The labor world., 1912-04-20

miss this meeting. Maybe it was her
duty to stay!
II want you to leave this house, to
come away with me at once. There's
no longer any need for proofs Of vim
dication, you see,'' Granger said to
Anna, hastily kissing her.
She submitted, battling down the
shudder Of disgust which the touch Of
his lips fetched her. After all, he was
her husband.
Eyes, I'll go with you," she said life
lessly. She wondered how she could
live with this thief all the rest Of her
days.
"You see, Anna, every one knew 1
was innocent; every one believed In
me. Now I must get away to some
place where I can rest, where no one
will ask me questions or harry me.
for I'm tired to death-to death. Oh"
still catching no responsive light on
the immobile face before him, ut was
your belief in me, Anna, that gave me
courage all along"
She looked at him, shuddering.
'But don't believe in you, Robert
she said. II know
Under the mans prison pallor rose 4
sort Of grayish fright
"Know! Know what?" he asked
sharply.
II know that you are not innocent,
Robertv'
At those words all the bravado went
out of Granger, as tiny spark sud
denly goes out touched by block Of
Ice.
"Sh-h-h! What do you mean any
how? 1 am innocent; am" He did
not whisper now; he almost shrieked,
even as he had in court that day when
the jury pronounced him guilty. And
now, as then, he fancied he saw over
his head the cruel Roman symbol Of
vengeance, the faces and the ax-saw,
too, the calm women who spin the
thread Of life. crouching on the shad-
0wy frescoed wall Of the courtroom, q
naked skull at their feet.
Something seemed to grip his throat.
He strangled an instant, then he
coughed and spat. He drew his hands
across his eyes and pulled himself to-
gether.
Il am innocent, innocent!" he in
sisted.
'Don't! Don't, Robert!' cried Anna,
pity at the shameful sight Of her per-
3ured husband rising in her heart. II
know the whole Of it. I've read the
letter you wrote to Cornelius Brady,
you see."
He shook as a man seized suddenly
by some deadly disease. Then in
sttnctively, fearfully, he looked to-
ward Mrs. Mason.
''She knows ALL" said Anna quietly.
"Who has that letter? Where is it?
Has Temple got it? My God, why
don't you tell mer'
There is no letter now, Robert. I
read 1t, and burned it without think
Ing"
"You destroyed it? Then it can't be
used against me! Oh, Anna, you're 4
trump" He seized both her hands and
kissed them in a frenzy Of relief Even
In that pivotal moment, though, when
the weight Of months had fallen from
him and left him light, suspicion
came to him, jailbird suspicion.
''But you said without thinking
Without thinking what, AnnaT'
without thinking that as well as
convicting you that letter was the only
evidence to vindicate Mr.. Temple" an
swered she calmly.
Then Mrs. Mason, with a sneer.
made it plain.
maybe your wife feels that an inno-
cent man mustn't be sent to prison,
MIR. Granger, or maybe she feels
some stronger motive. remember that
you were adverse to her staying on
here. the day that saw you. Now, I
believe, she thinks of giving evidence
about the destruction Of that letter.
At the last sentence the ugly, con-
aemn1ng, vindictive expression which
had come into Granger's face at her
discriminating words vanished.
"Anna, it's not true! 1t couldn't be
true that you would expose mev' he
gasped in sort of terror. "You are
not going to tell about that letter.
Why, am your husband, Anna-your
husband! T did certify that check.
Yes, 1 did. But, good God, why should
you want to ruin meY'
He sank at her feet in pitiful, alb
Iect appeal.
"Anna, as your husband, as a man
who loves you and whom you once
owed, I say, forgive me. Great heav-
ms! I've repented. I've paid thrice
sver again for my folly. What can I
10 now? I can't undo what's been
done. It's you who must wipe out the
stain; help me to begin over again.
Your forgiveness would be absolution.
Anna. you will forgive me?'
Curiously the woman touched his
Ihoulder. 1nstinctively she wanted to
feel just little bit alive. But she
might as well have touched a post Of
wood. It seemed as though the very