The record., 1914-11-05

----- his scratching
fountain pen e
even casually notice his neighborl,
L,t!a visitor.
Finally, the man looked up from th,
finished sheet, pushed back his som
brt.o. wiped the sweat from the bant
Of fair. white skin that ribbed his
tanned brow. and with sigh so deeI
drawn that II started a quiycr of greer
movement on the rug. read over the
Hotter lie had written and now held il
his thin brown hand.
Il began with brusk tenderness:
"Dcar:-A last the verdict's in
b. the neck until he shall die sen
tcuce Of imprisonment for life.
For your sake. carried the case to
tie highest court of appeal. Went to
Los Angeles aud had the great vii
Hard look me over. Both lungs have
healed. Provided stay put-go on ir
the same sun-baked rut OF the past two
years. there is no reason why ] SHOULD
not rival Mcthuselah in hoariness OF
age. My life the forfeit if | breab
parole and attempt an escape.
And SO. sweetheart. we come to the
parting of the ways. my way and yours
] ought to have given you up long ago
But at first | thought il would be foi
such n little while that Il would moi
matter, and afterward | hoped against
hope that ! should be able to go bach
to civilization and you.
Now | release you, little girl-insisi
that our engagement end.
"Gocd-by, dear, and God bless you
You need not answer this. | shall un
derstand when your letters stop com
ing. No, do not offer to go on writing
as friend TO friend. | could not quite
bear that now. NORMAN"
Silently, without a quiver of the
grim-set lips. he folded the letter
slipped it into a stamped, addressed
envelope. slowly sealed it. then, his
head bowed in his hands, he began to
sob-with Il mans anguish and the
abandon of a little child.
The days dragged by. heavy-weightet
with a sense of prison chains.
Norman had boasted that he still ha6
his work. But he could not write. He
could not think. He could only fever
ishly wait for the letter that he hao
asked her not to write.
Yet not until two weeks had passed
and he knew at last that she had taken
him at his word, did he realize to the
fun measure of bitter disappointment
how much he had counted upon one
more letter from her.
The east-bound overland was due ir
an hour. and he was going on it
He stood on the station platform
Misunderstanding from excitement
and haste OF packing. every now and
again casting q stealthy glance over
his shoulder as though afraid Of being
watched.
With the caution of the real pris
oncr breaking Jail, he had only bought
a ticket TO a nearby point
Tho kind-hearted meddlesomeness
OF his neighbors. the tyranny of the
doctor under whose thumb he had beer
so many months, were capable of go
ing any lengths of interference wheE
it came to n matter of what they con-
sidered his own good.
a whistle sounded. A flare of light
swept the gathering night from the
track. lie snatched up his suit-cases-
impatiently dropped them again. The
locomotives headlight flashed from
the wrong direction. He had forgotten
that the west-bound train passed ten
minutes before his own.
The putting engine paused for breath
the usual short, hurried instant of an
express. A black parallelogram Of a
trunk was tossed from the baggage
car. The black figure of a woman pas
senger got of the Pullman.
The express gave a creak forward
ratified. rumbled, and roared into the
awaiting blackness.
The new arrival stood hesitating, a
nervous, lost-child air about the slight
shadowy figure. Norman took a quick
step to her assistance. The blurred
light of the station lamp softly en-.
wrapped her.
lie started back, a cold fear clutch.
ing his heart. The brooding of the last
hideous days had been too great a
strain-his mind had suddenly given
way,
But the woman did not start back
she ran toward him with glad cry of:
'Norman!"
IL was not the hallucination of a
nervous breakdown. 1t was Nan. Nan
her dear flesh and blood self. Nan
in Eden. Nan on the platform beside
him. Nan in his arms.
And you are really glad that I'm
here?" she tremulously laughed, when
at last he opened his arms wide enough
| for her to look up into his radiant
face.
After | started was so frightened!
But | had 10 come" She hid her
| scarlet-swept face in the old resting
| place 1t was the only way l could
make you understand, you dear, fool
ish stupid, you"
And then he knew that a woman
never really loves until she makes q
sacrifice for the man.