Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-07-30
The Hollow
b ; Of Her Hand
George Barr McCutCheOn
C0onNI4Z I2l2 ~ COCO


| The Wrandalls had been routed
| from their comfortable ffreside-for
what? They were asking the question
of themselves and they were waiting
stonily for the answer.
1T Is very stuffy in here" Vivian
had said with glance at the closed
doors after Sara had successfully
! placed her jury in the box.
Keep still, WV" whispered Leslie,
with fine assumption of awe. It's a
/ spiritualistic meeting. You'll scare
the spooks away"
1t was at this juncture that Sara
rose from her chair and faced them,
as calmly, as complacently as II she
! were about to ask them to proceed to
the dining-room instead of to throw a
bomb into their midst that would shat
ter their Snug serenity for all time to
| come. With a glance at Mr.. Carroll
she began, clearly firmly and without
a PREDATORY apology for what was to
follow.
Il have asked you to come here to-
night to be my judges. | am on trial.
You are about to hear the story of my
unspeakable perfidy. | only require Of
| you that you hear me to the end be-
fore passing judgment"
At her words, Hetty and Booth start
ed perceptibly; quick glance passed
between them, as IL each was inquir-
ing whether the other had caught the
| extraordinary words of self-indictment.
A puzzled frown appeared on Hetty's
| brow.
| "Perfidy?" interposed Mr.. Wrandall
His wife's expression changed from
one of bored indifference to sharp in
quiry. Leslie paused in the act of
lighting cigarette
at is the mildest term | can com
mand." said Sara 81 shall be as brief
as possible in stating the case, Mr..
| Wrandall. You will be surprised to
hear that have taken It upon myself,
as the wife of Challis Wrandall and,
as | regard it, the one most vitality
| concerned II not Interested in the dis
coyery and punishment Of the person
who took his life-I say have taken
1t upon myself to shield, protect and
defend the unhappy young woman who
| accompanied him to Burton's inn on
that night in March. She has had my
constant, my personal protection for
| more than twenty months"
The Wrandalls leaned forward in
their chairs. The match burned Les
lies fingers, and he dropped it without
appearing to notice the pain.
What Is this you are saying?" de-
manded Redmond Wrandall.
When left the inn that night, after
seeing my husbands body in the little
upstairs room. said to myself that
the one who took his life had unwit-
tingly done me service. He was my
| husband; | loved him, / adored him
To the end of my days could have
| gone on loving MIN in spite of the
cruel return he gave for my love and
loyalty. l shall not attempt to tell
you of the countless lapses of fidelity
on his part. You would not believe me-
But he always came back to me with
| the pitiful love he had for me, and
| forgave him his transgressions. These
things you know He confessed many
things to you, Mr.. Wrandall He
humbled himself to me. Perhaps you
will recall that I never complained to
you of him. What rancor / had was
always directed toward you. his fam
| lily, who would see no wrong In your
king but looked upon me as dirt be-
meath his feet There were moments
when / could have slain him with my
own hands, but my heart rebelled.
There were times when he said to me
that / ought to kill him for the things
he had done. You may now understand
what mean when say that the girl
who went to Burton's inn with him
did me a service. will not say that
l considered her guiltless at the time.
On the contrary. looked upon her in
| quite different way | had no means
of knowing then that she was as pure
| as snow and that he would have de-
spoiled her of everything that was
sweet and sacred to her. She took his
| life in order to save that which was
dearer to her than her own life. and
she was on her way to pay for her
| deed with her life if necessary when
came upon her and interviewed"
"You-you know who sho is?" said
Mr.. Wrandall, in low. incredulous
! voice
Il have known almost from the be-
ginning. Presently you viii hear her
story, from her own lips"
Involuntarily four pairs Of eyes shift
ed. They looked bankly at Hetty Cas-
Teton.
Speaking swiftly. Sara depicted the
scenes and sensations experienced dur
ing that memorable motor journey to
New York city.
Il could not believe that she was a
vicious creature, even then Some
thing told me that she was tender,
gentle thing who had fallen into evil
hands and had struck because she
was unevil. l did not doubt that she
had been my husbands mistress. but
/ could not destroy the conviction that
somehow she had been justified in