The Cairo bulletin., 1914-03-23

think Of venturlng out in this wretched
night, madam 1t would be the worst
kind OF folly. Surely you will be
guided by mc--by your own common
sense Mrs burton will be with
YOU"
THANK you DR.. Sheet" she inter
posed calmly. III what we all fear
should turn out to be the truth. [
could not stay here could not
breathe. | could not live. II, on the
other hand, Mr.. Drake Is mistaken,
shall stay. But If it is my husband.
cannot remain under the same roof
with him, even though he be dead
do not expect You 10 understand my
feelings. 1t would be asking too
much of men---too much"
Il think L understand" murmured
Drake.
Come" said the sheriff, arousiRg
himself with an effort a
She moved swiftly after him. Drake
and the coroner, following close be-
hind with Mrs. Burton. could not take
their eyes from the slender, graceful
llgure, She was q revelation to them.
Feeling AZ they did that size was about
to be confronted by tho most appalling
crisis imaginable, thoy could not but
| marvel at. her composure. brakes
| mind dwelt on the stories of the guillo-
tine and the heroincs who went up 10
it in those bloody DAYS without so
much as culver OF dread. Somehow,
to him. this woman was heroine
They passed into the hail and
mounted the stairs. At the far end
of the corridor man was seated in
front of a closed door. He arose as
the party approached The sheriff
signed for him to open the door he
guarded. AS he did so, chilly blast
of air blew upon the faces OF those in
the hall. The curtains in the window
of the room were Mapping and whip
ping in the wind. Mrs. Wrandall
caught her breath For the briefest
instant 1t seemed as though she was
on the point Of faltering. She dropped
farther behind the sheriff. her limbs
suddenly stff, her hand going out to
the wall as if for support. The next
moment she was moving forward res
olutely into the icy, dinly lighted
room. XXX
A single electric light cleaned in
the corner beside tho bureau. Near
the window stood the bed. She went
swiftly toward 1t, her eyes fastened
upon the ridge that ran through the
center of it; still, white ridge that
seemed without beginning or end.
With nervous fingers the attendant
lifted the sheet at the head OF the
he'd and turned 1t back. AS he let it
fall across the chest Of the dead man
he drew back and turned his face
away.
She bent forward and then straight
ened her figure to its full height, with
out for an instant removing her gaze
from the face of the man who lay
before her; a dark-haired man gray in
death, who must have been beautiful
to look upon in the fush Of life.
For long time she stood there
looking. as motionlesE as the object on
which she gazed Behind her were the
tense. kter-pved men. not ono ~
whom seemed to breathe during the
grim minutes that passed. The wind
howled about the corners Of the inn.
hat no one heard IT, They heard the
beating OF their hearts, even The tick
ing of their watches, but not the wall
Of the wind
At last her hands. claw-like in their
tensenass, went slowly TO her temples.
| Her head dropped slightly forward,
and great shudder ran through her
| body. The coroner started forward,
| expecting her to collapse.
Please 20 away" she was sayt"S
an absolutely cmoiionless voice.
let me r,ay here alone for little
shlo.
That vas all. The men relaxed. They
locked at each other with a single
question in their eyes. Was It quite
safe 10 leave her alone with her dead,
/ They hesitated.
She turned OF them suddenly.
spreading her arms in y wide gesture
81 ectfaDsolauca. IICg sonber eyes
swe9t he rtuJa.
= caa DO no harm This maa is
mine. | want To look al him for The
| last tii.:c alone. WIN you gov
"Do yCu mean. madam That you in.
L