The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1914-05-27

cambridge locked tie dour II hei
| room. She opened a C:Oset d.ii non
the very bottom OF 4 small nAlrc!o.i
trunk. lifted and shook out lion It's
many tissue wrappings a faded sowi
of rose-colored silk, with pointed bod
ice and old-fashioned puff-sleeves. She
spread this on the bed and laid with it
a pair of yellowed satin slippers and
a little straw basket that held spray
of what had once been cape jessa-
mine.
In the Pickering light she undressed
and rearranged her hair, catching its
silvery curling meshes in low soft
coil. Looking almost furtively about
her, she put on the rose-colored gown.
and pinned the withered fower-spray
on its breast. She lighted more
candles-in the wall-brackets and on
the dressing table-and the reading
lamp on the desk. Standing before
her mirror then. she gazed long at the
reflection-the poor faded rose-tint
against the pale ivory of her slender
neck, and the white hair. little
culver ran over her lips.
Whatever the fact she whispered.
" you and no other as long
as live"
She unlocked the bureau-drawer
then, took out the letter. and seating
herself by the table. read the remain
der:
Il write this in the old library and
Bristow holds my horse by the porch.
He will give you this letter when l
am gone.
Last night we were dancing-all
| of us-at the ball. l can scarcely be-
lieve 1t was less than twelve hours
| ago! The calendar on my desk has
motto for each leaf. Today's is this:
| Every man carries MS Iate On a mt
and about his neck Last night l
would have smiled at that. perhaps;
today l say to myself. It's true-it's
true!' Two little hours ago l could
have sworn that whatever happened
to me Sassoon would suffer no harm.
Judith, could not avoid the meet
ing. You will know the circum-
stances. and will see that 1t was forced
upon me. But though we met on the
field. kept my promise. sassoon did
not fall by my hand"
She had begun to tremble 20 that
the paper shook in her hands. and
from her breast. shattered by her
quick breathing. the brown jessamine
petals busted down in her lap. 1t was
some moments before she could Gala.
herself sufficiently to read on.
He fred at the signal and the shot
went wide. I threw my pistol on the
ground. Then-whether maddened by
my refusal to IRE. l cannot tell-he
turned his weapon all at once and shot
himself through the breast. 1t was
over In an instant. The seconds did
not guess-do not even now. for it
happened but an hour ago. As the
code DEGREES, their backs were turned
when the shots were fired. But there
were circumstances l cannot touch
upon to you which made them disap-
psove-which made my facing him
Just then seem unchivalrous. l saw
X in Bristow's face. and liked him the
better for 1t. even while 1t touched
my pride. They could not know. of
course. that did not intend to fire.
Well. you and they will know 1t now!
And Bristow has my pistol: he will
find 1t undischarged thank God,
thank Godi
But will that matter to your II
you loved Sassoon. l shall always In
your mind stand as the indirect cause
OF his death! 1t Is for this reason /
am going away could not bear to
look in your accusing eyes and hear
you say 1t. Nor could bear to stay
here, a reminder to you Of such a
horror. II you love me. you will write
and call me back to you. Oh. Ju-
dith. Judith, my own dear love!
pray God you Will"
She put the letter down and laid
her face upon it. Beauty! Beauty"
she whispered. dry-eyed. Il never
knew! l never knew, But 1t would
have made no difference. darling.
would have forgiven you anything
everything! You know that. now.
dear! You have been certain of It all
these years that have been SO empty.
empty to mel"
But when the faded rose-colored
gown and the poor time-yellowed slip
pers had been laid back in the hair
cloth trunk; when. her door once more
unbolted. she lay in her bed in the dim
glow of the reading-lamp. with her
curling silvery hair drifting across the
pillow and the letter beneath 1t, at
last the tears came coursing down her
cheeks.