The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1909-02-26

dewy baisams N her nos
trlls, the dust rising shostlike behind
the rapid hoots. Bhe found David
Atires anxious and peevish over her
late coming.
She felt q relief when the old man
grew tired and was wheeled TO his
bedroom.
Left alone, her reflections returned.
she began TO be tortured. She tried
TO read. The printed characters swan
beyond her comprehension. At length
she drew 4 hood over her head and
stole out on to the vide porch.
IL was only 8 o'clock, and along the
gravel paths that wound among the
shrubbery a few dim forms were stroll
Ing She caught the scent Of cigar
and the sound Of a woman's laugh.
The air was crisp and bracing, with
. prcmise Of frost and painted leaves.
Che Sased down across the dark
gulches toward the town, a struggling
design prieked in binding yellow
points. Halfway between, folded in
the darkness, lay the green shelf and
the cabin 10 which her thought re-
Cured with kind Of compulsion.
There was no moon, but the stars
were glowing like tiny green gilt Goals,
and the yellow road lay plain and
cleAr. With sudden determination
she drew her Light cloak closely about
her, stepped down, sped across the
grass to q 8ootpsth and so to the road
A she ran on down the curvtng stretch
under the trees the. cracking alp Of
bark paper that lay IN her bosom
seemed to burn her hesh, She wss
stealing away to gaze upon the ont
cast who had shamed and humbled
her-gcing. she knew not why. with
burning cheek and har,n,ering heart.
She slipped through the side trail to
the cabin with a choking sensation.
She tstcle to the window and peered
in. In the Arslight she could see the
form on the bunk, tossing and mutter-
ing. Otherwise the place was empty.
She lifted the lateh softly and en-
tered.
The straiaed anxiety Of Jessica's
look reiaxed - she sased about her
She saw the vial ON the table. The
doctor had been there, then. II he
were IN serious ease, Prendergaet
would be WITH bin, She threw back
her hood, drew one Of the chairs to
the side Of the tunk and sat down, her
eyes, Axed On his face. The weakness
and hslplessnsss Of his posture struck
through ana through her. Two sides
az her wsre struggling in chaotic
combat for nsastSry.s
II hate yen! 4 hate yous' she seid
under her breath, clinching her cold
Aasd. ~ must bate you! You stole
my lcee and put IL under your feet!
You have disgraced NY present and
ruined my future! what II you have
forgotten the past--your crime? Does
that make you the less guilty or me
the less wretchsdr'
but withai 4 silent voice within her
gave the lie to her vehemence Some
element Of her character that had been
rigid and intact was crumbling down
An old sweet som ethins that a dread.
ful mill had grouHd and crushed and
snHihiisted was rising viz. and IN
deAied, superior to any petty distinc-
ton, regardless of:sll that lifted com
bative IN her inheritance. not to be
sa!nsaid or denied.
She leaned closer, listening to the in.
coherent words aud broken phrases
borne on the tWbid channels of fever
But she could not link them together
into meaning. Only one name he spoke
clearly over and over sgain--the name
Hugh Stires-repeated with the dreary
monOtony Of a child coming a lesson
She noted the mark across hi. brow.
Before her marriage IN her blindness.
she had used 70 wonder what 1t was
like. II vas not In the least disfgur-
Ing. 1t gave . touch Of the extraor-
daaary. II vas % small she did not
wonder that IN that ecetatic moment Of
her brides kiss she had not seen 1t.
Slowly. half fearfully, she stretched
out her hand and laid It on his. As If
a. the touch the mutterings ceased.