The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-25
THE
HOLLOW OF F HER HAND
BY GEORGE BARR MCUTcHEON

d.
time she came to understand that she
was In no real peril but then II was too
late. confession would have placed
me In an Impossible position You
SEQ. she thought OF mo all this time
Sho loved m. as no woman ever loved
another Was not the wife OF the
man she had killed. and was not Che
nobiest OF all women in her eyes?
Cod And to think OF what had
planned for her."
This was the end Of the story
Tho words died away. in a sort or
whlmperinB wall, falling In with tho
wind 10 be lost to his straininc carr
Her head dropped, her arms hung limp
~ at her side.
For a long time re sat thoro IN ST.
lcnce looking out over the darkening
water. unwilling. unable indeed. TO
speak. His hear, waa fun Of compae,
sion for her. mineling strangely with
what was left OF scorn and horror
What could he say 10 her.
AT last che turned TO him Now
you know all that can toll you OF
liettv Castietou--of Hetty Glvnn. You
could not have forced this from me
brandon. She would not tell you j.
was left for mo 10 do In my own good
time Well, | havo spoken. What
have you 10 sayY
~ can only say. Sara, that thank
God for everything" he said slowly.
For cvcrythinsg'
"I thank God FOR you. tor her ana
for verifying. | thank Cod that shc
found him out In time; that che Killed
| him; that you shielded her. that You
failed TO carry out your devilish
scheme and that you, heart i. very
sore to-day"
You DO not despisc lner'
no. am sorry for you"
Her eyes narrowed ~ don't want
you to feel sorry for me"
You don't understand ! am sorry
for you because YOU have found your
SELF out and must be dcspiSing your
self"
You have guessed the truth. I d..
/ spse myself But what could be ex-
pectod OF me-? sha asked Ironically
- tic Wraudails would say. blood
/ viii ton"
"Nonsense, Don't talk Hike that: II
is quite unworthy OF YOU In spite or
everything, sara you arc WONDERFUL.
| The very thing you tried TO do, the
way you went about II. the way you
surrender makes for greatness iu
you il you had gone on with /, ana
succeeded TINT fact alone would have
. put you IN tho class with tho great
strong. Virilc women OF history. It"
/ With tho Alcdic!s, The Borgias
and she began bitterly
Yes. with them. But they wer.
great women, jus, the same You are
Z
possess-a conscience wish I could
tell YOU just what feel haven't the
words -"
81 only want YOU to tell me the
truth. DO YOU ucspIso inc?"
] Again ] say that DO not can
only say that ! regard YOU with-yca
with awe"
"As one NIGH, mink OF a deadly
serpent"
"llardiy that no saio amilins Tor
tho nrst time FIc crossed over and
laid his hand on her shoulder Don,
think TOO mcanly OF yourself. un
ders,and II all You lived for months
/ without heart. that's all"
You put 1t very gently
II think I'm right. Now. you've got
it back. and It's hungry for the sweet.
good things OF ife You want to be
happy You want 10 love again and 10
be loved. You Cont want 10 DO ;,:icd.
! understand. It's the return OF =
hear, that went away long monthn
ago and left an empty place that you
MED with gan Tie bitterness is gone.
There is something sweet in It's place
Sho hesitatcd. ~ YOU mean that l
want 10 DO loved 10y my enemies
Brandon, YOU are wrong" she sa.o
clearly. II have not been chastencd
Ia that particulsr
"You mean tho Wra ndalls?"
~ is not in my nature 70 love my
enemies. We stand on tho sane foot
Ing rs before and always shall The5-
understand me, ! undci stand them.
am glad that my project failed. not
for their sake, but for my own"
lie was silent This woman was be
vond him He could not understand \
nature AXE this
You say nothing. Well, can't ask
Sou 10 understand We viii not dis
cuss my enemies, but my friends.
7 what do YOU intend TO do in respect
, 10 Hctty:'
y am going TO make her my wife"
he said lcvelly.
She turned away. It was now quite
dark Ilo could not see the expression
on he face.
What yon have heard does not
weaken your love for herr"
NO. IL strengthens it."
You Know what she has done. She
has taken a life with her own hands.
Can you take nor to your bosom: can
I you mako her tho mother OF your own
.childrcn? Remember, thare rs blood
on her hands"
"Ah, but her heart IS cleanl
True" she said moodily. her heart
is clean"
40 cleaner than yours is now.
Sara"
She uttered u short, knocking laugh.
1t isn't necessary to say a thing Ike
! That 10 me"
! II beg your pardon"
/ Her manner changed abruptly. She
turned 10 him, intense and serious.
she Is so far away, Brandon. On
the other side OF tho world. and she
Is full OF loathing for me. How am
to regain what have lost? How nm
l 10 make her understand? She went
away With that last ugly thought OF
lme. with the thought OF me al 1 ap-
! pcaroi to hcI ON that last enlighten-
Ing day. All these months it has been
growing more horrible to her. 1t has
been beside her all the time. All these
lmCnths She has known that / pretend
ed to love her as"
II don't believe you know Hctty as
we'll as You think you do" he broke
in. You forget that she loved you
with all her soul You can't kill love
so easily as MI that 1t will be nil
right. Sara. You must write and ask
her to come back. It."
"Ah. but you don't know" Then
she related tho story OF tho liberia ted
canary bird. "Hetty understands The
cage door is open She may return