Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1912-03-01

Anna confesses that she burned the let
ter because Of her mother love. and Tenn
pie forgives her. Granger arrives, an
nouncing that he has been pardoned.
Granger tells her his stealing was done
for her. but she speedily learns about Rose
Fanchon and spurns him. He has broken
Jail and II shot and killed. Anna and
Temple love each other.
CHAPTER x.
THAT FANCHoN WOMAN.
CEIOU heard, Mrs. Mason. You
V heard what he said" Anna
sprang to her feet and whrl-
~ ed f1ercely toward the elder
woman. Kept the securities in his
own name to buy the woman he need
ed most; buy Rose Fanchon or buy his
own wife! A moment ago you heard
him practically offer them to me for
my silence.
Even then, knowing he had sold his
honor for money. I was ready to be-
lieve he had done it for the best.
was ready to believe his excuse Of me
and the children. But he has betray-
ed me. His eyes smile lies; his lips
speak lies: his lips
She rubbed her hands almost brutal
~ over her mouth, as though trying
to rub away the brand Of some foul
disgrace. With one last desperate ef-
fort for self mastery she walked to
the door through which her husband
had passed and commanded in q voice
Of deadly calm:
Come out! Come here!"
Eyes. Anna, I'm here" answered he,
appearing with smile. Absorbed in
his own thoughts, he had not noticed
the tone of her words
Robert Granger. how did you dare
tell me you needed me! say, how
did you dare! What kind Of IA thing
are you? You thought you could buy
your own wife. You'd take the money
from-from Rose Fanchon-and hand
It to me-to me! You don't need her
just now; you need me! Rose Fan
chon or me or another, 1t would be an
the same. And that's the man mar
ried" She paused for a breath, spent
with the fury Of her scorn.
Granger stood staring whitley at
her, the incarnation Of shame and de-
spair. Finally he tried weakly to set
right the thing that never could be set
right; tried to explain It away and
bully or beg himself back into his
wife's heart.
"Of course. I-er-well. Anna, l want
to apologize about Rose-Rose-that
FanchOn woman. 1t was all her fault
anyhow. Men are up against an awful
lot with some women. r. With his
practiced cunning he saw he was on
the wrong track. He changed his tao
tics, little venomous bully that he was.
when was up there" he nodded
across the Hudson. "a man came to
see me one day and he said-well, Of
course. I laughed him down-he said
my wife was living here with Burton
Temple. living here with an unmarried
man. Well. as say. I laughed him
down: 1 wouldn't let him see'-
He paused for second. arrested by
Annals instructive recoiling. Two it,
tie steps she took. steadyfng herself
BY both hands ON the table back Of
her. The pupils Of her gray eyes were
black and big with horror.
"Oh, you needn't take it like that"
he went on magnanimously. "Why,
I'm not going to ask you single ques-
ton, not one. I won't try to learn
how far it's gone; I'll overlook-we're
both Of us-well, it'll be all right. Only.
really, must ask you to come along
now; I've no time to spare"
Il have met Absurdity in my time
and hobnobbed with him." said Anna
ut length, "but 1 never heard anything
so absurd as that. Could you really
fancy, Robert Granger. that should
60 with you-nowT
IF she had burst upon him with
storm of words, anger, injured virtue,
he might have known what
to do. But this! This naughty, fine
disdain! 1t made even him realize his
own depravity.
For a moment just now" she said,
your weakness overcame me. was
going to-God knows what l was going
to do. Then you offered to buy me,
my sympathy, as though I were
thing to be bargained for, along with
your Rose Fanchon. And as though
that were not enough, you tried to
barter your children's mothers honor.
You knew that every drop Of my blood,
every throb Of my heart, was in either
your own or the children's keeping.
You knew 1t. And yet, oh, what sort
Of thing are You to be made in Gods
image?
Granger sank on his knees, catch
Ing at her hand. With the loss Of his
game went also the loss Of his nerve.
Forgive, Anna" he cried, forgive,
and come with me now"
But coldly. contemporary, she babe
him rise. I've put you out Of my
life" she said.
Driven into corner like q rat, all
his despicable cruelty came out. He
started as though to spring upon his
wife, and Mrs. Mason screamed.
you'll testify against me, will you?" |
be speered. Testify against your |
husband for a stranger? No magnify |
Ing glass needed on that; it's pretty
plain. was safely tucked away in |
prison. You thought you could
In answer to Mrs. Mason's scream |
Temple had appeared. followed by /
Craven. Granger looked at them sheer
ngly for second, then went on In his
Trade against his wife.
you think Of your childrena honor.