The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1915-01-14
CHAPTER Liv.
Tho wife.

h'ldi VI htf iaihtf hilu hitttTs uohou
her mourning for a gown ess somber
aud more suited to the atmosphere OF
u sickroom. then relieved the nurse
In charge OF Alac
lie remained as he had been ever
since the falling OF the ihunderbolt-
IN absolute coma
Hut he lived. and-Or the physicians
hed-must soon regain consciousness.
Knoeling beside his bedside Judith
prayed long and earnestly.
When she arose u was to answer
a tap upon the door She admitted
Tom Barcus and suffered him to iead
her into the recess Of the window,
where they conyersed IN guarded
tones In spite Of the fact that the
subject Of their communications could
not possibly have heard them
I've come 20 tell YOU something.
Barcus announced with characteristic |
aWkwardness. I've known II for
three days-eyer since the wedding.
IN fact-and kept Il to myself, not
knowing whether ought TO tell you
yet or not"
he paused. cycling her uncertainty.
unhappily
4 am prepared" Judith assured
him calmly
You're nothing Of the SORT" he
countered. argumentative. You
couldn't be It's the most amazing
thing imaginable. See here
"Wellg"
You understand. don't YOU. that
Alan must never know that Rose was
Killed nv that lightning stroke7"
What do you mean?"
= mcan.- the man fioundered mis-
erably YOU see. he loved her SOL
thought sure II would be best
II Won can bring yourself TO ito let
him 40 on believing II wasn't Rose
who was killed but Judith And that's
skating 10 close TO the truth that u
makes no difference the Judith Alan
knew and the Judith | knew IN the
beginning 10 gone as completely as
though she and not Rose had been
killed
After a long pause. the girl asked
him quietly 4 understand But IL
II possible Won don't understand that.
II were 10 consent to this PROPOSE
ton. lend myself 70 a deception which
| must maintain through all my life
20 COMEDIAN would consider me his
Wife,"
Well but--you see--you are his
wife. Oh. don't think I'm bfi my
bat I'm telling YOU the plain. unvar
nished trsih You are Alan's wife
No. listen 10 me You remem-
her that day In New York when YOU
substituted for Rose. when Alan tried
TO elope with her, and YOU went with
him to Jersey City. and stood up TO be
married by preacherguy named
wright-and Marrophat broke In Just
at the critical moment and busted up
the pariy?"
"well2" she demanded breathlessly.
Barcus produced folded yellow pa
per from his coat pocket and prof
fered H.
Read that II was handed to mo
as best man. Just before the cere-
mony. 8 cling II was addressed ia
, Alan and knowing he was In no frame
, Of mind TO be bothered by kilograms
I slipped II into my pocket and forgot
, all about II temporarily. When !
, came to ind g. took the liberty OF
/ reading H. But read IL for yourself.
, The typewrittcn lines Of the Ions
1 message blurred and ran together al
most lndecipherably in Judith's vision
!. None the less. she contrlved TO grasI
A the substance OF It's meaning
q WHY DIDN'T YOU WIRE MI
o SOONER" II ran: MARRIAGE TC
= ROSE IMPOSSIBLE REV. MR.
< WRIGHT INFORMED ME YouT
< MARRIAGE TO JUDITH LAST
a WEEK HAD GONE TOO FAR WHEN
+ MARRoPHAT INTERRUPTED Ju
Il nITH LEGALLY YOUR WIFE
d WOULD HAVE ADVISED YOl
n SOONER HAD You LET ME KNOW
WHERE TO ADDRESS you. HOPl
o TO HEAVEN THIS GETS TO YoI
4. BEFORE TOO LATE"
% The message was signed with tn
ID name OF Alan's confidential man O
a business In New York
when Judith looked up she wa
L. alone In the room. but for the silen
" patient on his couch.
10 Slowly. almost fearfully. she creT
III 10 his bedside and stood looking dow
a into the face Of her husband
And while she looked Alan's lasho
no nuttered. his respiration 1uickened,
wv faint color crept into his pallid cheek
IN and his eyes opened wide an
d looked into hers.
IN His lips moved and breathed a wor
ga Of recognition:
IT, Judith"
with a low cry Of tenderness, q
H. Girl sank to her knees and encircl'