The Washburn leader., 1915-08-13
CHAPTER ~.
The Old Adam.

A long minute elapsed before either
woman moved or spoke.
Transfixed beside Alan's chair,
steadying herself with hand upon its
back. Judith stared at the figure in
the doorway, in a temper at once dis
comfited and defiant. With this she
suffered phase Of incredulity, was
scarce able to persuade herself that
this was truly Rose who confronted
her-Rose whose sweet and gentle
nature had ever served as the butt
of Judith's contempt and ruthless
ridicule.
Here was revolution with venge.
ance, when Rose threatened and
Judith shrank!
1t was as If the women had ex.
changed natures while they slept.
The countenance that Rose showed
her sister was a thundercloud rent
by the lurid lightning of her angry
eyes. Her pose was tense and alert,
like the pose of an animal set to
spring. In her hand hung a revolver,
the same (Judith'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,
half.dead with fatigue, upon the bed.
And slowly, toward the end of that
long, mute minute. the girls grasp
frightened upon the grip Of the weapon
and its muzzle lifted.
Remarking this, flash Of her one
time temper quickened Judith. OF a
sudden with start, she crossed the
floor in single, noiseless stride. and
threw herself before her sister.
"Well?" she demanded hotly. What
are you waiting for? Nobody's stop
ping you: why don't you shoot?"
The upward movement of the hand
was checked: the weapon hung level
to Judith's breast-as level and un-
equivocal as the glance that probed
her eyes and the tone Of Roses voice
as she demanded:
What were you doing there?"
If you must know from me what
you already know on the evidence of
your eyes-I was bidding good-by to
the man l love-kissing him without
his knowledge or consent before leav-
ing him to you for good and ALL"
What do you mean?"
"That I'm going away-that l can't
stand this situation any longer. Mario
phat and Jimmy are dead, my fathers
helpless-and l mean to see that he
remains so. Nothing, then, stands in
the way of your marrying Alan but
me. And such being the case-and
because he's as dear to me as he is
to you-1'm going to take myself OF
and keep out of the way"
"For fear lest he find out that you
love him."
Judith's lip curled. do you think
him so witless he doesn't know that
already?"
And so you leave him to me out Of
your charity! Is that it?''
ANY way you like. But If it's SO
intolerable to you to think that dare
love him and confess it to you-if
you begrudge me the humiliation Of
STOPPING to kiss man who doesn't
want my kisses-if you are 30 afraid
!
him-very well, then!"
With a passionate gesture Judith
tore open the bosom of her waist.
offering her flesh to the muzzle of the
revolver. 81, - :
A cry broke from the lips of Rose
that was like the cry of a forlorn child
punished with cruelty that passes it's
understanding. She fell back against
the wall. The revolver swept up
through the air-but its mark was
her own head rather than Judith's
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 a violence that sent it
gathering to the floor, and hurled HIM
self headlong across the room, Inn
prisoning the wrist of his betrothed
with one hand while the other wrested
the weapon away and passed it to
Judith.
"Rose!" he cried thickly, what does
this mean? Are you mad? Judith"
Dragging the bosom Of her waist
together, Judith thrust the weapon
into it's holster and turned away.
BE kind to her, Alan." she said in
an uncertain voice: "She didn't under
stand and-and goaded her beyond
endurance, I'm afraid. Forgive me
but be kind to her always!"
Somehow, blindly. she stumbled out
of the cabin into the open. possessed
by a thought whose temptation was
stronger than her powers Of resist
ance. What Rose had failed to &C.
complish might now serve to resolve
Judith's problem. None. she told
herself, bitterly, would seek to hinder
her. But she meant so to arrange the
matter that none should see or sus-
pect and be moved to interfere.
Round the shoulder of the noun.
tain, on the road along the edge of the
cliff, she was sure Of freedom from
observation.
And yet, such ID the inconsistency
of the human animal. the instinct for
self.preservation was stronger than