Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-10

as he had never seen It. When he put
her again in the carriage, he patted
her shoulder with touch far gentler
than his gruff good-by.
At Rosewood, at length, alone In her
room, she sat down with the packet
in her hands. During the long hours
|since first the little key had lain In
her palm like live coal, she had been
all afire with eagerness. Now the mo-
ment had come, she was almost afraid.
She tried to imagine that letter
coming to her-then. Thirty years
ago! A May day. a day OF golden sun
shine and flowers. The arbors had
been covered with roses then, too, like
those whose perfume drifted to her
now. Evil news flies fast. and she had
heard of the duel very early that
morning. The letter would have
reached her later. She would have
fled away with 1t to this very room to
read it alone--as she did now!
With unsteady fingers she unwrap-
ped the oiled-silk, broke the letters
seal, and read:
Dearest:
Before you read this, you will no
doubt have heard the thing that has
happened this sunshiny morning.
Sassoon-poor Sassoon! I can say
that with all my hearts, dead. What
this fact will mean to you. God help
me! I can not guess. For have
never been certain, Judith. Of your
heart. Sometimes have thought you
loved meme only-as ] love you.
Last night when I saw you wearing
my cape jessamines at the bali, was
almost sure Of 1t. But when you made
me promise, whatever happened. not
to lift my hand against him. then
doubted. Was 1t because you feared
for him? Would to God at this mo-
ment I knew this was not true! For
whatever the fact, I must love you,
darling, you and no other, as long as
l live!" ... -.
When she had read thus far, she
closed the letter and pressing hand
against her heart as If to still it's
throbbing, locked the written pages in
a drawer of her bureau She went
downstairs and made Ranston bring
her chair to its accustomed place I'M
der the rose-arbor, and sat there
through the falling twilight.
She and Shirley talked but little at
dinner. and what she said seemed to
come winging from old memories
her own girlhood, it's routes and pic
MICS and harum-scarum pleasures.
And there were long gaps In which
she sat silent, playing with her nap
kin, the light color coming and going
in her delicate cheek, lost in revery.
1t was not till the hallclock struck
her usual hour that she rose to go to
her room.
Don't send Emmaline," she said
II shan't want her." She kissed
Shirley good night. maybe after a
while you will sing for me; you
haven't played your harp for ever so
long" 4
In the subdued candle-light Mrs.
cambridge locked the door of her
room. She opened a closet, and from
the very bottom Of small haircloth
trunk, lifted and shook out from Its
many tissues wrappings faded gown
Of rose-colored silk, with pointed bod
ice and old-fashioned puff-sleeves.
She spread this on the bed and laid
with 1t pair of yellowed satin slip
|pers and little straw basket that
held spray of what had once been
cape jessamine.
In the Pickering light she undress-
ed and rearranged her hair. catching
it's silvery curling meshes In low
soft COIL Looking almost furtively
about her, she put on the rose-colored
gown and pinned the withered flower
spray on it's breast She lighted more
candles-in the wall-brackets and on
the dressing-table-and the reading
lamp on the desk Standing before
her mirror then, she gazed long at the
poor faded rose-tint
against the pale ivory of her slender
neck, and the white hair. A little
culver ran over her lips.
Whatever the fact" she whis-
pered, "' :. . you and no other. as
long as live"
She unlocked the bureau-drawer
then, took out the letter, and seating
herself by the table, read the re-
mainder:
81 write this in the old library and
Bristow holds my horse by the porch
He will give this letter when I am
gone.
Last night we were dancing-all
of us-at the ball. I can scarcely be-
U9V5 ~ was lcSo lldl lNciNC houi
ago. The calendar on my desk has a
motto for each leaf. Today's is this:
Every man carries his fate on q RI
band about his neck Last night |
would have smiled at that, perhars:
today say to myself. It's truc-it's
true!' Two little hours ago I could
have sworn that whatever happened to
me. Sassoon would suffer no harm.
Judith, could not avoid the meet
ing. You will know the circumstances,
and will see that It was forced upon
me. But though We met on the field
I kept my promise. Sassoon did not
fall by my hand"
She had begun to tremble so that
the paper shook in her hands. and
from her breast, shattered by her
quick breathing, the brown jessamine
petals busted down in her lap. 1t was
some moments before she could calm
herself sufficiently to read on.
"He fired at the signal and the shot
went wide. I threw my pistol on the
ground. eThen-whether maddened by
my refusal to fire, | can not tell--he
turned his weapon all at once and shot