Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-09-03
New System DelIgI PlIlo|s

tsUH VIVtVtil UViltai uAfViU
with outstretched hands She did
not move, till his face was close to
hers Then she stepped back and
struck him across the mouth with all
her strength
THAT is my answer to YOU" she
cried.
| William Tankerlane did not speak
nor move from the place on which he
stood He quietly took handker-
chief from his pocket and pressed 1t to
his lips. Then, as he caught sight OF
the girls knuckles, and the blood
which was trucking down her white
hand, he smiled.
Il am afraid you have hurt your
SELF, he said gently. after pause.
She turned away from him and
pressed her hands to her face. She ut
tered no sound, but he knew that she
was crying. He came to her side.
Laura, he said tenderly, x am a
clumsy brute | am afraid l did not
make muself clearto you just now.
honor you for the blow you have
struck me- 1t was natural that you
should have misunderstood me. Two
months ago L but forget that,
Laura Since then you have taught me
how strong good woman can be.
When l spoke to you just now | did
J not ask you did not intend to in
!. suit you meant that wished you to
, be my wife"
The girl turned to him with fright
ened eyes.
| Your wife she repeated mechani-
cally, as though the word had opened
up new train OF thought, and she
F., was yet uncertain whittier it tended.
your wife, Mr.. Tankerlane?"
, MY wife" he repeated simply ut
! will be an honor for me- and love
5 you, Laura"
She was silent The whole matter
3 had to be approached from different
4 standpoint The man, subtle schemer
D that he was, had armed himself with
: new and powerful weapon. An offer
t of marriage from the heir Of the Tan
i ksrlane estates could hardly be treat
ed as an insult And, If it so happen
y ed that price had to be paid for the
y life or liberty Of the man she loved.
O this was at least one that could be
q paid without dishonor.
q Then you mean," she faltered aft
9 er long silence; you mean that If
refuse 10 marry you
n Precisely, Laura" he replied. 1--WE
n understand each other"
81 must have time" she said in a
- low voice "time to think. Have you
|, thought of the Consequences, Mr.
10 Tankerlane? Have you thought OF
"a what it means to be tied for life to a
woman who-who loathes you?"
r. He WINGED slightly at her words
Int "a VOC who oarai 1iff1n Tnr
4 the consequences Of his actions.
~ 81 will take the risk" he answered
o. with smile And will give you til
n ten o'clock tomorrow morning to de
eide Good night"
a He held out his hand, but she turn
IN ed her back on him, and he left thu
IN room.
Laura Vane stood alone in the fire
" light, face to face with the problem
"a of her life.
n She had come to the parting Of thu
Va ways. Two roads lay before her, boil
steep, perilous, strewn with thorn
"a and sharp stones; both hard to treat
in and lost in the darkness of futurtty
for though she plainly saw the miser;
,d and shame that lay at the begtnntn
at Of her journey, she could not eve1
oil guess what might be at the end Q
ou It.
~ Yet this much she knew that whic
ever path she chose, she must trea
a 1t to the end alone.
y, She sank on her knees before tn
m fire, and stared into the glowing en-
bers as though she might find som
al vision of the future in the caverns {
red light The flames had died ava
"a from the logs, and only dull re
~ glow Illuminated her beautiful fac
"a Dark shadows lay in the corners {
no the room, and her own image. gigal
or, tic and distorted, was thrown athwal
;, the ceiling like a thunder cloud.
To Laura Vane had come to the par
"a ing of the ways, and she could n,
90 decide what road to take, yet the d
~ cision had to be made between tt
" next few hours The problem WI
NO acute and fraught with many diff1cr
IN ties. The consequences of her deci
wa ion would be far-reaching and the ul1
mate result could not possibly
as foreseen.
of She did not count herself in Il
,sh matter. She was prepared to sacrif1'
,od all the happiness OF her life to sa'
,ed her lover from the consequences
The his crime. The long weary years
MI bondage to man she dislikd. Il
shame Of selling her body for pric
JON the degradation of mind and so
for which must inevitably accompal
Nv. such union, all these were nothil
nv compared to the safety of the man q
do loved. On this one point at any RAJ
ter. nel iiii,lo was oieai. Il ~ ~.s o1se
she anu NOV fechoh up Inc GUS. sne "ou
fin. have to pay.
ght (To be eontinued.)