The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-11-03
An ElOpenent.

w 10
There was no reply, and In a few mo
ments the boy, who had his arms
about his fathers neck. felt a con-
vulsive tremor.
Go, father. and bring her. You
know where she is, I'm sure"
Still the father did not speak. In
stead he hugged his son closely to him.
Then suddenly he said:
"For your sake. Clarence, III make
an effort"
A lady driven up to her country resi-.
dence In an automobile alighted and
hurried into the house. In the hail she
was accosted by tall, intellectual
looking man. but with something weak
In his expression.
"Why, dear, what has kept you?
Dinner has been ready half an hour"
"Well. well, must always be on the
minute?" And instead of waiting for
the usual kiss she hurried upstairs to
lay aside her wraps.
Something wrong again." ne NUT
tered. 1--WE who defy the social code
must pay the penalty. But she has
always recovered from these moments
OF remorse. Doubtless she will do so
now"
The recovery IN this case did not
come. Instead a gloom settled over
the woman that he could not dlspel.
though he made every effort He tried
TO win her from her melancholy by
caresses. She repulsed him. He took
her TO the opera. TO .heaters. every.
where, anywhere, that he could place
her in an atmosphere of excitement.
She seemed for awhile to be lending
herself willingly TO the plan. but there
was no change in her and at last she
declined to pursue It further. One
thing alone she followed OF her own
choice. Every day an automobile
wheeled to the door. and she entered II
and sped away for drive that was
never short and often very long.
He was comforted that what could
not be produced by other amusements
was effected by this. Doubtless the
breakneck speed, with an element OF
danger in II. served 20 overcome re-
morse But he feared that one of the
many accidents constantly occurring
would happen TO her.
Sweetheart" he said one day after
her return from a ride, ''lo you drive
very fast?"
"As fast as the machine can be
driven"
Are you not afraidT
"No. Automobile accidents do not
maina: they give us oblivion"
He sighed and started to take her in
his arms. but she turned away.
The next day when she went to ride
he told her that he would go with her
lie wished to observe if the chauffeur
was careful or reckless. She passivcly
consented. He was satisfied with
what he saw. There was no careless
ness. no reckless speed, Int she sat
beside him unmoyed by any word he
spoke TO her and apparently uninter-
ested in her surroundings. She was
like woman of stone
Coming 10 broad road stretching
straight ahead for several miles, he
ordered the chauffeur 10 increase the
speed again and again till the machine
was flying like the wind. Still the wo-
man beside him sat like a statue. He
felt for her hand, expecting that.
moved by the awful speed at which
they were running, she would involun-
tarily clutch his. 1t lay limp in his
palm.
That was the last ride he ever took
with her. The next afternoon when
he came home he was told that she
had gone, as usual, in the automobile
When dinner was announced she had
not returned. He waited half an hour.
then dlned alone. His life was becom-
ing intolerable. Despairing of re-es
tabllshing his former relations, he
wished that something would occur to
break the connection. After dinner he
lighted n cigar, but soon threw q;
away Noticing an evening paper on
table beside him. he took II up. On
the first page there were headlines in
large print announcing an automobile
accident Two persons. a man and q
woman. were killed
Strange that he experienced a wei
come relief
He did not read what followed He
had long lived I'm dread of something
terrible-he knew not what--and did
not doubt that this horror was what
he had feared. or II he doubted he
did not dare read on. fearing a con.
tlrmatlon OF what he believed. Con
science makes towards of ms an. and
this man. who had robbed husband
OF his wife and n child 81 his mother
shrank from the dreadful end of what
he had done. He sai motionless. his
face covered with his hands A serv
ant lighted the lights, but he did NOT
hear An hour passed during which
no sound aroused him, I'm at last hc
heard an automobile stop before the
house. Starting up. he hurried TO the
door. A chauffeur. one he had never
seen. met him there.
Il was told. sir. 20 bring this ma
chine here"
The few words told new story
She, was not dead, She Ead hft him
Ms