Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1909-12-30
CHAPTER Mi.

bAeF turned ms IOOISlepS toward nome.
He entered. both hoping and fearing
that Pepeeta would be asleep. He had
a vague presentiment that he was on
the verge OF some great event. The
guilty secret so long hidden in the
depths of his soul seemed to have fes-
tered its way dangerously near to the
surface, and he felt that If anything
more should happen to irritate him he
might do something desperate.
So quiet had been his movements
that he stood at Pepeetas door before
she knew that he had entered the
house. and when he saw her kneeling
by her bedside he stamped his foot in
rage. The worshiper, startled by the
interruption. although she was mo-
mentarily expecting it, hastily arose.
She smiled him a welcome which re-
vealed her love, but did not conceal
her adness nor her suffering, and ap-
preaching him, extended her hands for
an embrace. He pushed her aside and
dung himself heavily into a chair.
You are tired she said soothingly,
and stroked his hair.
He did not answer and her caress
both tranquilized and frenzied him.
She placed before him the little lunch
which she always prepared with her
own hands and kept in readiness for
his returned.
Take it away. How often have I
told YOU never to let me find you on
your knees when | come home?" he
asked. brutally.
oh, my beloved" she exclaimed,
you will at least permit me to kneel
to you See, I am here In an atti-
tude of supplication. Listen to me?
Answer me, What is the matter? Do
you not love me any more? Tell me!
Will YOU never love me again?"
With a violent and convulsive eff
fort ne pushed her away and excltim-
ed fercely, Leave me. Do not touch
me, 1 hate you,"
Hate me-" she cried, hate me? Oh
David. You cannot mean it. You can
not mean that you hate me-"
But I do" he exclaimed. bitterly.
Il hate you. You have ruined me- and
now YOU confess it, From the time
that | first saw you l have never had
"A moments peace. why did you ever
cross my path? Could you not have
left me alone in my happiness and in
nocence? Look at me now. See what
you have brought me to. l am ruined!
But / am not alone. You have pulled
yourself down with me. What will
sou say when 1 tell you that you are
involved in a crime that must drag us
both down."
"A crime?" she cried. clasping her
hands In terror,
III
10 innocent You are as guilty as 1.
or at least you are as deeply involved.
We are tound together in misery We
are doomed"
Doomed Doomed, What do you
mean? Tell me, implore you-do not
speak in riddles"
Tell you? Do you wish to know?
Are you in earnest? Then will. You
are not my wife. There! 1t is out at
last"
Pepeeta sprang to her feet and stood
staring at him in horror.
Il deceived you. You were married
to your beast of husband lawfully
enough; but as you would not leave
him willingly, I determined that YOU
should leave him any way. And so |
bribed the justice to deceive you"
You bribed the justice to deceive
me-"
Yes, bribed him. Do you under
stand? You see now what your beauty
has brought you pr
She stood before him white and ST.
lent He had risen. and they were
confronting each other with their sins
and sorrows between them.
This. then" she said, lis the clue
to all this mystery. The tangled thread
has begun to unraveI Many times
this suspicion has forced itself upon
my mind; but it was too terrible to
believe, And yet I, who could not
endure the suspicion, must now sup
port the reality"
We'll" he said, what are you 60
Ing TO do about it,"
"Do?'' she said, do? Must do
something? Yes. you are right. We
cannot go on as we are. Something
must be done. But what? Is it possi-
BILE that must return to my husband?
How can do that who cannot think
OF him without loathing, What is the
matter? Why do you tremble so? Is
II then as terrible to you as to me?
PSS iTtIil EOut cllDIlOH liidl am Tight
And yet ! cannot see what good Il will
do, How can It undo the wrong? 1t
will be a certain sort OF reparation,
but It cannot bring him happiness for
/ cannot give him back my heart. On!
David, why have you done this? And
yet / see my duty, II he is my hus-
band, ] must go back to him. A wifes
place is by her husbands side I do
How hard II is ! cannot realize it.
The very thought of seeing him again
makes me shudder, And yet / must
go"
1t is impossible" gasped the trem-
bling creature to whom she looked for
confirmation
Why impossible?"
Because. because-he-is-de
he whispered through his dry lips.
Dead? Did you sa- dead" Pepee-
IA cried When did h= die? How did
be die2'
Il killed him" he shouted. springing
10 his feet and waving his hands wild
~ There, II has told itself ] knew
81 would II has been eating it's way
,llt OF my heart for months. ] should
have died II I had kept ii secret for
another moment feel relieved al
ready You do not know what II
means TO guard a secret night and day