The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1914-12-31
CHAPTER XIV.
chanaeIIna.

changeling.
In the vague, chill gray of that dull
and desolate dawn, Judith stirred abb
rupuy on the couch Of a sleepless
night, and with the rapidity of one
who has arrived at a settled purpose
after a long period Of doubt and per-
plexity, rose and kathed and dressed
herself In negligee.
In the adjoining room she could hear
small, stealthy NOTES.-THE sounds
made by her sister moving about and
preparing against the unguessable mo-
ment when her rescue would be at
tempted, according to the information
conveyed in that midnight message.
For chance had conspired with her
insomnia to station Judith in the re-
cess Of her darkened window, idly
viewing the gaunt framework of the
unfinished building from an angle
which, when Alan edged out along the
girder. showed him plainly in silhou-
ette against the sky.
In Judith's eyes his identity was un-
mistakable. She had hardly needed
the nightglasses which presently she
brought TO bear upon him at the mo-
ment when he was laboriOusly inditing
his message-whiIe grim death stalked
him from behind.
She had seen him throw the watch
and had heard the double thump Of its
impact with the wall and floor Of
Roses bedchamber.
And she had witnessed with wildly
beating heart that duel in the air
able to surmise its outcome only from
the fact that the victor spared the life
of the vanquished.
The infatuate chivalry of that man
So, then, she had known that mes
had taken no steps to learn its i'm
port or frustrate whatever plan of res
cue 1t proposed.
That was not like her: but then she
was SO unlike herself, that night, that
she scarcely recognized anything in
her-but only the counterfeit Judith of
her dressing-table mirror.
A dozen emotions tore at her heart
and mind. She was estranged from
the father to whom she had heretofore
accorded a passionate and answering
devotion. She was at odds with his
creature, Marrophat, because she had
repulsed his overtures at love-making.
And the old, not unkindly but rather
compassionate contempt in which she
had ever held her sister, Rose, because
Of her inability to comprehend the gen.
tleness and sweetness of that alien ma
ture, had been transmitted into violent
hatred.
And all because it had been her des-
| tiny to learn to love the man who
loved her sister and was loved by her
in turn
The bitterness Of that ate like an
acid in her heart.
The pain of that unnerved her, bring
/: ing her to this present stage Of weak
! ness and infirmity of purpose.
But that she could no longer suffeI
;his state of affairs to endure was the
ene clear fact on the horizon Of heI
tempestuous soul.
And ultimately it brought her to heI
feet in a second seizure Of desperate
determination.
The clock was striking six as she
left her room: across the street work
ingmen were streaming into the build
ing to begin the labors Of the day.
Brushing unceremoniously past the
drowsy and Indifferent guard in the
corridor outside the door to Rose'I
room, Judith turned the key that re
NAMED in the lock on the outside, re
moved it, entered, and locked the dool
behind her.
Without any surprise she found hel
sister already dressed to the point o.
donning her outer garments.
Rendered halffrantic by this unex
pected interruption, threatening as 4
did the perilous scheme that Alan haG
proposed, Rose greeted her sister will
a countenance at once aghast anG
wrathful.
What do you want?" she demanded
tensely.
ITO come to an understanding will
you," Judith told her coOlly.
There is no understanding possibI'
between US: you know that as we'll a
L"
yet one there must be-"
81 insist that you leave this room a
once!"
Insist by all means-and b.
damnedI / may leave this room-an,
I may not. dear little sister. But on
OF US will never leave it alive"
With a start OF terror, Rose shranl
back from this strange. wild thin
that wore the very shape and sem
blance Of herself
What do you mean? You canno
mean to murder me in cold blood
Judith"
Not II" Judith laughed harshlJ
But, since II has pleased Destiny {
decree that we must both love on
mau-let Destiny decide between u
and bear the blame of murder!"
Judith"
~One mOment!" Crossing to a sid
table, Judith took up>a glass from
tray that held silver water-pitchel
and returned with It to the table tha
occupied the middle Of the floor. At th
same time she opened hand till the
fast clenched and disclosed a smal
blue bottle with . red label shriekin
the warning "POIS0N!"
"Strychnine," she explained cor
posedly, 'ln solution" And emptie