Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1908-01-17
CHAPTER xxx.

SNOi III VI NolCt.
"Since you have made up
your mind, why should IY'
1T Is only your word that 1 ask
your solemn word to me that you are
innocent"
IF you don't believe in me. what's
the use Of giving you my solemn word?
can't prove 1t and never could. The
evidence was too strong"
1T would have been stronger still"-
The voice stopped short.
"Well?"
IF I had told them all you said to
me that very night, that very hourr'
The voice was no longer scornful
Even to Peggy 1t seemed to falter and
to tremble with the pent up agony of
years. But Toms tone did not change.
II know that" he said bitterly. 81
have always known that you had more
reason than anybody in the world to
think me guilty. Yet I would rather
you had thought me innocent and let
me die than saved my lie to show me
what you still think after oil these
months. My cup has been pretty full,
but that's the bitterest drop"
"And still you won't deny It," per
sisted the girl. Il am ready to TAXA
your word. yet you will not give It"
"What's the use?" he asked. "What
difference could it make, even suppos-
ing you believed mc?"
"All the difference to me-" was the
quick but low reply. 1T would alter
evcrything-evcrything. Can't you see
that it mustY'
mo; it Is too late to alter anything
at all"
Yet his voice shook in Its turn.
TOO late? Too late:' cried the girl
wildly. Nothing is too late IL you are
innocent. Speak, Tom. Why don't
you speak? Oh, Tom. 1t would alter
all our lives. yet you will not speak"
because l cannot" he cried out.
because IL am not an innocent man.
! am nOt-I am mott am not! And
now leave me-leave me, l say, for
Gods sake! Never you pity me again."
Almost from shout his voice died
down to whisper. The last words
were hardly audible outside. But they
were followed by u silence SO heavy
that Peggy O'Brien heard herself
breathing and thought she must be
heard within. And then came the
sound Of light, unsteady steps retreat
Ing. and nothing mOre-not another
sound within.
The silence appalled, Peggy. At last,
when she could no longer bear 1t, she
crept over the soft sand to the mouth
OF the shed and peered round the cor
ner He vas standing within as the
other woman had left him. He had
never stirred. His open hands were
still extended in some unfinished ges-
ture. A glimmer Of sunshine glanced
on the waters and pointed the cruel
contrast between the lined face and
the yellow hair thrown proudly back
from 1.-THE one SO aged, the other so
boyish. And his eyes-they seemed
still to he pouring tenderness and
strength upon the other woman. They
never saw this one ut all.
She stole away, loving him more
than ever. But must not the other one
TOO! She had seen the same look
had won it-but his crime made q diff
ference to her. 10 Peggy 1t made
none. She neither knew nor cared
what it was, and there lay her slight
advantage. 1t was too slight. She
loved him, but SO much the other.
Her love lay near to hate. She would
see II she could not push the other
wOman's nearer yet.
She reached the house. and nobody
was In the way Lady Starkie was
writing letters in the breakfast room.
Peggy was soon listening at the other
woman's door-listening to her sobs.
She compressed her lips and nodded
to herself with splendid confidence. At
length there fell a silence. In which
Peggy knocked and entered.
4 beg pardon, miss. but was Thomas