The Taney County republican., 1912-09-19

The man did not help her, he could
not help her. He just stood and
looked at her. She fought valiantly
for self-control q moment or two and
then, utterly oblivious to the betrayal
of her feelings involved in the cues.
tion-the moments were too great for
consideration of such trivial matters
she faltered
"You mean there is some other wo.
man."
He shook his head in negatiou.
II don't understand, There was
some other woman?"
"Yes."
"Where is she now?"
dead"
"But you said you were not free"
He nodded.
Did you care so much for her that
now--that now"
Enid" he cried desperately. "Be-
lieye me. never knew what love
was until met you"
The secret was out now; it had
been known to her long since, but
now 1t was publicly proclaimed.
Even a man as blind, as obsessed, as
he could not mistake the Joy that il.
Illuminated her face at this announce
ment. That very joy and satisfaction
produced upon him, however, very
different effect than might have been
anticipated. Had he been free, in
deed, he would have swept her to his
breast and covered her sweet face
with kisses broken by whispered
words of passionate endearment. In
stead of that he shrank back from her
and it was she who was forced to
take up the burden Of the converse.
tion.
you say that she is dead" she be-
gan in sweet appealing bewilderment,
"and that you care so much for me
and yet YOU"
Il am a murderer" he broke out
barshly There is blood upon my
hands, the blood of a woman who
loved me and whom, boy as I was,
thought that l loved She was my
wife, killed her"
Great God" cried the girl amazed
beyond measure or expectation by
this sudden avowal which she had
once suspected, and her hand instinct
lively went to the bosom of her dress
where she kept that soiled, water
stained packet of letters, ARE you
that MANI"
81 am the. man that did that thing,
but what do you know" he asked
quickly. amazed in his turn.
"Old Kirkby, my uncle Robert Matt.
land, told me your story; they said
that you had disappeared from the
haunts Of men"
"And they were right. What else
was there for me to do? Although in.
nocent Of crime, | was blood guilty.
| was mad. No punishment could be
visited upon me like that imposed by
he stern, awful, appalling fact. I
swore to prison myself, to have moth.
Ing more forever to do with mankind
or womankind with whom was I'm.
worthy to so associate. to live alone
until God took me. To cherish my
TO make such expiation as
could, to pray daily for forgiveness,
came here to the widest, the most
inaccessible, the loneliost, spot in the
range No one ever would come here
fancied, no one ever did come but
you. was happy after a fashion, or
1t least content. ! had chosen the
better part had work, could read,
write, remember and dream. But you
,ame and since that time life has
been heaven and hell. Heaven be.
,ause / love you, hell because to love
iou means disloyalty to the past, to
woman who loved me. Heaven be,
ause you are here; I can hear your
'oice, / can see you, your soul Is
pread out before me in its sweetness,
n its purity; hell because | am false
o my determination, to my vow, to
he love of the past"
"And did you love her so much,
hen?" asked the girl, now fiercely
ealous and forgetful of other things
or the moment.
Its not that" said the man. T
Tas not much more than a boy, a year
r two out of college. | had been in
be mountains a year. this woman
wed in a mining camp, she was a
reah clean healthy girl, her father