Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1914-06-19
this" her shoulders shook.

shAop hOh cheph-
Katherine started to her feet, un-
able longer to bear the sight of the
woman's suffering
Don't cry, Mrs. Slade, don't cry"
she pleaded.
my God!" Mary exclaimed. "IIow
am a-goin' to 1.-Two out my life! I
can't. ! cant. I'm used to him, and
now he's going to have another woman
near him." There was remuneration
and anguish and anger in her out.
burst. "And I've lived with him all
these years. can't help lovin' him."
she sobbed.
Katherine watched her, aghast at
the vision of love such as she had
never before realized. The hot tears
filled her eyes and her lips trembled.
Unable to fight any longer, she
stretched out her hand and touched
the older woman gently, almost rever.
emily.
"Oh. please-please don't cry like
that" she begged. Il can't stand 1t.
on, please DON'T" and suddenly her
emotions swept away her control
her remembrance Of why she had
come-of everything but this slender,
sobbing little woman. She flung her
arms around Mary, burying her face
on her shoulder. The woman In her
rose up and rebelled at what she had
been about TO do. Love, not of the
world, mastered the worldly in her,
as the tears overlooked.
Mrs. Slade. you fight" she sobbed,
breathlessly. Never mind what! You
light! He loves you best after all.
I've @een that. Don't you give in!
You'll get him back. She's an out
and-dht bad, heartless. selfish creature.
She's bad-bad. sitting every good.
honest impulse for money-money!
You're right to hate It. 1t is a dirty
thing. II he were poor she wouldn't
look at him. Don't you mind and don't
you cry. Mrs. Slade. You flght-hght
them-all' and she loosened her arms
and sank sobbing and heartbroken.
into a chair. throwing her head on her
outstretched arms in a perfect aban-
don of repentance and grief.
For few moments the two women
sobbed brokenly. Mary was the first
to recover.
There. there" she cried, patting
Katherine tenderly on the shoulder.
don't you cry for me-"
Suddenly Hayes appeared in the door
way. He looked first at Mary, then |
at Katherine. Katherine, her face
still buried, her sobs still uncontrolled,
had not heard him open the door. One
sight Of the two women was enough
to convince him that In the encounter
the stronger had been defeated and
that the gentle little woman whom
he loved had come off the victor.
Mary stood looking from Hayes to
in bewildered perplexity
her eyes lighted with
thought. She began to read her an
swer in Bob's eyes, but he turned to
avoid her glance. She looked again
It the sobbing girl and as she did 80
he conviction came to her that
katherine was the woman her hus-
band was planning to marry. She
opened her mouth as II to speak.
md turned questioningly again to
Bob. But Hayes could not meet her
yes. Suddenly Mary pointed an &C.
using finger at Katherine's bowed
lead. She! Oh-h!" she gasped.
Katherine, unconscious of the reve-
alton that had just taken place, was
till sobbing bitterly, but with sweet
: tears than she had shed for many,
many years. The sight of the girls {
Misery called for all the treasures OF j.,
ove and sympathy in Mary's nature.
weetened by long years of forgiving
nd selfsacrifice. |
There. there. there" she crooned,
8 she patted Katherine's head. Over
ONE with an emotion she could not
Dntrol. Katherine clasped her arms
bout her comforter and wept softly
nd quietly on her breast. I
Bob. too surprised to believe his =,
WIN eyes. came up to her. .
"Katherine!" he exclaimed. n
"Oh. Bob, I'm 30 ashamed" Kath- I,
'fne confessed as she got to her feet !
nd stumbled into his arms, crying "
1t for forgiveness and the love she p
Id so cruelty and 30 thoughtlessly
ing aside.
Il understand. understand" Bob
as very gentle and forgiving as he
ok her In his arms.
II love you, Bob" she sobbed. II m
mt care who hears me say 1t. /
mt care. love you"
Come" he said, leading her ten
'rly toward the door We'll talk NJ
over on the way home" oI
in