The Washington herald., 1908-09-02

ing 10 you Tell me the TRUTH Tell me
why you did not interfere. Why you
watched, why you" She stopped and
looked steadily into his eyes Then, as
the truth dawned upon her. her fury died
from her face and she stood very white
and still The man gazed At her IN
dinchingly.
Z see" she said slowly. after a long
silence Z understand John Shn IS in
your hands. and-yOu do not love John
ShiI-'
A faint smile crossed TankerIaine's
hard face and then q sudden storm or
passion swept across il; a hot flush came
into his cheeks. the veins stood out on
his forehead. his eyes gloz.ed with a
fierce fire. lie STROBE up 10 the woman
and gripped her by the shoulders
Laura he said passi0nauely. you
know that I love YOU, that long for
you, that hunger for you as a starving
man huugers fOr bread And. BY heaven.
mean 20 have you Now 90 you under
stand why I did not interfere TO save Ben
Hollands Iife2f
She cid not answer him. but she broke
away from the grasp o. his fingers, and
looked al him as she might have looked
at a dangerous beast Fear, contempt
iOathinE were all written on Ter face.
7 have reason 10 hate John ShiI.' the
man continued. but my hatred for him
IS q poor thing compared 10 my love for
yoC- II Is because 1 love you. and be
cause I intend 10 make you mine, and be
cause 7 an ready 20 sacrifice all scruples
10 accomplish NY desire. that let John
SLII place his liberty, perhaps even his
lie. In my hands I have spoken plainly.
FOR the matter requires plain speaking
Do you understand me. JaUra2''
7 understand you" she replied. almost
IN a whisper II DO not consent you
VIII tell what you know II I 90 consent
you VII be silent"
Re nodded. ard came toward her with
outsTetched hands she did not move.
I'll his face was close 20 hers Then she
stepped back and struck him across the
mouth with all her strength
That Is ny answer 10 you" she cried
William Ta1kerlane did not speak nor
move from the place on which he stood
He quietly took q handkerchief from his
/ pocket and pressed II 10 his lips Then,
as lie caught sight of tie girls knUckIss
/ and the blood which was Jrickling down
her white hand, he smiled
7 am afraid YOU have hurt yourself.
I he sad gently, after pause
She turned away from him and pressed
[ her hands 70 her face She uttered 10
sound. but he knew that she was crying.
I He came 10 her side
Laura" he said renderly. 7 am q
{ clumsy brute I an afraid 7 Old not make
/ myself clear 10 you just now 7 honor
! YOU for the blow YOU have struck ne. Il
I was natural that you should have uaisUn-
E 6ersto05 me Two months ago I-bUt for
get that. Laura Since then you have
t taught ne how strong q good woman car
. be When 7 spoke 20 you Just now did
not ask yoU-I did not intend 10 insult
T YOU I meant that wished you 70 be NY
/ wife"
/ The gtrI turned 10 hin with frightened
eyes
Your wife" she repeated mechanical
I ". as though the word had opened up q
! new train OF thought and she was yet
I uncertain whittier L tended Your wife
/ 1Ir. TaukerlaIe--
Ny wife" he repeated simply. 1T VII
be al honor for ne, ald-and I ove you,
I Laura"
] She was silent The whole matter had
| 20 be approached from g different stand
point The man. subtle schener that he
| was. had armed himself with a new and
[ powerful weapon An offer Of marriage
{ from the heir OF the Tarkerlane estates
{ could hardly be treated as an insult
And # il SO happened that q price had
( 70 be paid for the life or liberty OF the
man she loved, this was at least one
/ that could be paid without dishono--
I Then you mean she faltered after q
/ long silence-.yoU mean that Il refuse
10 marry you
! Precisely Laura" he replied I'VE
| understand each other"
7 must have time she said in e low
! volce-.'tiue TO think Have YOU thought
/ Of the consequences. M Tankerlanel
/ Have you thought Of what Il means 10 bs
/ tied for life 10 a woman whO-who Ioathes
YOU"
He WINGED slightly ar her words. but
| he was a man who cared little for the
/ CONSEQUENCES OF his actions
/ 7 VIII take the risk" re answered
with a smile. And I VviI give you I'll Ii
/ o'clock tomorrow morning TO decide
I Good night"
He held out his hand, but she turned
/ her back on him. and he left the room
Laura Vane stood alone II the freight
face to face with the problem OF her life
/ She had come 10 the parting Of the
| ways. Two roads lay before her. bOtt
/ steep. periIoUs. strewn with IhoTns and
/ sharp stones. both hard 10 tread and lost
in the darkness Of futUrttg, for though
/ she plainly saw the misery and shame
/ that lay at the beginning OF her journey
/ she could not even guess what might be
/ at the end Of II.
| Yet this much she knew. that which
! ever path she chose she must tread II e
/ the end alone
She sank on her knees before the fiTs
and stared into the glowing embers, as
I though she might ind some vision Of the
future IN the caverns OF red light Tht
I flames had died away from the logs. and
! only a duh red glow illuminated hel
| beautiful face. Dark shadows lay in tht
! corners Of the room. and her own image
gigantic and distorted. was thrown
athwart the ceiling Ike q thunder-cloud.
Laura Vaue had come 10 the parting OF
the ways. and she could not decide which
made within the next few hours. The
problem was acute and lraUElt Wit
many ,.51ficJlIties- The consequences q
her decision would be far-reachIng. ant
the ultimate result could not possibly D,
foreseen-
She did not count herself in the matter
She was prepared to sacrifice all thes hap
pinesS OF her life 10 save her lover from
the consequences Of his crime The long
weary years Of bondage TO a man she dis
liked. the shame Of selling her body for
price. the degradation OF mind and sou
which must inevitably accompany such ;
union-alI these were nothing cOnpareS
To the safety OF the man she loved On
this point. at any rate. her mind Wal
clear Il It was best 20 make the sacri
fee, she would make Il, and not reckol
ID the cost she would have TO pay
But the problem before her was nor,
than a question OF self-sacrifce It va
not at all clear to her as yet that he
marriage to William Taukerlane Wouli
a.1~-a-4aae T-A Cffl