Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-11-06

Even DR. Brent. who had perched this
place OF healing where lis patients
could breathe air fresh from The IA.
cifc and cooled by the snow peaks,
knew it chiefly through two OF its r:ti
zens-A1rs. Halioran. the capable. bus
thing wife OF the proprietor of the
Mountain Valley House, the towns
single hosiery. who bIewed old fash
Toned blackberry wine ana cordials for
his patients, and Tom Fielder. young
lawyer whom he had known on the
coast before i'll health had sent him to
hang out his single in more genial
altitude.
The latter sometimes came for chat
with the physician, and on NE of these
calls Jessica and he had met She had
liked his keen. good humored 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 her 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"
1T is nearly gone" she said. TN
get another bottle. l am going for
ride now. think it does you good"
Before you CO." he said, fetch my
writing case, and I will dictate 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
fingers nervously plucked at the inside
OF the leather cover The morocco flap
fell and disclosed slip Of paper. 1t
was a Cancelled bank draft 1t bore
Hugh's, name, and across Its face in Da-
vid Stires' grabbed hand. written large.
was the venomous word Forgery"
The room swan before her eyes.
Only by fierce effort could she COM
pei her pen to trace the dictated words.
been to her but an abstract crime.
Now 1t suddenly lay bare before her. u
concrete expression of coarse thievery,
living symbol of crafty stimulation.
Scarce knowing why she did 1t. she
drew the draft covertly from its re-
ceptacle and slipped it into her bosom.
The evidence Of Hugh's sin! That
MOI In ho oil fhaf
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 he walked in
shame and degradation beyond the
pale Of honorable living, and she was
his wife! She was his wife! Though
she called herself Jessica Holme. yet in
the law his name and fame were hers.
"Look at that steady hand now, an
her hair as red as glory!" said Mrs.
Halloran, gazing admiringly from the
doorstep where she had been chatting
with Tom Fielder. Eye needn't stare
yei gray eyes Jul, luOuSu, OE Sic II
stop at the joolry shop to buy ye a
ring-to shame ye fer Jest hankerin'
and sayin' nothin'!'
Fielder laughed as be crossed the
street, raising his felt hat CALAMITY to
the approaching rider. Mrs. Halloran
was privileged character. 1t was not
Michael Halloran who kept the Noun.
tain Valley House popular! The old
woman hurried to the curb and tied
the horse as Jessica dismounted.
How did ye guess made some
more this day." she exclaimed Sure.
If ye drink it yerself, my dearie, them
cheeks is all tn trademark I need.'
She led the way into the little carpeted
side room, by courtesy denominated
1.-The parlor." "I'll go an put it up in
two shakes" she said. "Sit ye 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