Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1915-02-10
CHAPTER XIV.
ChanaeIlna.

Changeiing.
In the vague, chill gray Or that dull
and desolate dawn, Judith stirred abb
ruptly on the couch of a sleepless
night. and with the rapidity OF one
who has arrived at settled purpose
after long period of doubt and per-
pleEity, rose and bathed and dressed
herself in negligee.
In the adjoining room she could hear
! small. stealthy notes.-the sounds
made by her sister moving about and
preparing against the unguessable mo-
ment when her rescue would be at
tempted, according to the information
conveyed in that midnight message.
For chance had conspired with her
insomnia to station Judith in the re-
cess of her darkened window, idly
viewing the gaunt framework of the
unfinished building from an angle
which, when Alan edged out along the
girder, showed him plainly in silhou-
cite against the sky.
In Judith's eyes his identity was I'M
mistakablt. She had hardly needed
the night-glasses which presently she
brought to bear upon him at the mo-
ment when he was laboriously inditing
his message--while grim death stalked
him from behind.
She had seen him throw the watch
and had heard the double thump of its
impact WITH the wal and floor of
Roses bedchamber.
And she had witnessed with wildly
beating heart that duel in the air.
able to surmise its outcome only from
the fact that the victor spared the life
of the vanquished.
The infatuate chivalry of that man
So, then, she had known that a mes
sage had been delivered to Rose-and
had taken no steps to learn its i'm
port or Illustrate whatever plan Of res
cue 1t proposed.
| That was not like her: but then she
was so unlike herself, that night. that
she scarcely recognized anything in
her-but only the counterfeit Judith of
her dressing-table mirror.
dozen emotions tore at her heart
and mind. She was estranged from
the father to whom she had heretofore
accorded passionate and answering
devotion. She was at odds with his
creature, Marrophat, because she had
repulsed his overtures at love-making.
And the old, not unkindly but rather
compassionate contempt in which she
had ever held her sister, Rose, because
of her inability to comprehend the gen
| tleness and sweetness of that alien ma
| ture. had been transmitted into violent
hatred
And all because it had been her dee
tiny to learn to love the man WHO
loved her sister and was loved by ner
in turn.
The bitterness of that ate ike an
acid in her heart.
The pain of that unnerved ner. bring.
ing her to this preseht stage of weak
ness and inirmity of purpose. :. i.
But that she could no longer suffer
this state of affairs to endure was the
one clear fact on the horizon of her
tempestuous soul.
And ultimately it brought her to her
feet in a second seizure of desperate
determination.
The clock was striking six as she
left her room: across the street work
! ingmen were streaming into the build
| ing to begin the labors of the day.
Brushing unceremoniously past the
drowsy and Indifferent guard in the
corridor outside the door to Roses
room, Judith turned the key that re-
| NAMED in the lock on the outside, re-
moved It, entered. and locked the door
behind her.
Without any surprise she found her
sister already dressed to the point of
DOMINIC her outer garments.
Rendered half-frantic by this unex-
pected interruption, threatening as It
did the perilous scheme that Alan had
proposed, Rose greeted her sister with
a countenance at once aghast and
wrathful.
what do you waDt?" she demanded
tensely.
ITO come to an understanding with
you" judith told her coolly
There is no understanding possible
between US: you know that as well as
l."
yet one there must be-"
81 insist that you leave this room at
once!"
Insist by all means-and be
damnedi may leave this room--and
/ may not dear little sister. But one
of us will never leave Il alive"
with a start Of terror, Rose shrank
back from this strange. wild thing
that wore the very shape and sem
blance OF herself.
What do you mean? You cannot
mean to murder me in cold blood,
Judith ?"
Not Il" Judith laughed harshly.
s'But, since It has pleased Destiny to
decree that we must both love one
man-Iet Destiny decide between us
and bear the blame Of murder!"
judith"
zone momentl" Crossing to a side
liable, Judith took up a glass from a
tray thet held silver water-Ditcher,
and returned with It to the table that
occupied the middle Of the floor. At the
same time she opened hand till then
fast clenched and disclosed a small
blue bottle with red label shrieking