Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-02-06

H..
saying. You are beside yourself" He 4
forced her into the drawing room and
made her sit down. She was tense
and quivering. The cross fell from her
hand, and he stopped ard picked it up.
"Try to calm yourself" he said, Ito
think of other things for few mo-
ments. This little cross-I wonder how
you come to have It? l gave 1t to
Sanderson last May to commemorate
his ordination He twisted it open.
'See, here is the date, May %. That
was the day l gave it to him."
She gave quick gasp, and the last
vestige of color faded from her cheek.
She looked at him in stricken way.
Last May!" she said family. Harry
Sanderson had been in AnistOn, then,
on the day DIR. Moreau had been MUIR
dered. Her house of cards fell. She
bad been mistaken! She leaned her
head back against the cushion and
closed her eyes.
Presently she felt cold glass touch
her lips. Here is some water" the
bishops voice said. you are better,
are you not? Poor child! You have
been through a terrible strain. l
would give the world to help you If I
could
He left her, and she sat duly trying
to think. The regular jar of the trucks
had set itself to rhythm-no hope, no
hope, no hope. She knew now that
there was none. When the bishop re-
entered she did not turn her head. He
sat beside her awhile, and she was
aware again of his voice, speaking
soothingly. At moments thereafter he
was there, at others she knew that she
was alone, but was unconscious of the
flight of time. She knew only that the
day was fading On the chilly whirl-
ing landscape she saw only crowded
room, a jury box, judges bench and
Hugh before It, listening to the SEN
tencc that would take him from her
forever The bright sunlight was mer-
cilessly, satanically cruel and God q
cheering monster turning Il crank.
Into her conscious view grew distant
snowy ranges, hills unrolling ut their
feet. struggling town, staring white
courthouse and grim low building
beside it. She rose stumblingly, the
train quiverirg to the brakes, as the
bishop entered
This is Smoky Mountain" she said
with numb lips. THAT is the building
where he is being tried. / am going
there now"
The bishop opened the door and gave
, her his hand to the platform. The
train was to stop but ten minutes He
, stood a moment watching her as she
crossed to the street; then, with the
sadness deep in his heart, entered the
station to send a telegram.
Hugh's haggard face peered after
J them through 4 rift in 4 window cur
, tain. What could she have suspected:
t Not the truth, And only that could be-
tray him. Presently the bishop would
t return, the train would start again, and
' this spot of terror would be behind
. him. What had he to DO with Harry
), lSanderson: .-.
D He bethought himself suddenly OF
2 the door. If some one should come In
= upon him. With qual:n of fear he
! stood up. staggered to it and turned the
key In the lock- There was not the
q wonted buzz about the station. The
place was silent save for the throb G
Il the halted engine. and the shadow c
l. the train on the frosty platform quiz
e cred like 4 criminal. A block ava
e ne saw the courthouse Knots of pei
pie were standing about its door wal
inc not Of in col.
, ed him.
81 All his years Hugh had been q NOR;
i, coward. Life to him had been swe,
Y, for the grosser, material pleasures
[. held. He had cared for nobody, ha
4 held nothing sacred. He had now oul
to keep silence, let Harry Sanderso
q pay the penalty, and lie need dread L
il more. Hugh Stires. TO the persuasio
- of the law, would be dead. AS soon ;
5, might be he could disappear, as Il
rector of ST. James had disappeared b
n. fore Ee might change his name al
10 live at ease in some quarter of IL
" world, his alarm laid forever.
But worse thing would haunt hi
10 to scare his sleep-he would be doub
II blood guilty.
NJ In the awful moment while he clur
n to the iron bars of the cbllapsing ro
ot window, with the flames clutching
him, Hugh had looked into hell n
shivered before the Judgment, ''Tl
mr. wages of sin is death" In that fiel
o. ordeal the cheapness and swagger Il
IN Ostentation and self esteem, had bur
,d ed away, and his soul had stot
naked as a winter wood. Dying hs
I not then been the austere terror. VIII
- came after? That had appalled, hi
Yet Harry Sandersen was not afra
of the hereafter. He chose death cali
~, knowing that he, Hugh, was un
TO die.
Suppose he told the truth now al
saved Harry. He had never done
brave deed for the sake of truth
righteousness or for the love of III
human being. but he could do one no
For the one red counter that had be,