The Washington times., 1909-04-19

but 1 could not Now, think you had
better let the matter rest there"
Where were you?"
He did rot answer.
Where. were you? You must tell me
where YOU were tonight
Still no answer
''Do you mean that you won't answer
me-Ihat you won't even tell me where
you have been2' ! was frightened
knew I should stop-that I was going
too far-that 1 would only suffer more
for this. But I knew, too, that / could
not stop now-I knew would go on and
on
"Then you refuse to tell me where
you have been7"
I must refuse, Mary, to be catechized
in this way. VIII you let me say good
night now?" He came toward the door
as though to close it. That movement
broke the last of my self-control.
Then / will tell you where you have
been. You were with another woman
the woman for whom you have neglect
ed me for over year! And you thought
didn't know-didn't know you were in
the tolls of some woman--a bad, shame
less woman-a common"
Mary" He took a step toward me,
his hands clenche6, his face CHASTITY
pale.
"Oh, l know you could kill me for
saying that. 1 only wish you would
Don't you think I would welcome death
instead of this life I've been living for
months? But IL shall not go on. You
will promise me now that you will never
see her again, or l will end it all to-
night! VIII you promise me that-will
you? VIII you promise never to see
that -
There was something in his face
something that
Then go to her-live with her-marry
her If you will! I will never trouble you
again.
A great red wave seemed before my
eyes as 1 rushed down the hall into
the bathroom and locked the door.
The bottles-the bottles on the medicine
shelf Glycerine. toilet water, bay rura
in frenzied glance my eyes swept the
labels. Was there nothing-nothing
that would give oblivion-that would
end it all forever"
The door was being fierceIy shaken.
"open this door. Mary his voice came
hoarsely from the outside. "Open it, or
4 viii Dltdh II QOWl.
] must find something quick-quick-
before he wrenched the door from its
hinges. knocked some bottles from
the shelf as 1 frantically thrust them
aside to get to those behind. Camphor,
witch-hazel, glycerine-oh, was there
Dothing-nothing? Then back of them
all shone the laoeI 'Laudanum-
| Poison!'
And then--my trembling fingers broke
the cork. Half of it remained Iight in
the neck OF the bottle. He was throw
ing his whole weight upon the door
now-in moment it would come down
1 tore the scarfpin from my dress-it
bent in the cork. Then caught I'D q
toothbrush and thrust the handle
against the cork-it yielded. Another
thrust pushed 1t down in the bottle!
raised it to my lips. A
deafening crash. Glass fell shatferinr
all around ne. 1 stood paralvzed
Through the empty door-frame. from
which he had shivered the heay,
ground glass, Horace's white face and
DARK cleaning eyes were fixed upor
me Another second and he had reach.
ed through bloodstained hand. unlock.
ed the door. threw 1t open, jerked tbs
bottle from me and hurled IT 10 the
| floor I heard II break and susIIad tte
pungent odor OF laudanum.
! Then he half led, half carried ma a.
we couch In my room. The blood from
ms cut hand had dripped down the
tront of my dress, and there was a Iarre
ieu stAih on the lace Of my sleeve.