The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-04-24
'What's the matter with ElnOra's face?" demanded Margaret.

"YOu struck her, did you?'
 .I thought you wasn't blindw
 q have been for twenty long years now, Kate Comstock,'' said Margaret Sinton, ''but my eyes are open at last. What I see is that I've done you no good and Elnora big wrong. I had an idea that it would kill you to know, but guess you are tough enough to stand anything. Kill or cure, you get 1t now You! The woman who don't pretend to love her only child, and all for a fool idea about man who wasn't worth his salty'
 Mrs. Comstock picked up hoe.
 "Go right on!' she said. Empty yourself. It's the last thing you'll ever do."
 "Then I'll make tidy job of it, said Margaret. You'll not touch me. When Robert Comstock shaved that Quagmire out there so close he went in, he wanted to keep you from seeing where he was coming from. He'd been to see Elvira Carney. They had plans to go to dance that night"
 "Close your lipsr' said Mrs. Com stock in a voice of deadly quiet.
 "You know I wouldn't dare open them if I was not telling you the truth 1t was hot in the woods, and stopped at Carney's as passed for a drink Elvira's bedridden old mother heard me, and she was so crazy for some one to talk with stepped in minute. saw Robert come down the path. FL vira saw him, too, and she ran out of the house to head him off He brought her his violin and told her to get ready and meet him in the woods with it that night and they would go to a dance. She took it and hid 1t in the little loft to the wellhouse and promised she'd go."
 "Are you doneY demanded Mrs. Conistock.
 "No. I am going to tell you the whole story. You don't spare Elnora any. thing. I shan't spare you. I went to Elvira, told her what knew and made her give me Comstock's violin for Ell nora over three years ago. She's been playing it ever since. I won't see her slighted and abused another day on account of man who would have bro- ken your heart if he had lived. He was one of those men who couldn't trust himself, and so no woman was safe with him. Now. will you drop griev- ing over him and do Elnora justice?"
 Mrs. Constock gripped the hoe tight CT, and, turning, she went down the walk and started across the woods to the home of Elvira Carney. With averted head she passed the pool, stead fly pursuing her way. Elvira Carney, hanging towels across the back fence, saw her coming and went toward the gate to meet her. Twenty years she had dreaded that visit Mrs. Comstock's s face and hair were so white that her dark eyes seemed burned into their setting. Silently she stared at the wo- man before her a long time.
 T might have saved myself the trou- ble of coming" she said at last. "I see you are guilty as sin"
 What has Mag Sinton been telling you?" panted the miserable woman, gripping the fence.
 '"The truth" answered Mrs. Com stock succinctly. Guilt is in every line of your face, in your eyes, all over your wretched body"
 If you knew what I've sufferedw
 "Suffered?" jeered Mrs. Comstock. That's interesting. And pray, what have you suffered?'
 "Au the neighbors have suspected and been down on me. l ain't had a friend. I've always felt guilty of his death! I've seen him go down a thou sand times, plain as ever you did Many'sl the night I've stood on the other bank of that pool and listened to you, and tried to throw myself in to keep from hearing you, but didn't dare. I knew God would send me to burn forever, but I'd better done 1t. for now he has set the burning on my body, and every hour it is slowly eat ing the life out of me. The doctor says it's cancer"-
 Mrs. Comstock exhaled long breath. Her grip .On the hoe relaxed, and her stature lifted to towering height.
 'I didn't know or care when came here just what did," she said. "But my way is beginning to clear. If the guilt of your soul has come to head in cancer on your body. it looks as if the Almighty didn't need any of my help in meting out his punishments. really couldn't fix up anything to come anywhere near that. If you are going to burn until your life goes out with that sort of fire, you don't owe me anything
 "If you will gather lot of red clover bloom and make tea strong as lye of 1t and drink quarts think likely 1t will help you, if you are not too far gone. Anyway, it will cool your blood and make the burning easier to bear
 Then she swiftly walked home. En- ter the lonely cabin she could not, neither could she sit outside and think. She attacked bed of beets and hood until the precipitation ran from her face and body, then she began on the potatoes. When she was too tired to take another stroke she bathed and put on dry clothing. In securing her dress she noticed her husbands care fully preserved clothing lining one wall. She gathered it in a great arm- load and carried it out to the swamp. Piece by piece she pitched into the green maw of the quagmire all those
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