Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1915-10-06

threw it aside, then turned to Way.
land, who was lying white and still
with face upturned to the sky. With
| moan Of anguish she bent above him
and called upon his name. He did
not stir, and when she lifted his head
to her lap his hair, streaming with
blood. stained her dress. She kissed
him and called again to him. then
turned with accusing frenzy to Bel
den: you've killed him! Do you hear:
You've killed him.
The agony. the fury Of hate In her
voice reached the heart of the conquer
ed man. He raised his head and
stared ut her with mingled fear and
remorse. And so across that limp
body these two souls. so lately lovers.
looked into each others eyes as though
nothing but words Of hate and loath.
ing had ever passed between them.
The girl saw in him only savage.
! vengeful, bloodthirsty beast: the man
confronted in her an accusing angel.
II didn't mean to kill him." he NUT
tered. -'
"Yes, you did! You meant it. You
crushed his life out with your Dig
hands-and now I'm going to kill you
for it!'
A fierce calm had come upon her.
Some faroff ancestral deep OF passion
called for blood revenge. She lifted
the weapon with steady hand and point.
ed it at his heart
| His fear passed as his wrath had
passed. His head dropped. his glance
wayered. "Shootv' he commanded sui
lenly. I'D sooner die than live-noW.
His words, his tone. brought back to
her vision of the man he had seemed
when she first met and admired MIN.
Her hand fell. the woman IN her reas-
serted itself. A wave Of weakness. OF
indecision. of passionate grief over
whelmed her. "Oh, Cliff" she moaned.
why did you do it? He was so gen.
tie and sweet"
He did not answer. His glance wan
dered to his horse. serenely cropping
the grass in utter disregard of this tu-
multuous human drama. but the wind.
less insensate than the brute. swept
through the grove Of dwarfed. distort-
ed. pines with a desolate, sympathetic
moan which filed the mans heart with
new and exalted sorrow. you're
| right" he said. 81 was crazy. l de-
serve killing"
own desolation to care what he said
or did. She kissed the cold lips Of the
still youth, murmurlng passionately. Il
don't care to live without you: shall
90 with you"
Belden's hand was on her wrist be-
fore she could raise the weapon.
| Don't. for Gods sake; don't do that!
| He may not Ike dead!"
She responded but duly to the sng-
gestion: "No, no. He's gone. His
breath is gone"
| Maybe not. Let me see.''
Again she bent to the quiet face on
which the sunlight fell with hooking
sp!endor. 1t seemed all a dream till
she felt once more the stain Of his
blood upon her hands. 1t was all so ill.,
cfedibly sudden. Only just now he
was 'exulting over the warmth and
beauty Of the day-and now
How beautiful he was He seemed
asleep. The comics crying from their
runways suddenly took on poignant
pathos. They appeared to be grieving
with her, but the eagles spoke OF re-
venge.
A, sharp cry. note Of joy sprang
from her lips. HE is alive! saw his
eyelids CULVER! Quick! Bring some
water!"
The man leaped to his feet and. run
ming down to the pool. filed his som
| brero with icy water. He was as
eager now to save his rival as he had
been mad to destroy him. Let me
help he pleaded. But she>would not
permit him to touch the body.
Again. while splashing the water
upon his face, the girl called upon her
love to return. He hears me" she ex.
ulted to her enemy. He is breathing
now! He is opening his eyes!'
The wounded man did, indeed. open
his eyes. but his look was blank.
uncomprehending stare. which plung-
ed her back into despair. "He don't
| KNOW lie. SIZE Sillu, Will pltCouS "N'
| cent. She now perceived the source
Of the blood upon her arm. 1t came
from wound in the boys head which
had been dashed upon stone.
| The sight of this wound brought
back the blaze Of accusing anger to her
eyes. "See what you did" she said.
with cold malignity. Then by sudden
shift she bent to the sweet face in her
arms and kissed it passionately. open
your eyes. darling. You must not die:
l won't let you die! Can't you hear
me? Don't you know where you are?''
He opened hiS eyes once more, quiet
~. and looked up into her face with a
faint. drowsy SMILE he could not
yet locate himself in space and time,
but he knew her and was comforted.
Slowly the youths eyes took on ex.
preston. Are we still on the hill?"
| he asked.
Eyes. dearest" she assured him.
| Then to Belden. HE knows where he
ISL
Wayland again struggled with real
| ity. What has happened to me?"
You fell and hurt your head"
He turned slightly and observed the
other man looking down at her with
dark and tragic glance. Hello, Bel
don no Sai6 fooh1v asHOw cAmo vOu