El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-12-27

have no idea of killing yourself for
this 1t would be foolish. Fate forces
US TO part and now you have two hap
Ply years TO look back upon. For two
years / have been your best friend. You
can't forget that can yOu?"
Pierre Dallier paced excitedly up and
down the floor. Rose looked at him
! with slight shrug of her shoulders
After all, she went on, Il really
don't think it is worth killing oneself
Tor my sake. We met quite by acct
dent We liked each other, but surely
you must have known this could NOT
last forever and that the day must
4 come when We must part. Life is al
ways like this"
IF you leave me, 1 will kill nv
self. Pierre Dallier repeated 4 can.
not live without you"
a mere phrasei"
Perhaps it has been to all the 9TH
ers who have told you the same thine
put none of them ever loved you, as /
90. and 1 cannot bear the idea of part
ing from you"
Please do not say any more about
, this"
Pierre took a revolver from drawer
Now this does look ridiculous. We
are not on the stage. Your threats do
not scare me. If you only knew how
silly you look Lay that revolver aside
and let me 60"
Pierre hid his fact in his hand and
Rose went on:
If man really means to kill HIM
self ne does 1t without saying anything
about it. without any scandal A real
gentleman must know when the mo-
ment has come to send a real bullet
through his brain and he certainly
never chooses a place like this. where
the whole city viii know about it with
IN an hour You might at least save
me from being cross examined by the
police"
Pierre lowered his hand.
You are right" he said, Il will do
am al
soon hear from me"
"Oh, am not going to worry about
you or lose any sleep on your account"
She left and Pierre was alone with
his despair.
Yes, he loved her madly. Rose Marie
had robbed him of everything, his
heart his energy, his will power.
He sat down and wrote a letter to
her:
when you get this letter. am no
more alive. you viii no longer doubt
my passionate love for you. If you
nave courage you viii come once more
to look at the features of the man
death"
the servant to mail it. Then he picked
up the revolver, turned it over in his
hands and prepared Tor the action
which was to put an end to a life that
had become unbearable
There were several matters to be ar
ranged First of all, he must write let
tiers of explanation to his family and
the police, but no one but Rose should
ever know the real reason of his death
During the few moments he had left he
would make his last will
He went to work and looked through
his papers. His financial affairs were
in the best Of order. Then he looked
at his birth certificate. 4
Twenty-Five years. 1t made him feel
{ ute sentimental to think that he was
TO die by his own hand, when he was
so young and strong.
Before him stood a portrait of Rose
Marie It seemed to him that it looked I
at him with an expression of hatred.
L am going to die, dear; in 20 min
uteS it will be all over"
The tone of his own voice scared
him He tried to fight against the sud
Had he not himself sentenced himself
to death? Was he not going to die of
his own free will2
He looked back upon his whole past
life and lost himself in the memories.
'Oh, why had he ever met this cruel
Rose Marie, who had made him love
her so passionately that life without
her seemed impOssible?'
A whole hour had passed since he /
mailed the letter. He picked up the (
revolver once more and pressed the cold I
muZzle against his temple. He trem- !
bled, and with his mental eye he saw /
himself lying acrOs the desk. pale,
lifeless and bloody. I
He pointed the revolver against his !
heart and noticed how his hand trem- I
bled. He tried to calm himself Once
more he looked at Roses picture. which /
seemed to mock him and say: How /;
silly you look"
perhaps she will think so, too" he +
when / am dead Then I (
shah have killed myself for nothing"
Then the reaction came. Are there (
really any sorrows that cannot be lived (
1Own?" he asked himself. Was life /
after all not really worth living2"
And suddenly all desire to die left 4,
Il am a fool" he thought. cot course
will forget Rose in time. She is not
the only woman in the world"
He laughed aloud with a sense of !
Infinite relief. If only he had never /
written that foolish letter! Nothing
Gould be more ridiculous than to write
ike that when there was no reason
whatever why he should want to die.
What would Rose think of him. She
lad every reason to laugh at him now.
He must stop that letter no matter
low. He rushed to the pOstoffice, but /
{ was already in the hands of the let
er carrier, who had no right to re-
urn ii.
He must bride the concierge where
Rose Marie lived. He saw the letter
,arrier in front Of him just as he en-
cred Roses house. Pierre followed. !
The concierge was not there but ne !
he letter on the floor above and then
he sound of a door being opened. How (
veil Pierre knew that sound. He felt |
lis heart stop beating. Now. at this
moment, Rose was reading the letter
which told of his death. OF course she
would rush to his house and find him
Iuite alive and happy. He jumped
ntO cab and drove home. Il
Once more Pierre was sitting at his
esk. Rose had not come yet. The re-
oliver was lying near his hand. but
e pushed it aside. No. he would not
lie now, though he imagined he could
ear Roses hooking laugh.
There was only one way to escape !
idicule He must pretend having tried /
o kill himself.
Pierre unbuttOned his vest. examined |
is chest and tried to remember all the !
natOmy he had ever known. If he /
hot himslf right here in this spot
nd held the revolver sideways along Z
he skin, surely it would not hurt !
luch. But he did not even have cOur-
ge enough to do this.
Curse that letter. Why did he ever E
The door bell rang. OF course. it
lust be Rose. Perhaps if she saw he
TaS wounded. her love would return s
es, that was the way to touch her
cart.
He held the revolver carefully so
hat the bullet would only Craze the
kin. shut his eyes and fired; but his
and trembled, the revolver slipped /
nd the bullet went straight through /