Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1909-12-09
CHAPTER TX.


The spring and summer had passed
autumn had attained the fullness O
Its golden beauty, and the inevitab biz
had happened. David and Pepeeta hat
passed swiftly though not unresisting
iy through all the intervening stages
between a chance acquaintance and ar
tmpassioned love.
Any other husband than the quacA
would have foreseen this catastrophe;
but there is one thing binder thar
love and that is esotism 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 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 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
ttmize 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
rjf 20
upon her thirsty spirit, the seeds of a
beautiful nature, implanted at her
birth, germinated and developed with
astonishing rapidly. Walking stead
fly 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-
fection for God purified her soul, her
love for David expanded and trans
formed her heart. Her unbounded ad-
rniration 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 affec-
tions wrought this sudden transforma-
tion In the gypsy and filed her with
a new and exquisite happiness. the
circumstances of her life were such
that this illumination could not but be
attended with pain, for it brought ever
new revelatio Of those ethical incon-
sistencies in which she discovered her
SELF to be deeply If not hopelessly in
rolved.
David had chosen an old plan to
compel Pepeeta to abandon her hus-
band For it's execution he had al
ready made a partial preparation in
an enga cement to meet the justice OF
the peace who had performed her mar
riage ceremony. The engagement was
conditioned upon his failure to per-
suade the gypsy to accompany him Of
her own free will.
Immediately after supper he took
her to the place appointed for the
meeting. This vivil officer had been a
companion of the quacks for many
wears. His natural capa acity, which
was OF the highest order, had secured
him one place OF honor after another;
but he had lost them through the prac-
rice Of many vices. and had at last
sunk to that depth OF degradation in
which he was willing to barter his
honor for almost any price.
The place at which he had greed
to meet David was log saloon in one
OF the most disreputable parts Of the
city. and to this spot the infatuated
youth made his way. Now that he
was alone with his thoughts, he could
not contemplate his purpose without a
feeling OF dread, and yet he did not
pause nor seriously consider its aban-
doument His movements. as he ell
bowed his way among the outcasts
who infested this degraded region.
were those OF a man totally oblivious
70 his surroundings.
Having reached the door OF the sa-
loon. David cast q glance about him.
a. II ashamed OF being observed. and
entered II was q fitting place TO hatch
an evil deed. The floor vas covered
with flthy sawdust: the air was rank
with the fumes Of sour beer and acul-
Ksrated whisky; the lamps were not
yet lighted and his eyes blinked as he
entered the dirty dusk OF the interior.
The door which he pushed open ad
rnitted him to q parlor scarcely less
dirty and disgusting than the saloon