Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-06-06

4 have been near death. ALSO" he
resumed. II have seen no newspa-
pere, I do not know what they have
told you. But the accident was pure
accident; II he could have been here.
Floyd would have borne me out in
that. have wantonly risked his life
with mine at other times, then. no"
Her sensitive face had changed, she,
too. found speech.
IT never thought Of blame" she
protested unsteadily. ''Never. You
drove straight and best. You look SO
ILL"
He drew near her, long past conven.
tionalities.
II have been Ill, have now little
strength to waste aside from my pur-
pose. Jessica, have come for you, az
he once gaze me leave to do. You
have no one left, nor I. VIII you mar
~ met"
Her fingers wound harder into the
curtain. he saw tho pulse beating IN
her round throat % she flung back
her head with E1oyd's own boyish
movement.
you love me?' she questioned, Just
audibly, grave eyes on his.
II thought you knew. Yes"
She shook her head, her smile sad.
"Me Ralph Stanton. or Jes Floyd's
twin?"
The acute question pierced deep.
Out Of Stanton's suffering leaped the
truth in a cry Of vehement passion
and force.
IT do not know! Jessica, Jessica, I
do not know! want both. I love
you. want you for my wife; loft with
him, I would have missed you. II I
cared for you because you were like
him, ii see him now in you, what
matter! l tell you want you, but I
shall want him all my life. I want the
one who rode beside me, the one who
stood with me through rough or
smooth. the one who knew me and
him-I want my comrade, Jes Floyd IS
Tho naked strength Of pain, tho
fierce outcry Of savage bereavement
left the atmosphere swept to print
tive clarity, free Of all small things.
Tho girl drew herself erect. even her
lips colorless in her absolute pallor
but her eyes meeting him on his own
ground Of desperate honesty. and
raised her hands to her head.
Stanton saw her lace sleeves fall
back, and zigzag scar start into
view on her slender left arm. Like
bands Of silk ribbon she unwound the
heavy braids Of hair and flung them
aside. letting mass Of short, boyish.
bronze curls tumble about her fore.
head.
| There was no mistake possible, ever
again. He did not know that he spoke,
yet his cry reached the street below.
Floyd! noyd!"
II am Floyd"
you"
II am Jessica."
The room reeled giddily. his vision
blurred. And as his composure went
down In chaos, her courage rose up to
aid his need.
you're goin' to take It hard" com.
FASHIONED her earnest voice. i've
been dom wrong to you, while
thought was only hurtin' myself. I'm
sorry"
The lisp, the soft excitement-born
accent SO blent with memories of
splendid peril and comrade risk, fell
on ready ears.
"God!" breathed Stanton, and sank
into chair, dropping his face upon
his arm a. it rested on tha little taa.
table.
you've got to bear II; there's only
mo. But that's the only way rye de-
ceived you, Stanton" The rustic Of
herr dress came strangely with his
name in those clear tones. All that
told you Of my, life is true. except
Jes. My father had to have a son, an
he made me one. At first, when I was
little, It was Tor fun he called mo Jes
when had my boy-clothes on, an
played there were two Of Us. But
when We found that all the country
side. all the factory hands. every ono
except my nurse believed Jes and
Jessica twins, we let It go on. It
made It easier for him in trainin' me
to be his partner. For he said was
man-1it for that. So Jes studied an
raced an worked with him all day; IN
the evenin' Jessica wore frocks and
frills. We lived alone in the b.
house: It was 30 easy. used to dark
sn my skin bit; that was all. You're
not listenin-you want time to think
Il out"
He neither moved nor contradicted.
Time for readjustment he did need.
for realization Of this and himself.
Standing, q slim. upright figure, she
gave It to him, waiting while the little
Swiss clock on the mantle Chartered
through many minutes.
when my father died." she re
sumed, 1t last, "after I found out that
I wasn't goin' to die, too. saw Jes
was able to earn his livin' while Jes-
sica was liable to starve. I had It IN
my blood to love that work, suppose:
I told you once that the very smell Of
exhaust gas drove me out Of myself
with speed-fever. Every racer knows
It, you know II, that feelin' So got
q place in the Mercury factory; an
that way met you. don't know how
to make you understand"
He interrupted her ruthlsssly. al
most roughly. - ho might once have
spoken to Floyd: not looking up.
What Of al that? You are you.
now. You've let me think you dead
for two montAs-you left me IN hell"
mo. MOI" ShA denied N swift de-.