The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1914-03-19

companied Wran6au to the inn and sub
gequsaslg s. disappeared. is suspected;
and neglected his, wife. Mrs. Wranda1l
starts back for New York in an, auto dur
ing bhndtng. snow storm. On the way
she meets young woman in the road
WrandaH.
chkPTER ll-continued.;
..Ehgse Was nothing left for me to
do but that"
.sAnd why did you rob him?"
.saah, had ample time to think Of all
that You may ten the officers they
VIII find everything hidden in that
farmhouse cellar. God knows do not
want them. I am not a thief. I'm not
so bad as that -,
Mrs. Wrandall marTeleds Not so
bad as that" And she was murder
less. wsnton!;
You are hungry. You must be fam
ished."
NO, Tam not hungry. I have not
thought Of food" She said It, in such
q way that the other knew what her
whole mind had been given over to
since. the night before.
a fresh impulse seized her. 'sYou
shall have food ana a place where you
can sleep and rest" she said. "Now
please don t say anything more. do
not want to knowtoo much. The least
syou say tonight, the better for-for
bosh OF u.s."
with. that she devoted all Other at
tenticn TO the car increasing the
speed considerably. lEsf ahead she
could see fwihkhng; wi1l-o'-the-wisp
lights. the first signs Of thickly popu-
lated districts. They, were still eight
or ten miles from the outskirts Of the
city and the way was arduous. She
was conscious Of a sudden feeling OF
fatigne. The chill of the night seemed
to havs made itself felt with abrupt,
almost stupefyiqg force. She won
sdered if she could keep her strength,
her courage-her nerves.
The girl was English. Mrs: Wran-
dali was convinced of the fact, almost
Immediately. Enthusiastically English
and apparently Of the cultivated type.
I IN fact, the pecuIarities Of speech
that determines the London show-girl
or music-han character were wholly
+ lacking. Her voice, her manner, even
under such trying conditions, were
Characteristic Of the English woman
Of cultivation: Despite the dreadful
strain under which she labored, there
were evidences Of that curious Sc
renity. which marks the English WON
an Of hes.better classes; an inborn
composure, q calm orderliness Of the
emotions. Mrs. Wrandall was con-
scicus Of a. sense Of surprise, Of a
wonder that increased as her thoughts
resolved themselves into something
less chaotic than they were at the time
! Of consacfzwith this visible condition.
For mile or more she sent the car
along with reckless disregard for com
fort or safety. Her mind was cropping
for something tangible in the way OF
Intentions. What was she to do with
this creature? What was to become
OF herr At. what street corner should
she turn her adrift? The idea of
handing her over to the police did
not enter her thoughts for an instant.
\ Somehow she felt that the girl was
stranger to the city. She could not
explain the feeling, yet it was with
her and very persistent. OF course,
there was home. Of some sort, or
{ lodgings, or friends, but would he girl
dare show herself in familiar haunts?
She found herself wondering why
the poor wretch had not made way
with herself. Escape seemed out OF
the question. That must have been
clear to her from the beginning, else
Why was she going back there to give
i herself up? What better way out OF
it than self-destruction. She would
advise the girl to leave the car when
they reached the center of q certain
bridge that spanned the river! No one
would find her. =.
Even as the thought took shape in
her mind, she experienced great
sense <of awe, so overwhelming that
she cried out with the horror Of 1t.
She turned her head Tor a quick glance
at the mute, wretched face showing
white above the robe, and her heart
ached with sudden pity for her. The
thought Of that slender, alive thing
going down to the icy waters-her
soul tarned sick with the dread Of it!
In, that instant, Sara Wrandall-no
phuanthropist, no sentimentalist-
made up her, mind to give this erring
one more than an even chance for sal
vation. She would see her safely
across that bridge and many others.
God had directed the footsteps Of this
girl so that she should fall in with
the one best qualified to pass judg-
ment on her. It was in that persons
power to save her or destroy her. The
commandment, Thou shalt not kill, %
took on broader meaning as she con-
sideredi the power that was hers; the
power to kill
A great relaxation came over Sara
Wrandan. 1t was as if every nerve.
every muscle in her body ha6 reached
the shaping point and suddenly had
given way. For moment her hands
were weak and powerless; her head
fell forward. In an instant she
conquered but only partially-the
strange feeling Of lassitude. Then she
realized how tired she was, how fierce
ly the strain had told on her body and
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