The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-04-08

mount higher and higher; his con-
science cleared magically and his
| nerves grew impregnable The only
thought that dominated his brain now
| was that he had been dangerously
near to losing happiness, that merci.
| full Providence had come to the rescue.
and that he had drawn up short,
| breathless, on the verge. of a preci.
| pice.
He laid his hand on the gate-latch
and lifted it impatiently. He hurried
| up the gravel walk to the veranda, and
applied his latch-key with trembling
| fingers. The house was strangely still
! inside. and he tip-toed upstairsSto his
wife's rooms with a heavily=beating
| heart. The door was wide open, and
he went in eagerly. The room was
empty. But on table in the center
of the room lay the letter she had left
He picked it up duly and tore the seal
with blanching face.
Ruth Herrin stood at last in front of
the little green and white cottage she
felt by intuition must bear the mum.
Der that corresponded to the one writ
| SSh oh lhC oCldp EdpSI ClSuSuCu
tightly in her hand. After a moments
grapple with the surge of emotions
that threatened to overpower her, she
| pulled herself together and entered.
| One glance at the number over the
door was sufficient 1t was identical
with the one she had CLEANED from
the letter. 1t was almost o'clock, but
dim light still gimmered through
the transom. and there was the sound
of suppressed voices beyond. Mrs.
Herrin took deep breath and pushed
the bell. 1t was answered Immediately
by woman in a white apron and cap.
whom she recognized at once as
trained nurse,
Il beg: your pardon. she said.
"but it is a matter. of great i'm mportance
that brings me here at this hour, and
if possible, l must see-see "her to-
night" -
The nurse regarded her suspiciously
for a moment, then without word,
turned and ushered her noiselessly
into long, low room lighted softly by
a slip of light from lowered gas-jet
overhead.
In the middle of the room was an
invalid's chair, and in it a woman
or the shadow of one. She tried to sit
up, but fell back instantly, gasping for
breath, and turned sunken, inquirfng
eyes upon the visitor. You brought
me message from Hunter?", she ask.
ed eagerly, her eyes lighting moment
arily
Ruth Herrin could not have uttered
a word had her life depended upon
it. This then, was the reason she was
admitted. The woman was expecting
news from-her husband!
Il am Mrs. Herrin," she continued
weakly, did you not wish to see me?
I-oh for Gods sake don't tell me
there is anything wrong-that any
thing has happened TOTO him!"
Her tiny hands, resting on the arms
of the chair, locked like bits of wax.
Her face was sharpened to pitiable an
II giles, and her eyes sunken uncannily.
Obviously, the woman was in dying
condition.
Ruth Herrin shook from head to
foot. She must say something. do
something; she felt stony, frozen. But
certain desperation that came to her
seemed to bring with it calm, and she
answered quite easily: Mrs. Herrin.
did you say? 1 regret exceedingly to
have disturbed you, but it is not the
name. I must have made a mistake In
the house." She turned toward the
door. And almost simultaneously 1t
opened from the other side, and she
stood face to face with her husband.
The sick woman pulled herself up in
her chair, glad light suffusing her
pallil face. oh, Hunter, I'm SO glad
you've come at last. I thought you
! never would. I've been waiting and
waiting-I-oh. l beg your pardon.
miss, my husband will show you out,
and perhaps he may be able to help
you find the place. L" The poor.
weak voice trailed off to a whisper,
and she sank back in her cushions.
Mrs. Herr1n made further apologies
for her intrusion, and turned to follow
him out. Herrin's face was ashen.
and the grim look in his eyes made
them look almost CLASSY. For the first
time in his life Hunter Herrin felt
his poise slipping from under his feet.
Out in the street, they faced each
other with tragic eyes.
Ruth, for the love of Cod"
But she shrank back, shuddering. re.
pulsing him with gesture of loathing.
There are just few seconds to
spare" she said in a cold, perfectly
controlled tone, "and l would like to
say what have to say and put an end
to all intercourse between US forever.
4 The woman in there is dying. Doubt
less you are at the bottom Of that. She
believes herself your lawful wife. You
have wrecked two women's lives and
wronged one beyond repair. All you
can do is to try to make her last hours
happy. II there is a spark of manhood
left in your cowardly breast, the path
OF duty lies clear before you"
Herrin stared at her stupidity, his
bloodshot eyes strained and hollow. An
agonized sob rose to his lips and he
put out his hands groping-at empti.
ness. For as the words left her lips,
the woman turned and vanished in the
darkness, and the only answer that