The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1913-05-29
He found her standing by win

He found her standing by a win
dow. apparently calm Stuart looked
ut her Il moment with curious de
tacIaed interest Suddenly aware OF
his presence she turned.
at last. ut lastr' she cried in low
broken accents "Oh dear Col. how
long Two waited and despaircd, At
last we may belong to each other for
ever body and soul! Nothing else mat
ters now. does it? We shall forget all
the blank hideous years; you'll forget
It. won't you. dearest? You'll forgive
nc -now--say that YOU wi!l:''
"Ive long ago forgiven. Nan. but tell
me about this sudden attack You were
with him when he was stricken:"
Eyes. took the nurses place at
midnight: l couldn't sleep"
"How long did you stay with him?"
Until called you"
"And YOU gave him the medicine in
the absence Of the nurse?'
only one" she answered hesitat-
ingly. "A particular kind the doctor
had not prescribed, but which he
asked for to relieve his pain
"He asked you for medicine. Nany'
lie went on remorselessly "A poison
Gus powder-and you gave him one?"
eyes"
And you're sure you gave him but
one?"
"Hc was begging for two--I might
have given them both-it's possible. OF
course"
lie gnzed at her with look of pity.
II know that you did. Nan, know It
as certainly as If stood by your side
and saw you press it to his lips"
"Yon know. .Jim:' she cried feebiy.
her head dropping low.
And you feel no remorse:"
"Why should 1? His death seemed
only question Of days.
From the bottom of my heart pity
your' Stuart broke In softly. "The state
will never reach your act with the law
But the big thing is you have no con-
sciousness of guilt and feel no remorse
| because you have no soul. You have
only desires and impulses. That's why
y0u couldn't wait for mo to earn my
| fortune honestly and so betrayed me
| for gold. can see it all now Your
beauty has blinded me-
For Gods sake. Jim," she cried
| fiercely. "don't-don't talk like that. I
can't endure it! You don't mean, you
can't mean that you are going to turn
| fran me now, inst when I've found
| your love! did 1t for you"
Stuart looked at her through mist
of tears.
THE spell is broken, Nan, dear; our
romance is ended. don't say 1t In
pride or anger: | say 1t In sorrow--a
great deep. plying sorrow that cuts
and hurtsr'
| The woman understood She had at
last passed out Of his world Only the
memory Of girl he had once loved
and idealized remained, and that mem-
ory was now unapproachable The liv.
ing woman was no longer the figure in
the mental picture. The struggle was
over
| He extended his hand. elasped hers.
bowed and kissed 1t. turned and
walked quickly toward the door With
a half smothered cry she followed
"Jimr'
He paused and turned again. facing
her with a look of infinite sadness
"Remember,' she said brokenly, 81
never expect to see yol again-we can
not meet after this. am looking into
your dear face now with the anguish OF
broken heart strangling me. You
cannot leave like this-we have been
too much to each other"
He took her In his arms and held hel
close.
"F0rgive me, dear" he whispered
rev2rently kissing her as he would
have@pressed the lips Of the dead. 81
didn't mean to he cruel-goodby."
The door Of the great house softly
closed aud he was gone. A few mo
ments later the servants found bel
limp form lying in swoon on thu
floor.
Strangers no longer live in the cot
tage Stuart built ontthc hills. \ jaunty
sailboat mods ut the buoy near thu
waters edge. The drone Of bees from
the fruit trees in full bloom on thu
terraces promise luscious harvest il
the summer and fall. The lawn is ;
wilderness Of flowers and shimmerin.
green. The climbing roses on th'
southeastern side of the house hav,
covered It to the very caves of th'
root. Stuart has just cut them ava.
from Harriet's window because the.
interferel with her view of the ba,
: and sea and towering hills they lov,
so we'll And the grooming of littk
mother over a baby's cradle fills tn
home with music sweeter to its builde
than any note ever heard in gran'
| Qn3.ra