The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-04-14

though Il was focused upon the person
of one man. none the less embraced
all the world-even her sister and
successful rival In that one mans at
fections.
This change had not come upon her
without warning She had been al
most insensibly aware Of its advent
through the gradual softening Of that
old Judith's hard and vengeful nature
in the course Of the last few days.
But now that the revolution was &C
complished. she hardly knew herself
she hardly knew the world, indeed,
SO differently did she regard it-not
without something Of the wide-eyed
wonderment Of . child to find all
things so new and strange and beauti.
full.
And this was the work of Love!
Now the chain OF memories was
quite complete. no link lacking in its
continuity. She recalled clearly every
incident that had marked the slow
growth Of this great love she had for
Alan Law. from that first day, not yet
. month old. when he had escaped the
fiery deathtrap she had set for him
and repaid her only by risking his life
anew to save her from destruction,
down to this very morning when the
stream from hydraulic nozzle had
swept over the brink of q three hun
dred-foot precipice a crimson racing
automobile containing two desperate
men bent upon comprising the death
Of her beloved.
By that act Of sheer self.defense
the world was richer for the loss of
two black.hearted blackguards, and
Alan Law might now be considered
safe from further persecution-since
there now remained not one soul loyal
enough to Seneca Urine to prosecute
his private war Of vengeance against
Alan. And though that aged mono
maniac had means whereby he might
purchase other scoundrels and cor
rupt them to his hideous purposes,
Judith was determined that he should
never again have any opportunity so
to do. Though Alan, she knew, would
never lift his hand to hinder her
fathers freedom of action, she, Judith,
meant to take such steps as his perse.
cution called for. If there were any
justice in the land-if there were any
alienists capable of discriminating be-
tween Trine's apparent sanity and his
deep rooted mania-then surely not
many days more should pass into his
tory without witnessing his consign-
ment to an institution for the crimi.
nal insane.
She, Judith, would see to that. and
then
The woman sighed once more.
Then Rose and Alan would marry
and live happily ever after.
But what Of Judith?
She made a small gesture OF resig.
nation to her destiny What became
Of her no longer mattered, SO that
Alan we're made happy in such hap.
piness as he coveted.
And now the thought stirred her
sharply that what was to be done
must be done quickly, II at all.
And the almost level rays of the
declining sun. striking in through the
open window. counseled haste II Judith
we're to accomplish her intention Of
leaving this place and finding her
father again before nightfall.
With the utmost care she rose from
the bed, crept to the door OF the room
tnow recognized as the quarters Of the
foreman of the hydraulic mining out
fit) and out into the room adjoining
And there. pulling the door to gently
! behind her. she paused and for many
minutes stood in tensestrung contem
plation of the man she loved-Alan
Law, asleep in a chair beside table
his head pillowed on his folded arms
This was leave-taking between them
aid he would never know.
Far better SO: Judith felt she could
not trust herself to say farewell tC
him without breaking down and con
Tossing the utter wretchedness that
threatened to overwhelm her each
time she forced herself to face the
thought that this parting must b.
final
Like a thief she stole across the
creaking floor to Alan's side, hesitated
bent her head to his and touched hel
lips to his cheek-a caress so light
that he slept on in ignorance of 1t.
Then. as she lifted her head and
stood erect, bosom convulsed with
silent sobs, she looked sQuarely into
| the face Of Rose.