The Tupelo journal., 1912-08-16

me! ~! do IAuSne0 snOTIiy.
Probably not"
why should he? We both know
you too we'll to believe you would
repeat your mistake, In cold blood.
for sheer revenge"
MY mistaken" he parroted blankly.
"Oh, to be sure No: hardly
that" He waited q moment, noting
how strained and tense she was.
Nevertheless" he added quietly. ="
should like to see him for q moment"
"Is 1t necessary"
II should like to see him." he re-
peated.
"He-isn't here Just now" She met
his keen. questioning look with q
proud lift Of her head. ron the Is
land" she. continued. but not here.
He'll be back before long"
Thank you" he replied evenly;
It'll walt"
-But GARRETT" She seemed to over
come an inward resistance and, re-
entering the dooryard, stood near
him. touching his arm with a gentle.
persuasive hand, her eyes imploring.
Must you?" He nodded gravely.
But why-why rake up this buried
grievance?" she protested. us 1t wise,
right? It's true, he testified
against you. But what else could he
do? You had your chance-he gave
you your chance to escape, before the
police came. After that. he had no
aA1lao W., eh~,1Irst hN1l that
against him, GaSrett; II only you
knew how he hated to take the stand
against you, how terribly he felt it
when you were convicted practically
on his evidence . y But now
that It's all over and past remedy,
wouldn't 1t be better not to reopen
that old wound? Kinder, Garrett, and
more generous to me? You
are free, can go where you will .
)" She broke of with an anxious
thought: 1.-THE detectives don't know
where to look for you?"
What? No" He laughed aloud.
but mirthlessly "Oh, no, I gave them
the slip some time ago."
I'm glad. But now, please. Garrett.
won't yoq give this up.
She said more, much more, continu-
ing to plead with him in a fever OF
distress, able only to comprehend one
thing, that she must somehow avert
the encounter he desired. But her
rapid, stumbling accents were all
meaningless in his understanding.
-,Lioh ron~onI ~ rnoJ 1pnfOrndnd
by this revelation Of the incredible.
She had said enough to bring him
face to face with the hideous, in
famous fact that she still held him
blood-guilty, still honored and be-
lieved Blackstock. He struggled to
shake his wits together and think CO.
herently, but to little purpose. All
the world was mad and topsy-turvey
"a mad, mad world, wherein all truth
was false, faith was treachery, JUS
tice parodied, honor deep dishonor.
For a little he felt that his reason
hung in the balance, lettering be-
tween wild laughter and still wilder
tears. If man can be hysterical,
Coast was near to it.
And Katherine, witness to his ex-
element as evidenced In the working
of his features, his shifting gaze, his
hands SO tightly clenched that the
nails (she thought) must be biunS
deep into his palms, saw presently
that he no longer listened to her.
She ceased to speak and waited,
hoping against hope for what q
deemed the best.
He was ESQ ran her thoughts, dis
tracted, like wild things in a panic)
not reasonably to be held In strict &C.
count for his attitude toward her or
for his actions. In such men as ne
there must inevitably be something
lacking, something like an abiding
consciousness of right and wrong, the
ability to distinguish between them:
that rudder of the soul. In simple
charity she must accord him patience.
If her eyes told her he was more
a man than the Garrett Coast OF old
land she saw him now in the fullest
flush of health and vigor, s~un-browned,
weather-seascned, glowing with
strength and Vitality her mental
vision clothed him with al aura OF
abnormality like a shroud, awful and
repellent. He figured in her sight a
murderer, a mar who could strike to
death an unarmed and defenceless
friend, for a trife. Nothing might
eve avail to erase that fact from her
consciousness.
Unconsciously she drew a pace or
two away. The action reused him.
He lifted to hers Ragged eyes set in
a haggard face; and their look was
one of discernment. She knew in
s%tinctively that he OWNED her
thought, that he knew why she had
drawn away from him. And SO pitt
full he seemed that before she knew
it her mood melted and knew only
compassion for him.
"Oh, Garrett" she cried impulsive-
ly, II am so sorry"
Visibly he took command of him.
self. I'm sure Of that" he said slow
ly; and l don't want to distress you.
Nv corning here was p3lre accident. as