The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1909-12-08
CHAPTER TX.

iHo ppTlHk anu Ildu pdbbcu,
autumn had attained the fullness OF
it's golden beauty, and the inevitable
had happened. David and Pepeeta had
passed swiftly though not unresisting-
ly through all the intervening stages
between a chance acquaintance and an
impassioned love.
Any other husband than the quack
would have foreseen this catastrophe;
but there Is one thing binder than
love, and that Is egotism such as his.
His colossal vanity had not even sus-
pected that a woman who possessed
him for her husband could for a single
instant bestow a thought of interest
on any other man.
David had abandoned the Quaker
idiom for the speech of ordinary men.
and discarded his former habiliments
for the most conventional and stylish
clothes. Contact with the world had
sharpened his native wit, and given
him a freedom among men and women
that was fast descending into aban
don. Success had stimulated his self
confidence and made him prize those
gifts by which he had once aroused
the devotion Of adoring worshipers In
the Quaker meeting house; he soon
found that they could be used to VIC
timize the crowds which gathered
around the flare Of the torch in the
public square.
A transformation had been taking
place in Pepeeta. Under the sunshine
Of David's love, and the dew OF those
spiritual conceptions which had fallen
upon her thirsty spirit, the seeds Of a
beautiful nature, implanted at her
birth. terminated and developed with
astonishing rapidity. Walking stead
lily in such light as fell upon her path
way and ever looking for more, her
| spiritual vision became clearer and
clearer every day; and while this af-
lection for God purified her soul, her
love for David expanded and trans
formed her heart. Her unbounded ad-
miration for him blinded her to that
process Of deterioration in his charac-
ter which even the Quack perceived
| To her partial eye a halo still sur
rounded the head Of the young apos-
tate. But while these two new afrec-
tions wrought this sudden transforma-
ton In the gypsy and filled her with
a new and exquisite happiness, ths
circumstances of her life were such
that this illumination could not but bt
attended with pain, for 1t brought evel
new revelations of those ethical incon.
sistencies In which she discovered her.
self to be- deeply If not hopelessly in.
Volved.
David had chosen an old plan t.
compel Pepesta to abandon her hus.
band For its execution he had al.
ready made n partial preparation IL
an engagement to meet the justice o
the peace who had performed her mar
riage ceremony. The engagement wa,
conditioned upon his failure to per,
suade the gypsy to accompany him o
her own free will
Immediately after supper he tool
her to the place appointed for tn,
meeting. This vfvil oficer had been
companion OF the Quack's for man,
years His natural capacity. which
was of the highest order. had secure,
him one place Of honor after another
but he had lost them through the prac
tice Of many vices. and had at las
sunk to that depth of degradation Il
which he was willing to barter hi
honor for almost any price.
The place at which he had agree,
to meet David was q log saloon IN on,
OF the most disreputabie parts Of tn
city, and to this spot the infatuate,
youth made his way. Now that h
!, was alone with his thoughts. he coul,
not contemplate his purpose without ,
feeling Of dread. and yet he did no
pause nor seriously consider its aban
donment His movements. as he el
bowed his way among the outcast
who infested this degraded region
ware those Of man totally Oblivion
to his Surroundings
Having reached the door OF the "a
loon. David cast a glance about him
- II ashamed Of being observed. an,
entered II was hitting place to hatcl
en- evil deed. The floor was covers,
, with filthy sawdust; the air was rsnl
! with the fumes Of sour beer and aduI
tsratsd whissy; the lamps were NO
: lys< hghtsd. and his eyes biinked as h
entered the dirty dusk Of the interior
The door which he pushed open I'd
mittsd him to q parlor scarcely lee
dirty and disgusting than the saloo,