The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1915-12-03

swiftly to the table. In another In
slant the work of many months would
have been torn to bits of waste paper.
But his hand was stayed. Someone
had stopped outside his door. He could
not hear a sound and yet he knew that
a hand was on the heavy latch. He SUD-
denly recalled his remark to the ola
men. He would have to write the final
chapter after all.
He waited. He knew that she was
out there, collecting all Of her strength
for the coming interview. She was
fortifying herself. against the Crisis
that was so near at hand. To his own
surprise and distress Of mind, he found
himself trembling and suddenly de-
priVed of the fierce energy that he had
stored up for the encounter. He won
dered whether he would command the
situation after all, notwithstanding his
righteous charge against her. She haa
wantonly sought to entice Frederic
she had planned to dishonor her nus
! band-she had proved herself unWhoie'
some and false and her heart was evil!
And vet he wondered whether ne
would be able to stand his ground
against her
So far she lad ruled. At the outset
he had attempted to assert his au-
th0rity as the master Of the house II
this trying, heart-breaking hour ana
she had calmly waved him aside. his
first thought had been to take ms
proper place at the bedside of his VIC
tim and there to remain until the END
but she had said; You are not to &c
in. You have done enough for one Gay
If he must die, let it be in peace anc
not in fear. You are not to 90 IN,
and he had crept away to hide! lie re
membered her words later on WheL
Holder sent for him to come down
mot in fear" she had said.
On the edge Of the table, where |
had reposed since Doctor Hodde
dropped it there, was the small photo
; graph of Matilde. He had not t0uChe'
it, but he had bent over 1t for man.
minutes at a time studying the sweet
! never-to.be-f0rgotten, and yet cuTiousl
unfamiliar features Of that iong-a8
loved one He looked at it now as n
waited for the door to open, and III
q thoughts leaped back to the las
!. glimpse he had ever had Of that ADO
:, able face. Then it was white with dt
spair and misery-here it looked up q
# him with smiling eyes and the languc
q of unbroken tranquility.
q He clenched his strong, lean hanc
4 to keep them from shaking. A ne
a wonder filled him as he allowed n
I eyes to measure the distance to tt
# floor and to sweep the strong, powerf'
frame that trembled and was cold. +
=" was a giant in strength and yet
trembled at the approach of this sic
20 der, frail creature who paused at b
d, gates to gather courage for the attacl
il He was sorely afraid and he could n
understand his fear. With one OF h
w sinewy hands he could crush the II
ne out of her slim, white throat-and y
at he was afraid of her-physically afra
of her.
Nv Suddenly he realized that the roc
lie was quite dark. He dashed to the W
,is dow and threw aside the broad, thi
ut curtains. A stream of afternoon 81
az shine rushed into the room. He wor
on have light this time; he would not
he deceived by the darkness, as he b
he been once before. This time he wol
or. see her face plainly. There should
re no sickening illusion. He straighter
his tall figure and waited for the d.
to open,