The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1907-09-26

The constant stopping anu s'ai ti"s
of the local began to tire Stanton, VINO
dropped the evening paper to his
knees and closed his eyes. which were
dry and smarting from the strain OF
reading type that constantly yibrated
from the motion of the car. His watch
told him the lateness OF the hour
1890 y. m--and he wondered II his
wife was sitting up for hint She
had not been well that morning. eth
er. Perhaps, az this moment, she
was suffering.
His delay had been unavoidable;
business matter Of considerable i'm
portaLcc had been adjusted
A startling blast from the hoarse
whistle advised him of the arrival OF
the train at the station that was his
destination. Even the proximity OF
home could not dispel the atmosphere
Swallowed his mind
Gaining his gate at last, he sprans
up the steps, but halted abruptly at
the sharp. gritty crunch of broken
glass undertook The rather dim
light of the hall showed that the plate.
glass in the door was shattered. When
the eyes became more accustomed to
the gloom, the chaotic condition of the
interior was visible through the rag
ged cracks Chairs were overturned,
rugs twisted into confusion, portieres
hung in shreds from the doors or
luf,u hA no
floor! With its handsome. colored
shade crushed and broken. it was
only miracle that the tall lamp, on
the stand at the foot of the stairs, still
threw its light on the debris below
Wide-eyed and GREATNESS, he enter
ed quickly, calling his wife's name:
Helen! Helen" ~
A rustling in the upper hall ceased
suddenly at the sound of his voice
Silence-except for the rushing of
blood in the ears-until cry issued
from dry, cold lips.
"Helen!"
faint sound again reached the
ears from the hall above. and to be
free from the unnerving suspense, he
leaped up the stairway, the last turn
of which was shrouded in gloom
My God! Helenl Where are you!
What has become of you'll"
He struck match to enable him to
light the lamp in it's bracket, and had
just taken the chimney in his hand,
when sound that chilled him through
and through struck his ear. He turn.
ed his head. and saw, by the feeble
rays of the match in his fingers, a
woman's figure crouching near him.
and from the lips came the kissing,
prattling gibber of a maniac. as
The match fell, the chimney crash
ed on the carpet What had he seen
In the dim light? No, no. 1t could
not be, must not 9Helens illness
that morning-it could not bring her
to this! But alas, The dainty tea.
gown she always wore when she
greeted him on his return at night.
the rich, dark hair that brushed his
cheek and temples in the morning
during the caress that said good-by.
though now disheveled, loose and be-
ed woman before him in the dark was
his wife, once erect and lovely, now
a sinking, groveling animal A great
wave of unutterable pity drowned the
horror in the breast
"Ah, dearest, give me your hands.
This Is Jack. Don't you know me?"
The slender hands he sought in the
darkness ever evaded him; nor did
the gentle, soothing murmur of her
name from his lips bring any spoken
response. AT last, by sudden move
ment, prompted by a scuffling foot.
step quite near, he was able to grasp
the small wrists, and, holding tightly,
to draw her toward him, great ten.
derness coming over him.
But, as the wolf suddenly bites deem
into the hand that feeds 1t, so the
wretched husband felt clawing hands
at his face and throat, and was thrown
sharply backward With heart.chill.
ing screams of ferocity, with the
snarl and SLAYER of the beasts. the de.
mented woman sprang at him. The
foot he threw backward to save him.
self betrayed him, and, still struggling
the two forms toppled in bruising.
wrenching fall. down the dark, wind.
Ing stairway, Madness urged one
to tear, to destroy; tenderness for.
bade the other to do aught in de.
Tense that might iniure the woman
he loved
So the strange. GREATNESS combat
continued in the darkness. The talon.
like grip at his throat was frightful.
her tangled hair was In his eyes and
the gritting of clenched teeth sounded
close to the ear; he sobbed ehokingly
at the roughness he was compelled to
use. Now he had her two hands in
his; her struggles and attacks were
ineffective. Slowly he forced her
back, combating each superhuman.
demoniacal assault with heart break
ing effort, uptil he wedged the slender
body into corner. All, the cruelty
of IL all
But again the nervous enarov 10 49,