The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1914-08-06

'he pdie IVORY OF her slender
neck and the white hair. A little
culver ran over her lips.
whatever the fact. she whispered.
you and no other as long
She unlocked the bureau-drawer
then. took out the letter. and seating
herself by the table, read the remain
der:
write this in the old library aud
brlstow holds my horse by the porch.
he viii give you this letter when l
am gone
Last night we were dancing-all
OF us-at the ball. can scarcely be-
lleve II was less than twelve hours
ago! The calendar on my desk has a
motto Tor each leaf. Today's is this
Every man carries his fate on a rib
ana about his neck Last night /
would have smiled at that, perhaps;
To-Day | say to myself. TIE true-it's
true' Two little hours ago could
have sworn that whatever happened
to me Sassoon would suffer no harm.
Judith. could not avoid the meet
ing. You will know the circum-
stances, and will see that II was forced
upon me. But though we met on the
held. l 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 II was
some moments before she could calp
herself sufficiently to read on.
He fired at the signal and the shot
went wide. | threw my pistol on the
ground. Then-whether maddened by
my refusal to fire, cannot tell-he
turned his weapon all at once and shot
himself through the breast. II was
over in an instant The seconds did
not guess-do not even now, for 1t
happened but an hour ago. AS the
code DEGREES, their backs we're turned
when the shots were fired. But there
were circumstances cannot touch
upon to you which made them disap.
prove-which made my facing him
| JNcN otCh EdN
1t in Bristow's face. and liked him the
better for it, even while 1t touched
my pride. They could not know, OF
course. that did not intend to fire
Well. you and they will know it now
And Bristow has my pistol: he will
find 1t undischarged - thank God
thank Cod
But will that matter to you? II
you loved Sassoon, | shall always in
your mind stand as the indirect cause
of his death! II is for this reason
am going away could not bear &c
look in your accusing eyes and hear
you say It, Nor could | bear to stay
here. a reminder to you OF such q
horror. II you love me. you will write
and call me back to you. oh, Ju
dith, Judith, my own dear lovei
pray God you Will"
She put the letter down and laid
her face upon 1t. Beauty Beauty
she whispered. dry-eyed. Il never
knew! } never knew! But IL would
have ms5e no difference. darling.
would have forgiven you anything
everything You know that. now
dear! You have been certain OF IL al
these years that have been so empty
empty to mel"
But when the faded rose coloreC
gown and the poor time-yellowed slip
pers had been laid back in the hair
cloth trunk: when. her door once NOR,
unbolted. she lay in her bed in the din
glow Of the readinglamp. with he
curling silvery hair drifting across tn,
pillow and the letter beneath il, a
last the tears came coursing down he
cheeks.
And with the loosening OF her tears
gradually and softly came joy-inf
nitely Oeeper than the anguish an
sense OF betrayal II poured upon he
like a trembling food. Long. long az
he had gone out OF the world-it wa
only his memory that counted 10 hel
Now that could no longer spell pal
or emptiness or denial. II was engoit
ened by a new light. and In that ligh
she would walk gently and smilingl
10 the end.
She found the slender golden chat
that hung about her neck and opene
the little black locket with its circle
OF laureled pearls. And as she gazed a
the face IL held. which time had no
touched with change. the sound o
Shirley's harp came softly in throug
the window. She was playing ar olc
fashioned song, OF the sort she Ene'
her mother loved best:
! Darling. ! am growing old
Silver threads among the gold
Shine upon my brow today.
Life T. fading fast away
But my darling. you will b.
Always young and fair 60 me
Outside the leave rustled. the bird
called aud the rrfrkefs s.uV fhafr ,,r