Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1914-02-21

/ dlONt, seemingly so. tnat is Sht
| kncW-nO one better-that they Wcr,
not really alone, that witnesses were
within hearing. if not within sight
Doris" ne urged again and this
time she turned I'm his direction and
| gazed. aehast If the voice were
/ strange, what of the face which now
! confronted her. The ravagos of sick
ness had been marked. but they were
nothing 10 those made in an in
slant by a blasting grief She was
startled. although expecting much
and could only press his hands while
sh" waited for the question he was
/ gathering strength to utter. Il was
/ simple when il came, just two words
How long"
She answered them as simply.
Just as long as YOU have been IN,
! said She, then, with no attempt 10
break the inevitable shock. she went
on Miss Challonor was struck dead
and You were taken down with ~.
/ phoid on the solfsamo day"
struck dead! Why do you use
that word. struck? Struck dead! she.
a young woman on. Doris. am acct
/ dent. Ny darling mas been killed in
/ an accident"
They do NOT call il accident TE,y
call It what il never was What i,
never was" she insisted. pressing him
] back with frjcbtrDnd hands as br
/ strnvc to rise Miss ChsIinn,r ,yae-"
/ How nearly the word shot had left
/ her Inns How forcely above au else
/ in that narrowing momcrt had risen
/ the desire TO fling the accusation OF
/ that word into the ears of him who
FHstcucd from mi, secret hiding Mace
She rcfraipcd out of commission for
the man she loved and declared in.
stead Miss Ch3lloror died from q
wound. how given. why given no one
knows. had rather have died nv
self than have to tell Won this Oh.
Mr.. Brothcrson. speak. sob. DO any
thing but"
She started hack draining his
hands as she did So With mick iutu
itioD she saw that no must mo- loft to
himself if ne ,yer. to moot This bIov.
without suCCumbing Tho hody must
have freedom if the suirit would nor
ca mad CouscIous mr. rorhars NOT
conscious. of his release from her ra-
straipipr hand abbott uroGtjur by il
he staggered 70 his faot ,nurmurinp
that word of doom. .lyoupdr wound &,
my darIir, diad of , ,,o,rdr \,,b,+
kind of wound?" he suddenly tbur.
dered out 81 cannot understand what
YOU mean bv wound Make il cl,ar to
me. Make it clear TO me at once II
I must bear this grief LET mo know
it's whole dopth Ieave notbipq tn my.
IMAGINATION or cannot answer for
myself Tell II aU Doris"
And Doris told him.
"Sbe WAS on tbn noz,,pino eoor
of the hotoI whore sbo fvos Che
was secuiuplv hannv and had hoo,
writing \ letter. letter 70 mo which
they never forwarded There was
no one else bv hut Some strangers-
good peoulo whom one nust hoIieve
She was crossing the floor when sud.
denly she threw up her hands and
fell A thin. narrow naner-cutter waa
in her grasp: and Il few into the
lobby. Some say she struck herself
with that cutter; for when they picked
her up they found a wound in her
breast which that cutter might have
made"
Edith? never!"
The words were chokingly said; he
was swaying, almost falling, but he
steadied himself
Who says that?" he asked.
ut was the coroner's verdict"
And she died that way-died?"
Immediately"
After writing to you?"
Yes"
What was in the letter."
Nothing of threat. they say, Only
Just cheer and expressions of hope
Just Ike the others, Mr.. Brotherson."
And they accuse her of taking her
own life? Their verdict is lie They
did not know her" Then. after some
moments of wild and confused feeling
he declared. with desperate effort at
self-control: you said that some be-
lieve this. Then there must be 9th
ers who do not What do they say?"
Nothing. They simply feel as you
do. They see no reason for the act
and no evidence OF her having medi-