The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-12-04
c.pyr;sh.. 1910, by Emerson Housh
By
EMERSON HOUGH

me? I don't want you to forgive me I am degraded forever ''Tell me- she flashed out upon him suddenly, what did you think then of me there on the boat? How did you dare"-
 -I don't think had any conclusion only wanted you l just couldn't think of your going away, that was all Id never seen q woman like you. I'll never hope to see another your equal in all my life. And you sent for me, told me to come, said you needed help. didn't know what you were But l didn't care what you were either. I don't care now. I wanted you. I'll never all my life cease to want you.
 But what is the right thing to do now?'' he resumed shortly Parole? !? Hostage? 1 don't need to tell you I'm the prisoner now. My future my char acter. are absolutely in your hands The fact that l have insulted woman can be proved It is with you what re- venge you will take. As a lawyer, i point out to you that the courts are open- You easily can obtain redress there against WarvilIe Dunwody. And your relatives or friends will of course hold me accountable"
 Then you fear me:' NO. What comes, comes. am afraid of no one in the world but my own self. 1 fear only the dread of fac Ing Hfe--of looking about me here, in my own home. and not seeing. not hearing you. Tell me. when will your lawyers call on me ?'
 Never at aH.'' she answered at last. ''What do you mean?" he demanded 'sTo let me off so easily? Oh. no.''
 '.Never fear. You shall pay me ran- som, and heavily, out of your own character. l shall exact it a hundred fold-in shame, in regret-of you You love my body You do not love my mind. l love them both. Yes, | am q student of the law. fHun1an nity! Is it selfish life of yours all you can see of life, of the higher lawT'
 "Yes,'' said Dunwody. grinning pain fully. "I reckon maybe it was one Of those higher law abolitionists that shot me!'
 ''Shot? What do you mean2' Even as she spoke she now for the first time caught sight of the dark rimmed rent in his trousers leg; 1foted the uneasy fashion in which he held his weight erect
 No one told me you were hurt; I thought you only tired or perhaps bruised by some accident, when you fell in there.''
 "No; shot, he replied "Shot right in here, through the edge of the bone. When I ripped and fell, there in the hall, I broke the bone short off It was only nicked at first.
 And you have been standing here, talking to me, with that?' She step ped to him swiftly and placed a hand under his arm You must go in- Come Can you walk Y'
 Through his nerves, racked as they were, there swept flood of joy. more sweet than that of any drug She put her free arm under his, forgetful of everything in her woman'S wish to -allay suffering, to brood. to protect, to increase life. They passed through the door toward the foot of the stairs. Here she turned to him.
 '"The pain is very great?' she in quired.
 .'The pain at thinking of your going away is very great he answered. One hand on the newel post, he bent down, his head on his arm for an in- stant. E'Oh. you're ma king me pay" he groaned- But the next moment he turn.d on her defiantly. ''IIl not learn: If this was the only way for me to meet you then I'll not regret a single thing I've done. I'II not! Pn not payl It all comes back to me, just what I said before. What couldn't we do, together? I need you I need your'
 ''You must go to your room You've been standing for an hour.'
 sERI1t T'Vo IoAn with VOu T. n hope for another hour like this. You'll be leaving me. But I'd live the hour over again-in hell with your
 'I told you when we all gave parole that I would exact my price of you in regret. in remorse.''
 "You shall not have 1t in regret I'Il not regret. But Pm paying! See. Pm telling you you may go, that you must go-away from me-
 Eleazar proved a faithful messenger once more. Before the evening shad- ows had greatly heightened three fig ures appeared at the lower end of the approach to Tallwoods mansion house. Jeanne as usual looking out from their windows. saw these
 ''It is the old man, madame, she commented. e-And, yes, Monsieur ie Docteur at last-thank the Bon Dieu, But one other-who is that2
 It was very worn and weary doctor who presently swung out of his saddle at the gallery step. His clothing was stained with mud. his very shoulders dropping with fatigue None the less he smiled as he held out his hand to Josephine.
 How is my patient?-' he inquired Plumb well, of course And how about this new One-I thought fixed him up before he came home. I've been grunting at Eleazar all the way, telling him it's all foolishness. my coming away out here-he could have fixed Dunwody's leg up, somehow