The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1912-05-07
M /H2 6/NDO HZAD G.. CC/ztN/TT

dali In such a self-contained way thai
the three men looked at her In won
der. Then she came abruptly to hel
feet. 1T is very late, gentlemen.
am ready TO 90 upstairs, Mr.. Sheriff.
81 must warn you, madam, that Mr.
Drake is reasonably certain that 1t ia
your husband" said the coroner un'
comfortably. You may not be pre-
pared for the shock that"
81 shall not faint, Dr. Sheet. II II
is my husband shall ask you to leave
me alone in the room with him for a
little while" The final word trailed
out into long, tremulous wall, show
ing how near she was to the breaking
point in her wonderful effort at self
control. The men looked away hast
lily. They heard her draw two or
three deep, quavering breaths; they
could almost feel the tension that she
was exercising over herself.
The doctor turned after a moment
and spoke very gently, but with pro-
fessional nrmness. you must not
think of venturing out in this wretched
night, madam. 1t would be the worst
kind Of folly. Surely you will be
guided by me-by your own common
sense. Mrs. Burton will be with
you"
"Thank you, DR.. Sheet" she inter
posed calmly. III what we all fear
should turn out to be the truth.
could not stay here. ! could not
breathe. could not live. IT, on the
other hand, Mr.. Drake is mistaken.
shall stay. But II 1t is my husband,
cannot remain under the same roof
with him, even though he be dead.
do not expect you to understand my
feelings. 1t. would be asking too
much of men-too much"
81 think | understand" murmured
Drake.
Come" said the sheriff, arousing
himself with an effort.
She moved swiftly after him. Drake
and the coroner, following close be-
hind with Mrs. Burton. could not take
their eyes from the slender, graceful
figure. She was revelation to them
Feeling as they did that she was about
to be confronted by the most appalling
crisis imaginable, they could not but
marvel at her composure. brakes
mind dwelt on the stories OF the guillo-
tine and the heroines who went up to
ii in those bloody days without so
much as a quiver OF dread. Somehow,
to him. this woman was a heroine.
They passed into the hall and
mounted the stairs. At the far end
of the corridor a man was seated in
front of a closed door. He arose as
the party approached. The sheriff
signed for him to open the door he
guarded. As he did SO, a chilly blast
of air blew upon the faces of those in
the hall. The curtains in the window
Of the room we're Tapping and whip
ping in the wind. Mrs. Wrandall
caught her breath. For the briefest
Instant 1t seemed as though she was
on the point of faltering. She dropped
farther behind the sheriff, her limbs
suddenly stiff, her hand going out to
the wall as II for support. The next
she was moving forward res
olutely into the icy, dimly lighted
room.
A single electric light cleaned in
the corner beside-the bureau. Near
the window stood the bed. She went
swiftly toward 1t, her eyes fastened
upon the ridge that ran through the
center OF It: a still, white ridge that
seemed without beginning or end.
With nervous fingers the attendant
lifted the sheet at the head of the
bed and turned 1t back. As he let 1t
fall across the chest OF the dead man
he drew back and turned his face
away.
She bent forward and then straight |
ened her figure to its full height, with
out for an instant removing her gaze |
from the face of the man who Law |
before her: dark.haired man gray in
death, who must have been beautiful
10 look upon in the flush of life.
For a long time she stood there