Daily Arizona silver belt., 1908-10-24

W. ~ ike WnlrIWlDd. the
Na chill damp smell of the
dewy balsams In her nos
trils. the dust rising ghostlike behind
the rapid hoofs. She found David
Stires anxious and peevish over her
late coming.
She felt a relief when the old man
grew tired and was wheeled to his
bedroom.
Left alone, her reflections returned.
She began to be tortured. she tried
to read. The printed characters swan
beyond her comprehension. At length
she drew a hood over her head and
stole out on to the wide porch.
1t was only 0 O'Clock, and along the
gravel paths that wound among the
shrubbeIy few dim forms were stroll
ing. She caught the scent of a cigar
and the sound of woman's laugh
The air was crisp and bracing. with
promise Of frost and painted leaves.
She gazed down across the dark
gulches toward the town. struggling
design pricked in binding yellow
points. Halfway between, folded IN
the darkness, lay the green shelf and
the cabin TO which her thought re-
Cured with kind of compulsion.
There was- no moon. but the stars
were glowing like tiny green gilt Goals
and the yw,low road lay plain and
clear. With a sudden determination
she drew her light cloak closely about
her, stepped down, sped across the
grass to a footpath and so to the road
As she ran on down the curving stretch
under the trees the cracking slip OF
bank paper that lay in her bosom
seemed to burn her flesh. She was
stealing away TO gaze upon the out
cast who had shamed and BUNDLED
her-going. she knew not why. with
burning cheek and hammering heart
She slipped through the side trail 10
the cabin with a choking sensation
She stole to the window and peered
in. In the freight she could see the
form on the bunk. tossing and mutter-
ing Otherwise the place was empty.
She lifted the latch softly and en-
tered.
The strained anxiety of Jessicas
look relaxed as she gaZed about her
She saw the vial On the table. The
doctor had been there, then. IL be
were in serious case, Prendergast
would be with him. She threw back
her hood. drew one OF the chairs to
The side OF the hunk and sat down. her
eyes fi.ed on his face. The weakness
and helplessness OF his posture struck
through and through her. Two sides
Of her were struggling in a chaotic
combat for mastery.
81 hate you! ! hate your' she said
uqdei her breath, clinching her cold
hand II must hate you! You stole
my love and put it under your feet!
You have disgraced my present and
ruined my futurel What If You have
forgotten the past-your crime? Does
that make you the less guilty or me
the less wretchedT
But withal a silent voice within her
gave the lie TO her yehemence. Some
element of her character that had been
rigid and intact was crumbling down.
An old sweet something that dread
full mill had ground and crushed and
annihilated was rising whole and IN
defiletl, superior 10 any petty distluc
ton. regardless of all that lifted com
bative In her Inheritance. not TO be
guinsaid or denied.
She leaned closer, listening to the i'll
coherent words and broken phrases
borne on the turbid channels of fever
But she could not link them together
into meaning. Only ore name he spoke
clearly over and over again-the name
Hugh Stires-repeatei with the dreary
monotony of child coming lesson.
She noted the mark across his brow.
Before her marriage, in her blindness.
she had used TO wonder what 1t was
like. II was not III the least disfl;sur-
ing. II gave touch .of the .extraor-
binary. 1t was so small she did not
wonder that in that ecstatlc moment OF
her brides kiss she had not seen it.
Slowly, half fearfully. she stretched
cut her hand and laid II on his. As II
at the touch the mutterings ceased.