Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1915-02-06
CHAPTER LII.
The Old Adam.

d "A long minute elapsed before eithe
1 woman moved or spoke
: 1ranshxed beside Alan's chair
steadying herself with a hand unon II,
oack, Judith stared at the figure il
the doorway, in a temper at once dis
counted and defiant. With this she
ouhered phase of incredulity. was
scarce able to persuade herself that
tnIs was truly Rose who confronted
her-Rose whose sweet and gentle
nature had ever served as the butt
Oh Judlth's contempt and ruthless
ridicule.
mere was revolution with a venge-
ance, when Rose threatened and
Judith shrank,
1t was as if the women had nv
'naneed natures while they slept.
Inc countenance that Rose showed
her sister was a thundercloud rent
ny the iurld lightning of her angry
eyes Her pose was tense and alert,
Ike the pose Of an animal set TO
spring. In her hand hung a revolver
.ne same (Judith's hand sought the
holster at her hip and found it empty
mat ner sister had worn and for
sotten TO remove when she dropped.
naf-dead with fatigue, upon the bed.
ana slowly, toward the end of that
ions' mute minute, the girls grasp
frightened upon the grin of the weanon
and Its muzzle lifted.
Remarking this, a flash of her one. |
time temper quickened Judith or a
sudden, with a start, she crossed the
moor IN single, noiseless stride, and
threw herself before her sister.
"Well?" she demanded holly "Wbat
are you waiting for? Nobody's STOP
ping you: why don't you shoot?"
Inc upward movement of the hand
was checked: the weapon hung level
70 Judith's breast-as level and un-
equivocal as the glance that probed
ner eyes and the tone of Roses voice
as she demanded:
What were you doing there?"
II you must know from me what
you already know on the evidence of
your eyes-I was bidding good-by to
he man l love-kissing him without !
lis knowledge or consent before leav.
ng him to you for good and ALL"
What do you mean?"
mat I'm going away-that | can't !
tand this situation any longer. Mario
mat and Jimmy are dead, my fathers
l mean to see that he c
emains 80. Nothing, then, stands in O
he way Of your marrying Alan hut b
ne. And such being the case-and b
ecause he's as dear to me as he is
you-Im going to take myself off r
nd keep out Of the way" b
For fear lest he find out that you a
we him?"
Judith's lip curled do you think a
Inn SO witless he doesn't know that IL
ready?" II
And so you leave him to me out OF n,
'ur charity! Is that it?" Ii
Any way you like. But If it's SO m
tolerable to you to think that dare W
We him and confess 1t to you-;f til
u begrudge me the humiliation of tn
Doping to kiss a man who doesn't
INT my kisses-if you are so afraid ch
losing him while live and love
well, them" ru
With a passionate gesture Judith DIR
re open the bosom of her waist ca
ering her flesh to the muzzle of the we
yolver. at
A cry broke from the lips of Rose
It was like the cry of forlorn child pu
1ished with cruelty that passes its wa
ierstanding. She fell back against rur
wall. The revolver swept up bel
ough the air-but its mark was tas
own head rather than Juditb's "
ON. mo
Tut before her finger found strength the
pull the trigger the man at the hos
lie. startled from his sleep by the &c
nd of angry voices, leaped from ma,
chair with violence that sent II ins,
tering to the floor. and hurled him. Won
headlong across the room, i'm. whs
oning the wrist Of his betrothed som
/ one hand while the other wrested ma,
~e"pon away ana passed 1t to pier
IA. he {
iose!" he cried thickly, what does mott
hean! are you mad? Judith" vel
tagging the bosom of her waist else
Their, Judith thrust the weapon side