The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-08-09

able collapse which conquered the muir
derous impulses and left him weak and
broken for the moment With a sob
he turned and leaned upon the wall,
his back to her, his face buried in his
tense arms-crushed, despised. dishon-
ored! Kill her? The horror of 1t
swept his brain clear for an instant.
Kill his pretty Frances? Kill James
mother? How could he think Of it?
1t was a long time before the wretch
ed man knew that she was standing
close behind him and was speaking to
him. The sound Of her voice came
through the noise of his pounding
heart as if it were far away and gen.
tie. But what was it that she was say
ing? Her voice was angry, suppressed,
condemning.
You may take it or refuse it, just
as you please" were the first words
his turbulent senses distinguished. Il
can pay no more than that for your
silence. The other is impossible. l
will not discuss it again with you"
She paused as If waiting for him to re-
spond.
Tonight 1 shall tell my husband
everything-the whole story. I cannot
endure the suspense any longer. l will
not live in fear of you another hour.
My only reason for coming out here
tonight is to plead with you to spare
your son and Jane. I am not asking
anything for myself. 1t would break
James heart If Graydon should refuse
to marry her. You must have heart
somewhere in that But the words
became jumbled in the ears Of her lis
tener. From time to time his mind
grasped such sentences as these, par
alyzing in their bitterness: Il have the
letters of adoption. David will not be-
lieve what you say. He loves me, and
he loves Jane. l am willing to pay all
that / have to keep it from Graydon
and Jane. But l intend to tell my hus-
band. I will not deceive him any
longer. He will understand, even
though he should hate me for it. He
will love Jane, although she is not his
own child"
David Cable seemed frozen to the
spot His brain was clearing; he was
grasping the full Importance of every
sentence that rushed from her impas-
stoned lips. The last appalling words
fell like the blow of a club in the
hands of a powerful man. He was
dazed, stunned, senseless. 1t seemed to
him that his breath had ceased to
come and that his whole body had
turned to stone. His wide staring eyes
saw nothing ahead OF him.
We'll, what have you to say?" she
was demanding. "Why have you asked
me to come out here? You have my
final answer. What have you to say?
Are you going to tell Graydon that
Jane is not our child? I must know"
Not our child?" came from the pal
sled lips Of David Gable, so low and
lifeless that the sound was lost in the
swish of the water below. The inter
mittent red signal in the lighthouse far
but to him it was a steady, vivid glare.
do you hear me? 1 have lied to my
husband for the last time" There was
almost a tone Of victory in the voice
now. do you hear me? You don't
dare! David will not believe you He
will believe my
A terrible oath choked back the
hopeful words in the woman's throat
Murder had come back into the mans
heart.
"You lie.'
"Davidr'
Eyes, it's David! Liar! Whose child
Is she? Tell mef"
David! David! For Gods sake
hear me. There was no wrong,
swear ttv'
"She's not my child and there's nc
wrongw The sardonic laugh that fol