice OF
the Gods
BY GEO. T. PARDY.
sora sa~-sssn s~~-ts-NSit~~sseJlsf

Ay you Will at least give me back
my letters. when | furnish you with
che money you require?"
Gerald Raymond smiled and shook
his head
Not exactly, Iris" he replied.
The bundle Of little love missives
involving your indiscretion and
Fnires0r | am gallant enough to
shoulder my share of responsibility
in The materials become altogeth-
ser too precious in my eyes to lose
Tsissses.sion Of lightly 1t is a mere
natter Of sentiment, my dear. You
know | was always soft.hearted and
Imprpssionable"
You coward" breathed the girl
from between clinched teeth.
Raymond laughed again.
DoaH be 50 melodramatic, Iris"
he advised, mockingly THAT sort Of
thing Las gone out of date along with
sase Three volume novel and other in
uosscnt recreations of a bygone age.
TN ~ look a. this matter In a purely
tabElnes5kke way. You are no longer
w, the age when one views the
Sstrrid through rose colored glasses.
S1x year have passed since you
e'1ssng 10 me in the passion of loves
MTSt ecstasy and swore eternal devo-
t'fi'n and all that sort Of thing When
yuH are married to Archie Stratford
isJbGdy will be a bit the wiser as to
yunx earlier romance. That will re-
EaaiB a secret between us two-as
&aSs as you are reasonable enough not
60 rebel against the little claims of
yoHr first lover"
Iris Dalmage clasped her hands to-
y,setheT In spasm of impotent rage.
What Devil you are, Gerald"
she said, slowly How could / ever
have been so blind as to mistake the
sfTtt awakened transports of physical
pl1 s'12n for loye-love of such a erea-
+, tnre as your"
Don't talk nonsense" snapped Ray.
fntztt shortly. Il have just as much
power over you as ever. Iris, and you
can't deny it. Here-kiss me-"
de caught her head roughly be-
a0FsFas his hands and pressed his lips
to beers. She submitted, although the
color came and went in crimson
sSsaves under her white, transparent
tst1a, but her eyes shone like two
Angry twin stars in the gaslight and
rssggsed around the room with pene-
: ara3j3g glanees as though in search
" something. Presently her gaze
!. Sessad llag g sharp glsamlng dagger
OF Oriental workmanship. that lay
with several other specimens of artis-
tic SFsc-a-brac on a small table.
Iris rose ard stood facing her tor
rra;rastUr She was tall girl of SUI
'f7sssaA NepTe. every line of which de-
snssad power and activity. Raymond,
on the c0Eltrary, was rather under
Saved and Slight Of frame. His in
tt'sss.e pallor and nervous, restless
fasgess sgere indicative of anything but
sgs,oG, Esysicai condition A physi-
scfzn'S rye would have detected a sig
F,ii1caD3 connection between his APP
bSsexrance AID the sight OLA little sill
yer case. obviously a receptacle for a
hypodermic needle, that lay at a lit
'tSn distance from his hand.
The girl was well aware that the
man who held her in his power was
confirmed morphine fiend and like
? ats Aabitual users of the drug, total
.sE 'nestitute of moral consciousness.
t9er infatuation for him had been
sssaSgt lived, but nevertheless of suffi-
cicnt duration to place an ineffacable
brand of shame and remorse upon
her soul Five years ago report
s,a6 reached her that he had died
,1h3le on a sketching tour in India,
,suad she had rejoiced in the belief that
q gnerciful Fate had drawn a veil over
tgxs SDdiscretion of her trusting girl.
nooS
Now. with the date of her mar
xIage tO Archibald Stratford only a
ve~ weeks away, a phantom of the
dark past had arisen to confront her.
RzyTnond had written short note,
commanding her to visit him alone in
the bungalow which he had rented
in the outskirts of the city. And she
lad cbeyed, unable to resist, knowing
the implacable nature of the man and
ctTcading his ability to disgrace her.
= am to understand then" she said,
rLr1 y IS your intention TO use those
astters as a means of blackmail, both
now and ia the future?"
Raymond nodded a cheerful assent.
Your penetration does you credit,
saly dear Iris" he responded. Archie
sstraifOrd possesses much filthy lucre
and an occasional modest contribu-
zion Will satisfy my needs. He will
s1ot miss either the money nor the
axle tokens Of affection that you will
1gest5w upon me at intervals"
Cris w8s silent for moment. A
zorvent Of furious thoughts were
vEhirsing through her brain. A mist
OF red swan before her eyes and her
;Dlo0d seemed to turn to molten lead
DO her vefrs Her hand grasped the
,Xzlrer on the table behind, and the
18ndr * the cold steel nerved her to
adcspe1sse action.
VISTA q single, supple spring she
r5s..te f,4.i6p him and the sbarD I'm