Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-09-17

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you could not be SO vile. You swor
on the Bible, you swore TO keeI
| silence"
"Ay, SO long as you agreed to liv
with me. think those were the yer
words"
she came step towards him wit
plteous entreaty in her eyes.
You could not SO dishonour your
! SELL she said in trembling voice
after what has happened, after | hav,
pald suCh a price for your silence"
he looked at her face, and for th,
first time during their interview fel
the sense of real power This woman
was still in his grasp, and he coult
crush her. Yet even this pleasan
thought was Swallowed by the knowl
edge that his hold over her was due
10 her love for another man He was
silent, wondering to what heights O
heroic sacrifice her love for Jonn Shi
would carry her brave soul.
After all have suffered" she con
tlnued. Look at me now. You know
to what depths of shame you have
thrust me down. | have given myself
to save him, and you speak as though
oh Heaven, l will kill myself if you
tell what you know! | will kill my
self"
Even that would be better than
your marriage to John Shil-ah, that
is what is in your mind. Do you
think | cannot read it? But would
rather see you dead than the wife OF
that man"
His wife," she cried bitterly. do
you think that I could ever be the
wife Of any man-now, and least of all
the wife of man l honous-and
love-"
John Shil's life is in my hands," he
SAID thoughtfully "Tf you leave me,
you release me from my oath. l am
at liberty to tell what I know
You would not do it," she cried,
clasping her hands together in an
agony of fear; you could not-after
what has happened
Il don't say that | shall do so, but
that | am at liberty to do SO. have
been released from my oath. l have
not made up my mind what to do"
Promise me-before | go, that you
will be silent
Il shall promise nothing" Tanker
lane replied coldly "save this-that. if
you remain with me as my wife | will
be silent"
ut is impossible. l will not sell my
self. There are limits to the sacrifice
woman can make-even for the man
she loves
THAT is the only promise 1 can
make, Laura. l would consider the
matter calmly, if l were you Your
have everything to gain by doing as
| wish, everything to lose by leaving
me-"
She came close to him, with clench-
ed hands and face white with fear
and anger
q will lose everything she said
hoarsely; but if any harm comes to
John Shil-" She left the sentence
In her blind wrath she
could form no definite threat, no clear
scheme OF retaliation. She only knew
that she would fight for the man she
loved. Tankerlane laughed.
81 am not afraid of you, Laura" he
replied.
She turned away from him, and,
crossing to the door, unlocked it.
Then she looked back at the man who
had ruined her life.
A few months ago." she said slow
ly, Il was a young and innocent girl
was incapable of doing harm to any
one You have sown the seeds of evil
in my nature. Perhaps one of these
will l.
have sown."
She opened the door, closed it be-
1lnd her, and William Tankerlane was
alone. The battle was over, and he
had failed to achieve a victory.
He had used every weapon at his
disposal, and they had all broken in
lis hand.
CHAPTER XII.
One Sunday afternoon, nearly two
months after Laura had parted from
William Tankerlane, Leonore Jackson
vas holding one of her informal recep-
ions in her apartments in the Champs |
llysees Her salon had already be- |
ONE one of the fashionable centers of
'aris. The little actress had, to use
he words Of one of her most fervent |
dmirers, STRUCK it at last, and struck
very rich indeed In no city of
Europe does talent command such I'M
ualified success as in the gay capital
f France. In other great centers OF
ivilisation wealth and rank have
lore claims to attention than the
lere hallmark of genius. But in
aris the artist can hold his own
gainst the highest and richest in the
and, and Mademoiselle Jackson was
Die to command as brilliant circle
acquaintances as the Duchess of
ruges herself
She could, at least, fiatter herself
hat her success was due almost en-
rely to talent. Unlike many famous
ctresses, she had more to offer the
ublic than a beautiful face. She was,
ldeed, plain-featured and insignif-
ant. The men who admired her were
OF Of the class that is attracted by
le perfect figure and lovely face of
ONE ballet-girl, thrust into eminence
y her physical charms and the value
her jewellery. They were men of
lark. Leonore's sex meant little or
othing to them. They realised that
CT o. nor ~