Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1909-05-14

Tue Sanitafium nad rev guests. ana
for this she was thankful. DR. Brent.
its head. rallying her on her paieness.
drove her out Of doors with good IN
tured severity. and when she was not
with David Stires she walked or rode
for hours at "A time over the mountain
trails. Breathing In the crisp air OF
altitude. her spirits grew more buoy.
ant She fed the squirrels listened to
the pert chirp Of the whisky Jack and
the whirring drum of the partridge or
sat on hidden elevation which she
named 1.-THE Knob" facing across the
shallow valley to the south.
The knob overlooked little grassy
shelf few hundred feet below. where
stood miners cabin. with weed
grown gravel heaps near by. In front Of
which tree bore the legend painted
roughly on board. "The Little Pay
master Claim"
Her interest had opened eagerly to
these scenes. The solitudes soothed,
and the life of the community below.
frankly primitive and uncompIcated.
attracted her. Between the town OF
smoky Mountain and the expensive
sanitarium on the ridge great social
gulf was fixed. The latter's patrons
for the most part came and went BY
the narrow gauge road that linked with
northern junction. The settlement far
below was only feature OF the piano.
rama for which they paid so we'll
Even DIR. Brent, who had pcrched this
place OF healing where his patients
could breathe air fresh from the Pa
cific and cooled by the snow peaks,
knew II chiefly through two of Its eli.
zens Mrs. Haloran, the capable, bus
Ting wife OF the proprietor OF the
Mountain Valley House. the towns
single hostelry. who brewed old fash
toned blackberry wine and cordials for
his patients, and Tom Fielder. young
lawyer whom he had known on the
coast before III health had sent him to
hang ont his shingio In a more genial
altitude.
The latter sometimes came for "A chat
with the physician, and on one Of these
calls Jessica and he had met She had
liked his keen, good humored face and
waving, slightly craving hair She
had met him once since on the noun
tain road, and he had walked with her
and told her quaint stories of the
townspeopie. He had taken her to
Mrs. HaIloran, whose heart she had
won by praise OF her cherry cordial.
1T brings back my boyhood." David
Stires said to her one afternoon, tap
ping the bottle by his wheel chair.
Somehow this has the old taste"
ut r. raarly gone" she said. I'm
get anoeLsi bottle. | am going for a
ride now. think 1t does you good"
Before you CO." he said, fetch my
writing case. and l will dictate let
ter"
She brought and opened 1t with
trouble at her heart for the request
showed his increasing weakness. Tn
til today the few letters he had writ
ten had been done with his own hand
Thinking OF this as she waited. her
fingers nervously plucked at the inside
of the leather cover. The morocco Zap
fell and disclosed slip OF paper. 1t
was cancelled bank draft 1t bore
Hugh's name, and across its face In Da-
vid Stires' grabbed hand, written large.
was the venomous word Forgery"
The room swan before her eyes.
Only by fierce effort could she COM
pei her pen to trace the dictated words.
Hugh's uisdeed. evil as it was, had
been to her but an abstract crime
Now 1t suddenly lay bare before her.
coneFete expression of coarse thievery.
a living symbol OF crafty stimulation
Scarce knowing why she did 1t. she
drew the draft covertly from its re-
ceptacle and slipped it into her bosom
The evidence Of Hugh's sinl That
paper must remain. as the sin that
made ii remained. the sign manual OF
her dislonor and loss The man whose
hand had penned its lying signature
was the man she had thought she
loved. BY that act he had thrust blm-
self from her forever. Yet he lived.
Somewhere in the world he walked In
shame and degradation beyond the
pale Of honorable living. and she was
his wife! She was his wife. Though
she called herself Jessica Holme. yet In
the law bis name and fame were hers.
Look at that steady hand now, an
her hair as red as glory said Mrs
Halloran. gazing admiringly from the
doorstep where she had been chatting
with Tom Fielder. "Ye needn't stare
yer gray eyes out. though. or she'll
stop at the joolry shop to buy ye
rlng-to shame We fer jest hankerin'
and sayin' nothin'''
Fielder laughed as he crossed the /
street, raising bis felt hat CALAMITY to
the approaching rider. Mrs. Halloran
was "A privileged character. II was not
Michael Hailoran who kept the Noun.
tain Valley House popuIarl The old
woman hurried to the curb and tied
the horse as Jessica dismounted.
How did ye guess made some
more this dayf" she exclaimed "Sure.
II We drink II yerseIf, my dearie. them
cheeks is all tn trademark | needr'