The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1908-11-20
Through a
Wonan's Heart.
By Sidney Warwick.

hand had struck at the woman who
had trusted and cared for him. The
name was quite unfamiliar, though in
some odd way the rector seemed to
have seen the handwriting before.
stephen, do you wonder now that
I hate that man."
The low, intense voice crept to his
brain like spark to finder.
Did Stephen Ruthen wonder?
Almost without his knowing 1t. his
hand had clenched on the back of the
chair tightly-fiercely, as If his fingers
were choking out the life of a man.
But for the writer of that letter
Olive would have been his wife
might have learned to care for him
his wife, making life a sweeter, dearer
thing for him! And more than that,
dwarfing that thought into insig.
nificance, was the wrong this man
had done to his beloved.
The thing called moral sense reeled
in him, swept away by wave of blind
hatred of this unknown man, as he
looked into the face of the woman he
loved-pale, proud, with its scarlet
lirs and smoldering eyes; and in
that moment Stephen Ruthen knew
how near to the surface in every
mans soul lies the sleeping primitive
man, with all the primitive mans saw
age passions and implses.
This man, Carr-if he were within
reach Of my hands now" he cried,
10 rsely, II believe before God that
I should
The words broke Off abruptly, like
the sudden swapping of fiddle
string.
Through the half-open door that led
into the church, standing out among
the shadows that lay thick about the
altar-shadows broken only by the
dim CLEANS of the candles burning in
the organ loft and the faint moonlight
that fell through stained glass in
splashes of crimson-the outline of
the cross that was the symbol of his
sacred calling met Stephen Ruthen's
eyes while the wild outburst was on
his lips, recalling him to himself, TAX.
ing, as it were, dumb voice, that
cried to him:
"You, one Of Gods ministers, with
a threat of murder on your lips-with
murder in your hearth
He crossed and shut the door.
But he was still fighting with him
self-fghting with those passions and
impulses of the hatred that scorched
his brain like flame as she spoke
again:
THAT letter came to me weeks ago.
Until then, though he had shown but
too plainly that he had wearied of me,
though he even struck me when we
parted last
Gle struck you, olive?"-in a
strangled voice.
She nodded.
ooh, but that blow wasn't SO cow
ardly as the blow in his letter; for
the last was struck in cold blood
premeditated. Until that letter came
1 believed I was at least his wife. Not
his wife!-only his plaything, his dis
carded mistress! Oh, Stephen, Ste
phen, think my heart is frozen!" she
broke out wildly. IF only could cry
dear heaven, if only could cry!
But I have no tears left, only this
hate that fills me so that I can think
of nothing else but my hate, my hun
ger for vengeance!"
He touched her hands with an in
finite tenderness of pity, but words
failed him. Stephen Ruthen knew
what a man who was priest of the
church ought to have said-to have
told her that vengeance was for God,
not for a man or woman. But he re.
allied that such words spoken by
him, with all his feelings stirred as
they were stirred now, would have
been a mcekery and lie. His mouth
was rigid, his hands were clenched.
stephen, want you to help me to
find that man." she cried feverishly
81 don't know his roal name, but I've
found a clue; part Of torn-up let
ter to him which spoke of Wildfell
and that brought me here. And ther
this afternoon, as though Fate was
| fighting for me, caught a glimpse
of him in Fellsgarth station, saw
him from the carriage window as m,
train came in. He was on q far plat
form, but his face leapt out from the
crowd. But he had gone before
could reach the platform where HAD
seen him. Only I knew then that
was on the right track. He is living
or staying near here. You will helI
me to find him., Stephen"
"But-when you find him Oliver"
Something in her face frightened
him. For the first time a smile flick
cred about her lips, like the light flick
ering On the horizon before a storm
it seemed to threaten a vengeance
that would know no pity, no remorse
no fear. Her breast was rising ant
falling fast; with that CLEAN o.
strange resolution in her face she
looked like another Judith.
II have my mothers Southern bloot
in me-" she said. Don't question me
Stephen; don't seek to know! All
ask you Is to help me to find THU
man."
He looked at her with a swift-dawn
ing fear. He saw that she was al
most beside herself with broodini
/ t.>,, s~.nn~. S,>~ ,oo ravs kuo,,, 1>H.,.