The Washington herald., 1914-03-18
WHEN GOD WILLS.

The miner leered drunkeniy and
made ribald inventory of Martha's
charms. so you won't dance with
me-eh. little one?" he sneered. TOO
fine lady to dance with Pete the
miner, I s'pose. Say
He reeied and snatched at her gtrdle.
and foul whif Of camp whisky SICK
ened her. She brushed him aside, but
the miner seized her hands. say,
angel-face, I've got the goods. LOOK
here. He slapped bulging pocket. Gold
Just struck it rich down the creek. GIVE
you q hun'red for a dance"
Martha averted her face in disgust. but
the miners cunning eyes had giimpsed
the hesitancy in her face. "A hun'red
of the. yellow stuff for just one. dance
he repeated.
The dance in the Town Hall whiried
gid6iIy about them. At home her hus-
band lay sirk-dying, perhaps Only
few hours ago she had snatched from MS
wasted fingers the revolver with wnlch
he had meant to end mis- own misery and
hers. The doctor had said only trip
to Seattle and a visit to q famous spe-
cialist could save his life. She had gone
to the Town Hall dance that evening In
the hope of getting employment as
ticket seller and making a humble start
toward the amount needed for the trip.
The hundred offered by the groggy wretch
would help if she could but conquer her
disgust
Then love for the wasted man tossing
on the bed in the cabin smothered her
losthlng and she glided into the waltz
with a sickening shudder as his rough
arm circled her waist and his withering
breath smote her face. His grasp tight
ened and as he reeled with her over
the floor the veins at his temples bulged
and his breath came in heavy, sickening
Gasps.
"A kiss, angel-face" he painted. She
shrank and wriggied furiously in his
grasp. The whole bagful of the yellow
stuff for a kiss-just one.
She would have given up her life, will
insly and gladly. for the sick man at
home. but she felt this would be worse
than a thousand deaths. Yet-love SEEM
ed so great and the sacrifice so small
A mere touch Of fulsome, soaring lips.
a moments choking back of supreme
loathing, and
Before she knew it love had conquered.
and snatching from the fingers of the
drunken wretch the gold for which she
had sold herself. she ran toward the
cabin. But she knew that eyes hungry
for scandal had watched. 1t would be
toothsome morsel of gossip for their enc
mics. And even as she ran she heard
hurrying footsteps behind her. The Cos
sipers were in pursuit-they had seen
Harras' young wife kiss Pete the miner,
and they meant to make the most Of II.
She stumbled into the cabin and held
the bag of gold before the feverish eyes
of the sick man. Il have 1.-THE money"
she murmured brokenly. 'and you are
going TO get well, sweetheart" And as
she pressed lingering kisses to his face
she knew that bitter as the sacrifice had
been she would do il again-a thousand
times if necessary.
Brawling voices were heard outside the |
ca bin, and suddenly the door burst open |
and Pete lurched across the floor. He
was followed by the village gossipers, |
their faces flushed with wine and GRIM
acing evilly.
Pete, gibbering drunkenly. snatched |
Martha TO him and attempted to kiss her. |
He did not see Harras rising weakly from |
his bed and fumbIing for a weapon. A
bit of steel flashed. and the wretch |
crumpled into an insensate heap at her
feet. The gossipers skunk out of the
cabin. mumbling something about a good
drunkard having got what
was comm to him.
The nearest railroad station was many
miles away, and Martha dreaded the long,
bitter journey.
But they must start at once, and her
arms were strong and fortified by love
She would suffer for him. starve for him,
die for him. The sick man leaning heav-
NY on the girls arm, they tottered away
into the hills.
Throughout the night they wandered
over treacherous paths and after a brief
rest they resumed their journey in the
The girls steps grew feeble
and her limbs ached, but she struggled
bravely forward, encouraged with smiles
and happy chatter the man tottering (
beside her. But as thick night again
rrept over her. she felt chill in her
heart. Beyond the void and the wastes
lay health for the man and happiness
for both Of them. But could she endure
longer? Her mind reelel and her aching