Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-01-23

new-and yet the pity and pathos Of
this strange appeal found their way to
the soul Of each. They envied
a millionaire again.
They retired for another %consulta-
ton. Stuart replaced the papers and
gave the key to Bivens.
ASK Nan to come here a minute
he said feebly.
Stuart walked to the door and whis.
pered to a servant. When he return.
ed to the bedside the dying man look.
ed up into his face gratefully.
you don't know how it helps me
to have you ear Jim. old boy. I'm
lonely. Nan | guess is i'll and broken
down. I've lavished millions on her.
I've given her all l possess in my will.
but somehow we never found happi-
ness. If l could only have been sure
Of the deep. sweet. unselfish love of
n human soul on this earth! If l
could only have won a girls heart
when l was poor. But l was rich.
and I've always wondered whether
she really loved me for my own sake.
At least I've always thanked God for
you. You've been a real friend. Our
hearts were young together and you
stood by me when-I-was-poor'-
An hour later when the covering
was turned back from the dead body
Stuart saw that the smooth little cold
hand had gripped the key to his treas
ures in a last instructive grasp.
He looked again at the lump Of cold
clay and wondered what was passing
in the soul of the woman who was
nov the heir Of all his millions.
Why had she shown such strange
and abject terror over his death-an
event she had foreseen and desired?
A horrible suspicion suddenly flashed
through his mind. He determined to
know at once.
AS he had feared. Nan refused point
blank to enter the death chamber and
asked him to come to her boudoir.
He found her standing by a win
dow. apparently calm. Stuart looked
at her a moment with a curious de-
tached interest. Suddenly aware Of
his presence she turned.
sat last, at lastv!' she cried in low
broken accents. ooh, dear God, how
long I've waited and despaired! At
last we may belong to each other for
everybody and soul! Nothing else mat
tiers now, does it? We shall forget all
the blank hideous years; you'll forget
1t, won't you, dearest? You'll forgive
me-now-say that you will?"
"Tve long ago forgiven, Nan. but tell
me about this sudden attack. You were
with him when he was stricken?"
Eyes. I took the nurses place at
midnight; I couldn't Sleep"
"How long did you stay with him?"
until I 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'
he went on remorselessly. "a poison
powder-and you gave him one?"
EYES,"
"And you're sure you gave him but
one?"
HE was begging for two-I might
have given them both-it's possible, of
course"
He gazed at her with a look Of pity.
II know that you did, Nan, know 1t
as certainly as if I stood by your side
and saw you press it to his lips"
"You know, Jim?" she cried feebly,
her head dropping low.
"And you feel no remorse"
"Why should I? His death seemed
only a question Of days.
"From the bottom Of my heart 1 pity
you" Stuart broke In softly. "The state
will never reach your act with the law.
But the big thing is you have no on
seriousness of guilt and feel no remorse
because you have no soul. You have
only desires and impulses. That's why
you couldn't wait for me to earn my
fortune honestly and so betrayed me
for gold. I can see it all now. Your
beauty has blinded me"
"For Gods sake, Jim," she cried
fercely. "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
from me now. just when I've found
your love! 1 did it for you"
Stuart looked at her through a mist
Of tears.
"The spell is broken, Nan, dear; our
omanc is ended. I don't say it In
pride or anger; I say it in sorrow-a
great deep. plying sorrow that cuts
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