Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-12-30

Even Or. Breiit, who had perched this
place CT healing where his patients
could breathe air fresh from the Pa
eiiic and cooled by the snow peaks,
knew it chiefly through two OF its eli.
zens-Mrs. Hal.oran, the capable, bus.
Ting wife of the proprietor Of the
Mountain Valley House. III. t,wn's
single hosiclry. who brewcd old fash
Toned blackberry wine and cordials for
his patients. and Tom FEEDER. a ycuns
lawyer whom" he had known on the
coast before III health h;;i sent tiul 70
hang cat Ills sbinG,c in a more genial
altitude
The latter sometimes came for IL chat
with the physician, and on one OF these
calls Jessica aad be had met. She had
liked his keen, good htlmored face and
waving, slightly CRAVING hair She
had met him once since on the noun.
tain road, and he had walked with her
and told lier quaint stories of the
townspeople. He had taken her to
Mrs. Halloran. whose heart she had
Won by praise OF her cherry cordial
ut brings back my boyhood," David
Stires said to her one afternoon, tap
ping the bottle by his wheel chair.
Somehow this has the old taste"
at is nearly gone" she said. "rll
get another bottle. l am going for
ride now. tlliak it does you good"
Before you CO. he said. fetch my
writing case, and | will dictate IL let
| ter
She brought and opened it with a
| trouble at her heart. for the request
| showed his increasing weakness. I'm
| til today the few letters he had writ
ten had been done with his own hand.
| Thinking of this as she waited, her
of the leather cover. The morocco flap
fell and disclosed slip of paper. 1t
was Cancelled bank draft 1t bore
Hughs name, and across its face in Da-
| yid Stires' Grabbed hand, written large.
was the venomous word Forgery
The roo. swan before her eyes.
Only by lerce effort could she com,
pei her pen 10 trace the dictated words.
Hugh's misdaed, evil as ii was. had
been. to her but an abstract crime.
Now it suddenly lay bare before her,
concrete expression of coarse thievcry,
living symbol of crafty stimulation.
Scarce knowing why she did 1t, she
drew the draft covertly from its re-
ceptacle and slipped 1t ilto her bosom.
The evidence CT Hugh's sin! That
paper must remain. as the sin that
made it remained. the sign manual OF
her dishonor and loss The man whose
hand had penned its lying signature
was the man she had Thought she
loved. BY that act he had thrust him
self from her forever Yet he lived.
Somewhere In the world lie walked in
shame and degradation beyond the
! pale of honorable living. and she was
his wife! She was his wife! Though
she called herself Jcssica Holmc, yet in
the law his name and fame were hers.
Look at that steady hand now. an
her hair as red as gloryw said Mrs.
Halloran, gazing admiringly from the
doorstep where she had been chatting
with Tom Fielder "Yc needn't stare
yer gray eyes ont. though or she'll
| sup it tue JooiIy sup 10 buy We Il
ring-to shame We fer jest hankerin'
and sayin' nothip'".'
| Fe!:.er laughed as he crossed the
street. raising his felt hat CALAMITY to
the approaching rider Mrs. Hallo.an
Was privileged character. 1t was not
Michael IIalloran who Kept the Noun
tain Valley House popular! The old
woman hurried to the curb ard tied
the Horse us .Iessica Gismounted.
How did We guess made some
more this day. she exclaimed. Sure,
If We drink /: yerself, my dearic, them
cheeks is al TIL trademark l need!"
She led the way into the little carpetel
side room, by courtesy denominated
the parlor.' I'm go an put it up in
two Shakes she said "Sit We down
an I'll not be ten minutes" So say
ing, she hustled away.
Left alone. Jessica gazed abstract
edly about her. Her mind was still
full Of the painful reflections of her