Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-04-24

dali In such q self-contained way that
the three men looked at her in won
der Then she came abruptly to her
feet. 1T is very late. gentlemen l
am ready to go upstairs, Mr.. Sheriff. I"
Il must warn you. madam. that Mr..
Drake is reasonably certain that 1t is
your husband" said the coroner un-
comfortably. You may not be pre-
pared for the shock that"
Il shall not faint, DR.. Sheet. II 1t
il my husband l shall ask you to leave
me alone in the room with him for a
little while"> The final word trailed
out into a long. tremulous wall. show
ing how near she was to the breaking
point in her wonderful effort at self.
control. The men looked away hast
lily. They heard her draw two or
three deep. quaverihg breaths: they
could almost. feel the tension that she
I was exercising over herself.
The. doctor turned after q moment
and spoke very gently, but with pro-
fessional firmness. You must not
think of venturing out in this wretched
night, madam. 1t would be the worst
kind of folly. Surely you will be
guided by me-by your own common
sense. Mrs. Burton will be with
you"
Thank you, Dr., Sheet" she inter
| posed calmly. III What we all fear
should turn out to be the truth.
could not stay here. l could not
breathe. l could not live. II, on the
other hand. Mr.. Drake IL mistaken.
shall stay. But II It Is my husband.
cannot remain under the same roof
with him. even though he b dead.
do not expect you to understand my
feelings. :. 1t would be asking toe
much of men-too much"
II think l understand" murmured
Drake.
Come" said the sheriff. arousins
himself with an effort
She moved swiftly after him. Drake
and the coroner, following close be
hind with Mrs. Burton. could not take
their eyes from the slender, graceful
figure. She was . revelation to them
Feeling a. they did that she was about
to be confronted by the most appalling
crisis imaginable. they could not blu,
marvel at her composure. Drake's
mind dwelt on the stories of the guillo
4 tine and the heroines who went up t.
it in those bloody days without d
much as q CULVER of dread. Somehow
to him, this woman was q heroine.
They passed into the hall and
mounted the stairs. At the far END
of the corridor . man was seated II
front of q closed door. He arose a
the party approached. The. sheriff
signed for him to open the door ht
guarded. Az he did %. chilly bias
of air blew upon the faces Of those IL
the hall The curtains in the window
of the room were tapping and whip
ping In the wind. Mrs. Wrandal
caught her breath. For the briefes
instant 1t seemed ~ though she wa
on the point Of faltering. She droppet
farther behind the sheriff. her limb
suddenly stiff. her hand going out Il
the wall as II for support. The mex
moment she was moving forward rea
olutely into the icy. dimly lighte'
room.
A single electric light cleaned II
the corner beside the bureau. Nea
the window stood the bed. She wen
swiftly toward 1t. her eyes fastener
upon the ridge that ran through tn
center Of It: still. white ridge tina
seemed without beginning or end.
With nervous fingers the attendan
lifted the sheet at the head Of tn,
bed and turned 1t back. Al he let 1
fall across the chest of the dead maj
he drew back and turned his fac
away.
She. bent forward and then straight
ened her figure to its full height. with
out for an instant removing her gar
from the face Of the man who In,
before her: q dark-haired han gray Il
death. who must have been beautifu
to look upon in the flugh of life.
For a long time she stood ther