The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-03-07
meant TO MIN Ut 10 ..x.

and told you not to fear for me did
not mean to deceive YOU thought
then that it would all come right But
something has happened since then
something that makes difference.
cannot tell who was the murderer of
Moreau. | cannot tell you or any one
else, either now or at any time"
She gaZed at him startled. She had
a sudden conception of some element
hitherto unGuessed in his makeup
something inveterate and adamant
Could it be that he did not intend to
tell at all? The very idea was mon
strous. Yet that clearly was his mean
ing. She looked at him with flashing
eyes.
You mean you will mott" she ex-
claimed bitterly. You are bent on
sacrificing yourself. then? You are go
Ing to take this risk because you think
it brave and noble, because somehow
it fits your mans gospel. Can't you
see how wicked and selfish it is? You
are thinking only of him and of your
self. not of me-"
"JcsSica, Jessica!" he protested. with
a groan. But in the self torture of her
QuestiOnings she paid no heed.
Don't you think | suffer? Haven't
borne enough in the months since
married you for you to want to save
me this? Do you owe me nothing. me
whom you so wronged. whose
She stopped suddenly at the look on
his face of mortal pain. for she had
struck harder than she knew. 1t pierre
ed through the fierce resentment to her
gushed back upon her in torrent.
She threw herself on her knees by the
bare cot. crying passionately:
"Oh. forgive me! Forget what l said!
did not mean it. l have forgiven you
thousand times over. l never ceased
to love you. l love you now more than
all the world"
at is true" he said hoarse misery in
his tone. Il have wronged you. If
could coin my blood drop by drop to
pay for the past | could not set that
right. If giving my life over and over
again would save you pain | would
give 1t gladly. But what you ask now
is one thing l cannot do. 1t would
make me pitiful coward. | did not
kill Moreau. That is all can say to
you Or to those who try me-"
your life" she said with dry lips.
ut Will mean that. That counts SO
! fearfully much to me- more than my
own life a hundred times. Yet there is
something that counts more than all
that to you"
His face was that of man who
holds his hand in the fire. "Jessica."
| lie said. lit is like this with me. When
you found me here-the Gay saw you
on the balcony was man whose
soul had lost it's compass and its bear
ings. Ny conscience was asleep. You
woke it. and it is fiercely alive now.
And now with my memory has come
back debt of my past that | never
paid. Whatever the outcome. for my
souls sake must settle it now and
wipe it from the score forever"
She rose slowly to her feet, with a
despairing gesture.
ale saved Others" she quoted n
q hard voice; himself he could Dot
saver l once heard minister preach
from that text at home. 1t was your
friend, the Rev. Henry Sanderson.
thought it a very spiritual sermon
| then. That was before | knew what
his companionship had been to you"
IF there were any justice in the uni
verse;" she added. 1T should be lie
| immolating himself now. not you. But
for him you would never be here. He
! ruined your life and mine, and l hate
and despise him for selfish hypo-
critic"
That was what he himself had
seemed to her in those Old days. The
edge of flush touched his forehead
as he said slowly, almost appealingly:
HE was not hypocrite, Jessica.
Whatever he was it was not that. At
| college he did what he did too openly.
! That was his falling. not caring what
others thought He Gespised weakness
in others. He thought it none of his
dlldIE. 81 OlHclS Wcic luuuChCCu DuI
after he came to see things differently
from another standpoint-when he
went into the ministry-he would have
given the world to undo it,"
MEMS likings are strange" she said.
because he never had temptations
like yours and has never done what
the law calls wrong you think he is as
noble as yOu-nOble enough to shield
il murderer to his own danger"
'Ah, no. Jessicaw he interpOsed gen
tly. IL only said that in my place he
would do the same"
"But you are shielding a murderer
she insisted fiercely. You will not adj
NIT it, but | know. There can be no
justice or right in that If Harry San
dersOn is all you think him, if he
stood here now and knew the whole.
he would say it was wicked-not brave
and noble, but wicked and cruel"
He shook his head, and the sad
shadow of a bitter smile touched his
lips. "He would not say So" he said.
A dry sob answered him. He turned
and leaned bis elbows on the narrow
window sill. every nerve aching, but
powerIess to comfort. He heard her
step. The door closed sharply.