The Calumet news., 1912-02-15
PAGE THREE

heeded me no more than The dead.
"On leaving nome she had put on a
long coat with pockets. and this coat
was still on her and the pockets gap
ing. Thrusting her other hand into one
OF these she drew out a little flask
covered with wicker and set II on a
stand beside her. Then she pulled out
two small glasses aud set them down
also. and then she turned her back.
cOuld hear the drop drop OF the liquor.
and dark as the room was IL seemed 10
turn darker till / put ont my hands like
one cropping In II sndden night. But
everything cleared before me when she
turned around again. Features set like
hers force themselves TO be seen.
''She advanced a glass 10 either
hand. AS she came the floor swayed
and the walls seemed 10 bow together.
but they did not sway her. Step by
.tep she drew near. and when she
reached my side she smiled In my face
once. Then she said: Choose Alright.
dear heart Leave the poisoned one
for me
Fascinated. ! stared at one glass.
hands treubied ! should have grasped
al the glass II neld. but not a tremor
SHOOK those icy fingers. nor did her
eyes wander 10 the right hand or to the
left Adelaide. shrieked out. toss
them behind you. Let Us lve-liveP
But sue only reiterated that awful
word. Choose? ana / dare not hesitate
longer lest | lose my chance TO save
her. Cropping. l touched glass-I
never knew which one--and. drawing
II from ner fingers. | lifted II to my
mouth. Instantly her other hand rose.
4 don't know wnicn rs which myself
she said and drank. That made me
drink also.
The two glasses sent out a clicking
sound as We set them back on the
stand Then we waited. looking at
each other WhichT her lips seemed
to say. 'WhichY In another moment
we knew. Your choice was the right
one. said she and she sank back into
chair. Don't leave met she called
out, for ] was about TO run shrieking
out into the night. III am happy
now that II is all settled. but l do not
want 10 die alone Oh. now not l am!
And. leaping up. she dung OF her coat
and went gasping about the room for
air. When she sank down again II
was on the lounge. and Ssa!n | tried
to fy for help. anc again she would not
let me.
II tried 10 soothe her--to keep down
my awful fear aud soothe her. But
the nearness of death had Gained her
poor heart into its Old love and habit
ual thOugbrfulness. She was terrified
az my position She recalled our moth
er and the oath she had taken at mat
mothers deathbed TO protect me and
care for me aud my brother. And 1
have failed TO do either, she cried.
Arthur have alienated. and you 1
am leaving 10 unknown trouble and
danger
''She was not TO be comforted. I
saw her life ebbing and could do
nothing. She chung 10 me while she
called up all her powers and made
plans for me and showed me a way or
escape. | was to burn the note. fling
two of the glasses from the window
and leave the other and the deadly
vial near her hand-this before
left the room. Then | was TO call up
the police and say there was some
thing wrong at the clubhouse. but I
was not TO give my name or ever ac-
knowledge ! was there. Nothing can
save trouble. she said. but that trou.
bic must not come near you. Swear
that you will heed my words-swear
that you will do what ! say
IL swore. All that she asked prom
ised | was almost dying. too. aud
bad the light gone out and the rafters
of the house fallen In and buried us
both II would have been better. But
the light burned on. and the life In
her eyes faded out. and the hands
graspinc mine relaxed heard one
little gasp. then a low prayer. Tell
Arthur never-never-agaln to- Then
-silence"
Sobs. cries. yelled faces. then ST.
lence in the courtroom too. IL was
broken but by one sound-a heart
rending sigh from the prisoner. But
nobody looked M him. and nobody
looked at me- Every eye was on the
face OF this young girl whose story
bore such an Impress OF truth and vet
was so contradictory OF all former evi-
dence. What revelations were vet TO
follow? IL would seem that she was
speaking of ber sisters death.
But her sister had not died that way:
her sister had been strangled. Could
this dainty creature. with beauty
SCARED and yet powerfully triumphant.
be the victim OF hallucination, or did
she seek TO mislead justice and to con-
ceal truthl
At a question from Mr.. Moeat she
spoke again. and we heard her say:
"Yes. She died that way. with her
hands In mine. There was no one else
by. We were quite alone"
That settled IL. aud for a moment
the revulsion OF feeling threatened to
throw the court into tumult
Can you tix the hour OF this oc-
currencer Mr.. Moflat asked "ln any
way can you locate the timeT
mo. for did not move at once
felt tied to that couch. am very
young. and | mad never seen death