The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1915-01-09
CHAPTER LII.
The Old Adam.

y H1hS minute tlGpStH DGibIc titAti
woman moved or spoke
Translated beside Alans chair.
steadyine herself With a hand upon its
back Judith stared at the figure in
the doorway. III a temper at once dis
comiited and defiant With this she
suffered q phase OF inCredHtitF. VAS
scarce able to persuade herself that
this vas truly Rose who confronted
her-RuFe whose sweet aud gentle
nature had ever served as the butt
ef JHdths contempt and ruthless
rdicuIe
Here was revolution with venge.
ance, when Rose threatened and
Judith sbrauk!
It vas as if the women had ex-
changed natures white they slept
The conntenance that Rose showed
her sister was a thaudeFelcGd rent
hg the Hria lightning Ct her angry
eyes. Her pese vas tense and alert
like the pose Of an animal set to
sprjng. In her hand hung d revolver
the same (Iudth's hand sought the
holster at her hip and found it empty
that her sister had worn and for
gotten to remove when she dropped.
haIf.dead with fatigue, upon the bed
Aud slowly. toward the end OF that
long, mute minute, the girls grasp
frightened upon the grip Of the weapon
and it's muzzle lifted
Rcmarking this. a fash Of her one
time temper quickened Judith Of a
sudden, with start, she crossed the
floor in Il single. noiseless stride and
threw herself before her sister.
"Well?" she demanded holly What
are you waiting for Nobudy's stop
ping you: why don't you shoot
The upward movement Of the hand
was checked: the weapon hung level
10 Judiths breast-as level and UNI
equtvoeal as the glance that probed
her eyes and the tone of Roses voice
as she demanded
What We're You doing there
If YOU must know from me what
you already know on the evidence OF
your cyes-~l was bidding odby TO
the man | loye--kissing him without
his knowledge or consent before leay-
ing him To yog. for good and all
What do YOU mean
THAT I'm going away-that I can't
stand this situation any longer Mario
phat and Jimmy are dead, my fathers
heipless--~and ! mean to see that he
remains so. Nothing. then stands in
the way of your marrying Alan but
me. Aud such being the case--and
because he's as dear to me as he Is
to you--l'm going to take myself on
and keep out of the way
For fear lest he find out that you
love him."
Judiths lip curled do you think
him so Witless he doesn't know that
already"
And SCI you leave him to me out of
your charity Is that it,"
ANY way you like But IL it's so
intoerabIe to you to think that dare
love him and confess il to you'll
you hegrudge me the humiliation of
STOPPING to kiss man who doesn't
want my kisses-if you are so afraid
OF losing him while | live and love
him-~very well, them"
With n passionate gesture Judith
tore open the bosom OF her waist,
offering her flesh to the muzzle OF the
revolver.
A cry broke from the lips OF Rose
that was like the cry OF a forlorn child
punished with cruelty that passes its
understanding She fell back against
tho wall The revolver swept up
through the air~-bnt its marx was
her own head rather than Judiths
bosom.
But before her finger found strength
to pull the trigger the man at the
table. startled from his sleep BY the
sound OF angry voices, leaped from
his chair with violence that sent II
Gathering to the floor, and hurled him
SELF headlong across the room. I'M
prisoning the wrist OF his betrothed
with one hand while the other wrested
the weapon away and passed II to
Judith.
Rose" he cried thickly. what does
this mean Ike anA maa1 Judith
ps