Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-09-05
Jane Gable
-. By.
GEORGE BARR McCUTCHEON,
Author Of Beverly Of Graustark" Etc
COPYRIGHT. DoDD q COMPANY ,

was of James Bansemer.
The heavy ulster was unbuttoned. and
the snowiakes pelted in against his
neglected shirt front. A doorman call
ed his attention to the oversight. He
came to himself. drew the coat close
about his long frame and hurried off
down Fifth avenue. The storm was so
vicious that he boarded a crosstown
car at Forty-second street. 4 man ell
bowed him in the narrow vestibule. He
looked up and gasped aloud in sudden
terror. An instant later he laughed at
his fears. The man was not James
Bansemer. A cold perspiration started
out over his body. however. Through
his brain there went racing the ever
revolving cry:
Hell come straight to me-straight
to mer'
The hour was not late, but the biz
zard had driven the crowds from the
streets. Eighth avenue sidewalks We're
deserted except for the people who
were obliged to brave the storm. AS
broom hurried south to his lodgings he
became possessed of 4 racling belief
that some one was following close upon
his heels-some one who was rushing
I'D to deal him murderous' blow in the
back The old man actually broke into
a frantic run in covering the last half
block
1t was not until he was in his rooms,
with the door bolted, that he could rid
himself of the dread. The fire had
gone out. and the light was low. His
teeth chartered and his hand shook as
he raised the wick in the lamp. The
palsy of inexplicable fear was upon
him. Kneeling before the stove. he be-
gan to rebuild the fire. His back was
toward the door. and he turned an
anxious face in that direction from
time to time. Footsteps on the stair
way sent a chill through his gaunt
frame. They passed on up the next
flight, but he, waited breathlessly until
he heard the door of the apartment
above slam noisily.
For half an hour he sat huddled in
front of the stove without removing
his hat and ulster.
Course the luckr' he was saying over
and over again to himself. sometimes
aloud. why should he have par
don? What are the laws for? Curse
that meddling old fool Clegg. They'll
set him free, and he'll hunt me out;
know he will He won't forgive me
for that days work. He may be free
now. 1t may have been he who fol-
lowed me. But. no. That's a silly
thing to think. 1t takes weeks and
months to get pardon. Maybe-may.
be they won't get it. after ALL"
He tried to throw off his desperate
feeling of apprehension. chattering all
sorts of comforting reasons and ex-
cuses to himself as he scurried about
the rooms with aimless haste. Try as
he would. however. when the time
came he could not read-not even of his
courage inspiring Napoleon. The how
of the wind annoyed and appalled, him
He caught himself listening intently
for sounds above and not of the storm
A nervous, intermittent laugh broke
I from his lips as he went on cursine
himself for fool to be so disturbed
by Graydon's report.
what have | TO fear from him.
Why should | let that look of his I'M
nerve me so? Why can't forget it? L
it didn't mean anything. I'm foo
to think of it. Nearly two years ago
that was. Why. he may be- A new
thought chased the cid one out before
| it was formed. His eyes caught sigh
| of one of his completed models stand
ing i'll the corner. 1t was the mode
for the guillotine.
| For long time he sat staring al
the thing. hundred impressions form
| ing and reforming in his brain.
II wonder if I'll really die before he
| is liberated" he was saying dumbly t.
himself. 81 wonder if l Will There's
no sign of it now. I'm strong and
well enough to live for years. Sup
pose he is freed inside of month OIL
two. What then? BY hea ven. I'd BIZ
losing the dearest hope of my whole
life. My last sight of him-that beau
tiful vision behind the bars-wouId
be spoiled. undone.. wiped out He'd
be as free as |. ! won't die inside OF
and laugh at me, and he'd kill me In
the end. God! know he would He'd
have the joy of seeing my pain and
terror and defeat-he'd see me last
I'd be bloody and crushed and
He checked himself in the midst OF
these dire forebodings 70 rise suddenly
and cross to the CHASTITY looking franz
with the cords. the hinges and tn
great broadax that lay harmlessly IL
the grooves at the top. For man.
minutes he stood and gaZed at the Ak
/, his flesh as cold as ice. Then b.
tested the cords. The AK droppet
heavily to the block below.
The odor of geranium leaves assailet
! his nostrils. With an ugly impulse b
turned and swept the pots from tn
window box, scattering them over tn
floor.
4 He lifted the broadax to its plac,
tenderly. almost lovingly. by m