Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-12-21
I Of

YOU She was hot t. recapture her
fugitive admission
Don't let that disturb you. You
haven't given him away to me. had
all I'm likely to get from the man
himself"
"He-he told you?" she faltered.
He told me nothing. Don't you
know that he misdoubts me? I got it
out of him, by sleight OF hand-where
we had met before. Has he never
told you anything of that morning
when we left your house together?"
Never" The admission cost her
an effort.
He unused at her "As said. he
told me nothing, but it occurred to
me when he came in that we might
be there on the same errand."
She paled. You mean"
Il mean l thought it might be safer
all around that you should not see
him that morning; so I got him away.
He hasn't asked you for it since?"
The sapphire?" she faltered. Mo-"
The more her instinct warned that it
had been the jewel Harry had return
ed for, the more she repudiated the
idea TO Kerr.
Why should you think he came for
that? What mas he to do with it,"
she murmured.
MY God! how you do champion
him." He leaned forward sharply
across the table. What is this man
to your"
He was going too far He had no
right to that question. THE man
have promised to marry" Her hot
look, her cold manner defied him to
command her here. Yet for mo-
ment, leaning forward with his
clenched hands on the table, he looked
ready to spring up and force her
words back on her. The next he let
it go and dropped back in his chair
again.
Quite So" he said But l didn't
believe it," He stared at her with a
dull, profound resentment Yet it's
, most possible; since it isn't the sap
phire it would be that" He unused.
But, you extraordinary woman, why
on earth" he broke off, still looking
at her, looking with a persistent,
sharp, studying eye, as if she were
the most puzzling and. 1t came to her
gradually, the most dubious thing on
| earth.
Then what are you doing here
with the ring on you?" he demanded
solemnly. why are you dealing with
me? What do you think you'll get
out of it? Great God women are
hideous! How can you betray the
man you lover"
"Oh," she cried, with a wall Of hor
ror., She stood up trembling and pale
Il don't-I DON'T don't! I've kept
it from them. I'm standing against
them all shall never give it tt
them. When have ! ever betrayed
/ your"
He drew back, away from her, as II
to ward off her meaning. but she
| leaned toward him, her hands flung
/ out, holding herself up to him for all
she meant He got up slowly and the
/ creeping tide of red, dusky and VIC
| lent. rising over his face, swelling his
features, darkening his eyes. hung be
| fore her like banner Of shame.
Il didn't know, 1 didn't know" he
repeated In low voice. His eyes were
on the ground Then, with a sharp
motion, as if merely standing in front
of her was uncomfortable. "Oh, Lord, {"
he said, and. turning, walked from
her toward the window. He went
precipitately, as If he meant to go
through it, but he only leaned against
it and stood motionless; and from her
side of the table, trembling, breath
less, she watched his stricken sill
houette black upon the gray, fading
light
The knowledge of how far she had
gone, of how much she had betrayed
herself, swelled and swelled before
her mind until it seemed to fill her
life. but she looked at it ,-ardily and
unabashed. All the vcencies in the
world should s'LA before he thought
her traitor. She came softly up be-
. de him.