Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-01-22

hands as she did so. with quick intu-
ition she saw that he must be left to
himself If he were to meet this blow
without succumbing The body must
have freedom IL the spirit would not
go mad. Conscious. or perhaps not
conscious, of his release from her re-
straining hand, albeit profiting by 1t,
he staggered to his feet, murmuring
that word of doom: Wound! wound!
my darling died OF a wound! What
kind OF a wound?" he suddenly thun-
dered out Il cannot understand what
you mean by wound. Make 1t clear to
me. Make 1t clear to me at once. II
must bear this grief, let me know
It's whole depth. Leave nothing to my
imagination or ! cannot answer for
myself. Tell it all, Doris"
And Doris told him:
"She was on the mezZanine floor
of the hotel where she lives. She
was seemingly happy and had been
writing a letter-a letter to me which
they never forwarded. There was
no one else by but some strangers
good people whom one must believe.
She was crossing the floor when sud
denly she threw up her hands and
fell A thin, narrow paper-cutter was
in her grasp; and 1t few into the
lobby. Some say she. struck herself
with that cutter; for when they picked
her up they found a wound In her
breast which that cutter might have
made"
Edith? never!"
The words were chohngly said; he
was swaying, almost falling, but he
steadied himself.
Who says that?" he asked.
TT was the coroner's verdict"
And she died that way-diedF"
Immediately"
After writing to your"
yes"
What was in the letter.
Nothing of threat, they say. Only
Just cheer and expressions of hope
Just like the others, Mr.. Brotherson.'
And they accuse her OF taking her
own life? Their verdict is lie. They
did not know her" Then, after some
moments of wild and confused feeling
he declared, with desperate effort at
self-control: You said that some be-
lieve this. Then there must be 9th.
ers who do not. What do they say?"
Nothing They simply feel as you
do. They see no reason for the act
and no evidence of her having medi,
tated it. Her father and her friends
insist besides, that she was incapable
of such horror. The mystery of II
is killing us all; me above others. for
I've had to show you a cheerful face
with my brain Keeling and my hear
like lead in my bosom"
She held out her hands She tried
to draw his attention to herself; moi
! from any sentiment of egotism, but
! to break, If she could, the strain Of
( these insupportable horrors where sc
/ short a time before Hope sang anC
/ Life reveled in reaWakened joys.
/ Perhaps some faint realization o.
this reached him, for presently h
/ caught her by the hands and bowed
I his head upon her shoulder and FINALLY
let her seat him again, before he said
DO they know of-of my Interest
in this"
Yes; they know about the TIVE
/ o. BIS"
THE two" He was on his fee
again, but only for a moment; hi
weakness was greater than his will
power
Orlando and Oswald Brotherson,
she explained, in answer 10 his brok
en- appeal Your brother wrote lei
tiers to her as we'll as you. and signe,
them just as you did, with his I'M
tials only. These letters were foun'
in her desk, and he was supposed, 70
time, 70 have been the author 0
all that were so signed But the
found out the difference after awhile
Yours we're easily recognized afte
they learned there was another O. Z
who loved her"
The words were plain enough, bu
the stricken listener did not TAX
them in. They carried no meanin
to him. How could they? The yer
idea she sought to impress upon hir
by this seemingly careless allusio
vvas IN Incredible rua Che fo,,~5 4