Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1915-06-10
CHAPTER llv.


her mourning for = gown less somber
and more suited to the atmosphere OF
= sickroom. then relieved the nurse
In charge OF Alan.
He remained as he had been ever
since the falling OF the thunderbolt-
In absolute coma
But he lived. and-or the physicians
hed-must soon regain consciousnesl.
Kneeling beside his bedside Judith
prayed long and earnestly.
When she arose It was TO answer
q tap upon the door. She admitted
Tom Bsrcus and suffered him TO lead
her into the recess OF the window.
where they oonversed In guarded
tones in spite OF the fact that tho
subject OF their communications could
not possibly have heard them
I've come TO tell you something
Barcus announced with charaoterisii 10
awkwardness, i've known II for
three days-ever since the wedding.
In fact-and kept II to myself not
knowing whether ought 10 tell you
yet or not"
He paused. cycling her uncertainty.
unhappily
81 am prepared Judith assured
him calmly
you're nothing OF the sort" he
countered. argumentativc. You
couldn't be- It's the most amazing
thing imaginable. See here
'Well."
You understand don't you. that
Alan must never know that Rose was
killed by that lightning stroke7"
What do you mean
Il mean." the man foundered mi&
erably. you see. he loved her Sol
thought-rm sure It would be best
II you can bring yourself 10 ito let
him go on believing II wasn't Rors
who was killed but Judith And that's
skating 80 close to the truth that II
makes no difference: the Judith Alan
knew and the Judith | knew In the
beginning is gone as completely AZ
though she and not Rose had been
killed
AFTER long pause. the girl asked
him quietly: Il understand But 10
1t possible you don't understand that.
II were 10 consent TO this proposL
ton. lend myself TO deception which
| must maintain through all my life
70 COMEDIAN would consider me his
wifer'
Well. but-you see-you are his
vile Oh don't think I'm on my
bat I'm telling you the plain. unvar
nished truth. You are Alan's wife.
No listen to mo You rsmsm-
Der that day In New York when YOU
substituted for Rose. when Alan tried
10 elope with her. and you went with
MIN to Jersey City. aud stood up TO be
married by a preacher-suy named
Wri8ht-snd Narrophat broke In Just
al the critical moment and busted UP
the partyr"
Wenr' she demanded breathIsssly.
Barcus produced a folded yellow ps-
per from his coat pocket and prof
fered IT,
Read that. II was handed TO mo
A. best man. just before the csr.
mony Seeing It was addressed to
Alan and knowing he was In no frame
OF mind to be bothered by kilograms.
l slipped 1t into my pocket and forgot
all about It temporarily. When |
came to And It, | took the liberty OF
reading It. But read II for yourself
The typewriter lines Of the long
message blurred and ran together al
most indecipherably in Judith's vision.
none the less. she contrived to grasp
the substance OF Its meaning.
WHY DIDN'T YOU WIRE ME
SOONER" It ran: MARRIAGE TO
ROSE IMPOSSIBLE. REV. MR..
WRIGHT INFORMED ME YOUR
MARRIAGE TO JUDITH LAST
WEEK HAD GONE TOO FAR WHEN
MARRoPHAT INTERRUPTED. JU-
DlTH LEGALLY YOUR WIFE.
WOULD HAVE ADVISED you
SOONER HAD YOU LET NE KNOW
WHERE TO ADDRESS YOU. HOPE
TO HEAVEN THIS GETS TO you
BEFORE TOO LATE"
The message was signed with the
name OF Alan's confidential man of
business In New York.
when Judith looked up she was
alone In the room. but for the silent
patient on his couch.
Slowly. almost fearfuly. she crept
10 his bedside and stood looking down
INTO the face OF her husband.
And while she looked Alan's lashes
nuttered his respiration quickened. a
faint color crept into his pallid cheeks
and his eyes opened wide and
looked into hers.
HIS lips moved and breathed a word
or recogDition:
Judith"
with a low cry OF tenderness. the
sirl sank to her knees and encircled
MIS- head with her arms.
Judith" she whispered. hiding her
lace In his bosom. Judith IL no
more ="
pause; and then the feeble voice:
Then, II WAS mistaken. II YOU
aren't Judith. you must be Rose-my
wife,"
aOt -.