The Madison journal., 1914-04-11


She had loved her handsome, way
ward husband. He had hurt her deep
ly more times than she chose 70. re-
member during the six years OF tnelr
married life, but she had loved MIN
in spite of the wounds up to the IN
slant when she stood beside his dead
body in the cold little room at Bur-
toms inn. She went there loving him
as he had lived, yet prepared, almost
foresworn, to loathe him as he had
died, and she left him lying there
alone in that dreary room without
spark of the old affection in her soul.
Her love for him died in giving olrth
to the hatred that now possessed her.
While he lived 1t was not in her pow
er to control the unreasoning, resist
less thing that stands for love in wom-
an: he was her lover, the master OF
her impulses. Dead, he was an un-
wholesome, unlovely clod, pallld
thing to be scorned, hulk Of worth
less clay His blood was cold. lie
could no longer warm her with II; IL
could no longer kill the chill that MS
misdeeds cast about her tender sensl-
| tiveness; his lips and eyes never more
! could smile and conquer. He was
dead thing. Her love was a dead
| thing. They lay separate and apart.
| The tie was broken. With love dled
the final spark of respect she had left
| for him in her tired, loyal, betrayed
heart. He was at last a thing to be
despised, even by her. She despised
him.
She sent the car down the slope and
across the moonless valley with small
regard for her own or her compan-
ions safety. 1t swerved from side to
side, skidded and leaped with terri
fying suddenness, but held its way as
straight as the bird that flies. driven
by a steady hand and mind that had
no thought for peril A sober man at
her side would have been afraid; this
man swayed mildly to and fro and
chuckled with drunken glee.
Her bitter thoughts were not Of the
dead man back there, but Of the live
years that she was to bury with him;
years that would never pass beyond
her ken, that would never die. He
had loved her in his wild, ruthless
way. He had left her times without
number in the years gone by, but he
had always come back, gaily unchas-
tened, to remold the love that waited
with dog-like fidelity for the touch of
his cunning hand. But he had taken
his last flight. He would not come
back again. 1t was all over. Once too
often he had tried his reckless wings.
She would not have to forgive him
again. Uppermost in her mind was
the curiously restful thought that his
troubles were over, and with them her
own. A hand less forgiving than hers
had struck him dead.
Somehow, she envied the woman tc
whom that hand belonged. 1t had
been her divine right to kill, and yet
another took 1t from her.
Back there at the inn she had said
to the astonished sheriff:
Poor thing, If she can escape pun
ishment for this, let it be SO. l shall
: not help the law to kill her simply
because she took 1t in her own hands
to pay that man what she owed him
| shall not be the one to say that he
did not deserve death at her hands
whoever she may be. No. l shall offel
no reward. If you catch her. l shal
!. be sorry for her. Mr.. Sheriff. Believ'
: me. | bear her no grudge."
i But she robbed him." the sheriff
had cried.
From my point Of view. Mr.. Sher
3 ID, that hasn't anything to do with thu
case" was her significant reply.
"Of course. am not defendin'
e him"
II Nor am | defending her." she hat
e retorted. 1T would appear that she i
able to defend herself"
: Now, on the cold. trackless road, sh
was saying to herself that she di'
, have a grudge against the womal
who had destroyed the life that be
4 longed to her, who had killed tn
thing that was hers to kill. She coul
! not mourn for him. She could onl
wonder what the poor, hunted, tel
4 rified creature would do when take
J and made to pay for the thing she ha
done.
Once, in the course of her bitter n
d fections. she spoke aloud in a shril
q tense voice, forgetful of the presenc
N of the man beside her:
II Thank God they will see him no'
as l have seen him all these year,
n They will know him as they hav
NJ never known him. Thank God fo
III that!"
Y The man looked at her stupidity an
muttered something under his breat
She heard him, and recalling her wit
asked which turn she was to take fo
, the station. The fellow Topped bac
in the seat, too drunk to reply.
For a moment she was dismaye'
., frightened. Then she resolutel
reached out and shook him by tn
shoulder. She had brought the ca
rs to a full stop.
a Arouse yourself, mani" she erie
Of DO you want to freeze to deatt
N Where is the station?'
Or He Strengthened up with an effor
and. after vainly seeking light in th
N darkness, fell back again with a grun
I'd but managed to wave his hand towaI
the left. She took the chance.
Id five minutes she brought the car to