The Washington herald., 1914-12-27
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such as her from such as him in sucf
a way. He was evidently only play
ing a part to frighten her.
She blew a puff of smoke from her
cigarette and famed it away with
leisure, and smiled.
You'd look well, now, wouldn't
you. if one of the servants came in p
She laughed at the picture.
You're laughing at he again. he
groaned. You're always laughing al
me. But you won't feel so funny with
this knife in you"
She saw now that he was not fool
ing. But she despised him for his ef.
fort to prove his bravery by coward
ice, and she eyed him with a marble
calm worthy of a noblcr cause and a
better reward.
'Sit down, Willie, and don't
threaten nc. You don't frighten al
all. But you may alarm some of the
servants and give them more of that
gossip you have harped on so much"
Her obstinate pluck beWildered
him, but he lowered his voice as he
commented to some imaginary spec
tatof: "My God! she has no higher
thought than that! Even now when
death stares her in the facc!" Then
lie had a fanatics mercy for her.
Why aren't you saying your prayers,
you fool?"
She answered him with all the au-
thority she could command:
Put down that knife Put it down,
] say. You know | could save myself
from any danger by raising my voice.
And You know I'd rather die than
bring the servants in on such a
scene"
"a scene!" he shrieked. "a scene!
Why, woman, I'm going to kill you.
Don't you understand anything
You've only got minute more TO
live. Say your prayers! Damn you!
say your prayersp
There was an insanity in his look
that frightened her at last. She tried
persuasion now, and her voice was
soft and caressing.
Gently, Willie; gently now, l beg
you. You're not yourself, you know.
You must control yourself. Please!
as favor to me-"
lt'was the wrong word. 1t madden
ed him, and he snarled: "As a favor
to you? You dare ask favors of me?
Go ask 'em of the man you've given
favors tol The man? The man.
And this was Sacrilege to her one
love. Her lip curled in angry con-
tempt, and she turned from him in
loathing, muttering:
You dirty little beastp
1t was his muscles rather than his
mind that did it. While his mind was
recoiling from the insult his arm had
struck out, and the knife had slid
deep into the wall of her struggling
heart.
The blow and her effort to escape
flung her backward, but the heavy
chair held her. Before she could re-
member a wild scream broke from her
lips. .
As Enslee fell back his hand with
drew the knife. 1t came out all red.
He gaped at it and shuddered, and it
fell with little clatter on the marble
floor, hinging few crimson drops on
the black-and-white.
The noise startled him, and he re-
treated from her, clinging to the edge
of the table. He felt queasy, and push
cd back till he felt his chair and
dropped into it-still staring at her
and wondering, and she wondering at
him.
1t seemed a long time before her
cry brought any response. Chedsey
was in the cellar with Crofts and
heard no sound. but Roake was in the
pantry. He paused a moment, not
trusting his ears, then he pushed the
door open slightly and peered
through. Other servants came crowd
ing into the pantry whispering and
jostling. He motioncd them back
His master and mistress were in
their places. Mrs. Enslce looked pale
and was lying back in her chair. He
slipped through the door and spoke
timidly:
Beg pardon, ma'am; but did you
CALI"
Persis, at the sound of the door,
finding her fan still in her hand, had
instantly spread it across her wound.
And her first impulse was to deny:
No" she answered; then quickly:
"Yes. IL am ill-a little-suddenly.
Telephone for Doctor-Doctor-the
nearest doctor. You'd better rum"
He turned to obey, but paused to
ask:
Isn't there anything can do first,
ma'am?"
mo, gol Col" she huttered.
"Sha'n't pscnd some one else while
! am gone, ma'am?"
mo, no; keep them all away, all OF
them, till I ring"
Roakc, with a face like ashes, still
waited, staring.
But, ma'am. you arc hurt! You
are bleeding!"
"Nonsense!' she stormed. 81 spill
ed some claret orny fan. The doc
tor! Will you never go?" And he
ran out through the jumble of ser
wants, ordering them back to their
stations.
What have I done? What have I
done?"
you've, killed me, that's all" she
with a curious amusement
at was such funny thing for you
TO do, so old-fashioned."
There is a strange fact about
wounds in the heart. If they are not
so deep that they food the lungs and
out life they inspire wild
desire to talk, f1uttering .garrulity.
So Persis, now, with that madly
stitching shuttle in her breast, and
hat red seepagc from her side, had
lnnumbered things to say. She chat
.ered desperately, disjointedly:
"Oh, l suppose it had to come. It's
what / get for trying to run things
nv own way. And now the tango |
shops closed UP. But it's so funny
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