The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1915-05-29
CHAPTER IL.
The New Judith.

her half.numb wits fumbling with
their business OF renewing acquaint'
hnce with the world
At first she could by no means rec
pgnixe her Surroundings. This rude
chamber OF rough plank walls and
primitive furnishings; this wide, hard
couch she shared with her still slum-
bering sister, Rose; the view revealed
by an open window at the bedside;
\ fair perspective OF tree-clad noun.
tAins through which a wide-bosomed
canyon rolled down to an emerald
plain, conveyed nothing TO her intel
ngence.
A formless sense OF some epochal
change In the habits and mental proc
esses OF young lifetime. added to
her confusion.
Who was she herself. this strange
creature who rested here so calmly
By the side OF Rose? II she were
Judith Trine, how came she to be
there. lrreconcilable opposltes In
every phase Of character. the sisters
had sedulously avoided association
with each other ever since childhood
they had not shared the shelter OF
four walls overnight since time be-
yond the bounds OF Judiths memory.
What, then. had so changed them both
that they should be found in such
close company?
What, indeed, had become OF the
Wild thing. Judith Trine OF yesterday?
Surely she had little enough In com.
mon with this Judith OF today. In
whose heart was no more room for
envy, hatred malice or any uncharit.
hblsness. so. full was II Of love which,
though II was focused upon the person
OF one man. none the less embraced
all the world-even her sister and
successful rival In that one mans af-
fections.
This change had not come upon her
without warning She had been al
most insensibly aware OF its advent
through the gradual softening OF that
old Judith's hard and vengeful nature
In the course OF the last few days.
But now that the revolution was ac-
complished. she hardly knew herself
abe hardly knew the world. indeed,
30 differently did she regard it-not
without something OF the wide.eyed
Gonderment OF child to nnd all
things 80 new and strange and beauti-
tul
And this was the work OF Love!
Now the chain OF memories was
quite complete. no link lacking In its
continuity. She recalled clearly every
Incident that had marked the slow
growth OF this great love she had for
Alan Law. from that first day. not yet
d month old, when he had escaped the
nery deathtrap she had set for him
and repaid her only by risklng his life
anew to save her from destruction,
down to this very morning when the
stream from a hydraulic nozzle had
swept over the brink OF three hun
dred-foot precipice a crimson racing
automobile containing two desperate
men bent upon comprising the death
Of her beloved
BY that act OF sheer selfdefense
the world was richer for the loss OF
two black.hearted blackgpards, and
Alan Law might now be considered
safe from further persecution-slnce
there now remained not one soul loyal
enough to Seneca Trine to prosecute
his private war Of vengeance against
Alan. And though that aged mono
maniac had means whereby he might
purchase other scoundrels and cor
rupt them TO his hideous purposes
Judith was determined that he should
never again have any opportunity so
TO do. Though Alan, she knew, would
never lift his hand to hinder her
fathers freedom OF action. she. Judith,
meant to take such steps al his perse-
cution called for. II there were any
justice In the land-if there were any
alienists capable OF discriminating be-
tween Trines apparent sanity and his
deeprooted mania-then surely not
many days more should pass into his
tory without witnessing his conslgn.
ment to an institution for the crimi-
nal insane.
She, Judith, would see to that. and
then
Tho woman sighed once more.
Then Rose and Alan would marry
But what OF Judith?
She made a small gesture OF reslg- |
nation TO her destiny. What became
of her no longer mattered 30 that
Alan were made happy in such hap |
pineas as he coveted.
And now the thought stirred her
sharply that what was TO be done
must be done quickly II at all,
And the almost level rays Of tho
declining sun. striking In through the
open window. counseled. haste II Judith
were 10 accomplish her intention OF
leaving this place and finding her
father again before nightfall.
With the utmost care she rose from
the bed. crept to the door OF the room
tnow recognized as the quarters Of the
foreman OF the hydraulic mining out
MT and out into the room adjoining.
And there. pulling the door 10 gently
behind her she paused and for many
stood In tensestrung contem-
plation OF the man she loyed-Alan
Law, asleep In a chair beside table,
hts head pillowed on his folded arms.
This was leave taking between them
and he would never know.
Far better so: Judith felt she could
not trust herself TO say farewell to
him without breaking down and con
Tossing the utter wretchedness that
threatened TO oyerwhelm her each
time she forced herself to face the
thought that this parting must be
nnaL