The Dickson County herald. (Dickson, Tenn.) 1907-1979, 1915-07-16
CHAPTER x--corslnued.


She had rather have died. nay, have
had Reather die than 10 find herself
forced TO weigh and decide so mo
mentous a question,
For. however she might feel about
Il. not single illusion remained as to
whose hand had made use OF John
Scoyille's stick to abrike down Alger'
pom Etheridgc How could she have
when she came to piece the whole
story together, and weigh the facts
BE- had accumulated against oliver
With those which had proved so fatal
70 her husband'
Deborah shuddercd, Aye. the siys.
terry had cleared. but only to en-
shroud her spirits anew and make her
long with all her bursting heart and
shuddering soul that death had been
her portion before ever she had es.
sayed to IN the veil held down so
tightly by these two remorseful men,
Hut was her fault irremedia BILE !
The only unanswsrable connection be-
tween this old crime and Oliver lay In
the evidence she had herself collected
As she had every intention OF sup
pressing this evidence, and as she had
small dread OF any one else digging
out the facts to which she only pos
sessed clue. might she not hope that
any suspicious raised by her Inquiries
would fall like house OF cards when
she withdrew her hand from the top
pling st acturei
She would mako her first effort and
see, Mr. Black had heard her com
plant; he should be the first TO learn
that the encouragement she had re-
ceive was 30 small that she had de.
cldcd TO accept her present good luck
without further query. and not bark
back to a past which most people had
buried.
You began It. as women begin most
things, without thought and due
weighing OF consequences And now
you propose to drop II In tho Same
freaklsh manner isn't that TT"
Deborah Scoville lifted her eyes !r
manifest distress and fxed them do
prccatingly upon her intcrr6gator.
Mr. Black smiled The woman de-
lighted him The admiration which
10 had hitherto felt for her person
and for the character which could so
develop through misery and reproach
as TO make her In twelve short years
the exponent Of all that was most at.
,ractive aud hewitching In woman
seemed likely TO extend 70 her mind.
Il am reconciled simply from neces.
sity." was her gentle response. Moth.
ms Is poro precious to me than
Reuthers happiness. should but eu.
danger {; further by raising false
hopes. That Is why have come 10
cry halt"
Madam. ! commend your decision
But why should you characterize
your hopes as false lust when there
seems to 10 some Justification for
them"
Her eyes widened. and she regarded
him with q stimulation OF surpriss
(Which Interested without imposing
upon him
Il do not understand you" said she
Have you come upon some clue,
Have you heard something which I
have not
Air Black took two or three crushed
and ioldet papers from drawer be-
side him aid, holding them. none toe
plainly in sight, remarked very quietly,
but with legal firaaness.
do not lot US play about the buah
any longer You have announced yuur
intention Of making no further attempt
10 discover the man who In your eyes
mcrited the doom accorded to John
scovtlle, Year only reason for this
Il you are the woman thiak you
lies IN your fear ot giving further Cd.
poriuaits 10 the misguided rancor Of
m irresponsible writer Of anonymous
epistles. Ana not right. madam"
Beaten. beaten by direct assault.
because she possessed the Weaknesses.
rs well as the pluck. ot woman She
could control the language OF her lips,
tat rot their quiverins; she cou.d
Iaeet his eye with steady assurance.
but she could not keep the pallor from
her cheeks or sGbdae the evidences OF
ess hearts tarmcl Her Tatifui glance