Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-03-04

The little cool clad form with Its
clinging skirt returned slowly.
"Jimsy. why did he charge vow to
tell me these things?'
"Why? don't know. Because I'm
his friend and yours, suppose. Be
cause there was no one else could do
It."
"And. like the coed man you are.
you were governed in your decision by
the rule OF right and wrong"
THAT was about 1t. II you cut out
the qualification Of me-"
"And, having been Influenced to as
sumo this role Of ambassador by
sense Of duty and loyalty. feeling
bound to do SO. for the very reason that
would have deferred man Of ordi-
nary moral caliber. you would have
adhered to the rule though every word
Of your counsel had been to you as the
scar Of a white hot iron and its utter
ance had been DEATH"
For the first time in her life she saw
look Of sternness pass over his face.
And it was mingled with pain.
Emma" he said, II guess well go
down now. And we'd better take a
short cut, If there is one. or we won't
be home for dinner. You must be
hungry, and of all the
mo, Jimsy. hear me-" she interrupt
ed. "You must and shall hear me.
You have said what you had to say.
Now 1t is my turn. and l, too, will
speak plainly. You believe-you know
II am and always have been good
woman. You believe that was faith
full, as far as was humanity possible.
to the spirit as well as the letter of
my marriage vows. made fervently,
trustingly. swore to love and honor
Joe Brooks. 1t was easy. for did
then love and honor him beyond I'M.
Outstanding now. But neither love
nor honor is kept alive eternally by the
virtue Of an oath In the face Of de-
fusion and worthlessness. Gold was
tinsel: diamond was glass. You were
witness to the slow numbering of love.
and you saw 1t strangled and thrown
down at the last as he would have
strangled me had you not prevent
ed"
He would have spoken, but she
checked him with q gesture of com
mand.
mo, don't interrupt. Hear me to
the end and then speak. What Is this
thing that you are asking me to do?
You are asking me to go to living
death, to make Of my heart sep
ulcher Of all sweet or elevating emo
ton. to surrender my lips to the fetid
kiss Of an Iscariot, to deliver my body
to his loathsome embraces, while my
soul sickens with disgust and horror
my body that he would have betrayed.
hired out for piece Of silver and,
gloatlng, taken back again. You are
asking me to immediate myself with all
that hold sacred and beautiful on an
altar that you style duty. Now apply
your rule to this. Is 1t right? Is It
wrong? oh. Jimsy. answer me! Be
IOfe GO0, Is IL right
She stood trembling with the vehe-
mence Of her defense and the strength
of her feeling, her arms outstretched
In Interrogation and appeal.
A great sigh was the indication of
the conflict that was raging in Smiths
heart. and for one single instant the
mask Of impenetrability fell from his
face.
She read the answer there.
Removing feverishly the glove from
her left hand, she forced from her
finger the wedding ring that in the
years had frightened closely upon It
and hurled It from her. 1t ricochetted
On rock and went bounding over the
outer edge Of the plateau far down
into the painless tangled brush Of the
almost perpendicular declivity.
Smith turned away in silence, and in
silence they made their way back
along the little path up which they
had come. Neither spoke, even at the
difficult places when he stretched out
his hand and helped her with its
strong, SUSTAINING clasp.
Jimsy was grave and distracted. In
his Gethsemane he had drunk too
deeply Of the waters of knowledge,
and they were bittersweet. heavily
with regret and dismay.
Emma had discovered the secret
which for years he had guarded so
jealousy and-oh. the blissful torture
OF it!--had revealed to him that she
loved him. This was the outcome Of
his self sacrificing mission on behalf
Of the husband who stood between
them with the right Of the might OF
law and the conventions and whose
trust was in the keeping Of his honor.
His role of platonic friendship was
ended. His privileged relations with
the woman who was dearer to him
than life could no longer be main
tanned. The home Of the Harris fam
lily could no longer be the refuge of
his loneliness. the pleasant oasis in
the desert Of his existence, where he
could ind consolation and rest for hi.
suffering heart. beyond which the
world lay dark and indiscernible.
ITO be continued.
rhe,e is more Catarrh III this section II Q
ounlry than all other diseases put together,
and until the last few years was supposed to be