The Dolores star. [volume] (Dolores, Montezuma County, Colo.) 1901-current, 1915-03-26
1heHOnOW
b Of Her Hand
George Barr MoCutCheon
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~ Gx0WEZ 6&N AScN01131H: ca
4 The wrandalls had been routs<
IRON their comfortable ArssiAo-eol
whatf They were asking tie questioz
Of themselves and they wses waiting
stonily for the answer.
TT b very stufy n hsss," vivSaz
had said with . glance ct tie CLOSED
1cosS after Sara had successfully
plAosd her Jury In the box.
Keep still. Wv" whispered Lseiis
with nns assumption Of ave. ITS q
spiritualistio meeting. You1l sears
the spooks away"
II was ct this 3uncturs that 0ara
! rose from her chair and faced them,
- calmly. - complacsntly - u she
were about to ask them 10 procsed 10
the dining-room instead Of to throw Q
bomb into their midst that would shat.
ter their snug serenity for al time 70
come. With . glance ct Mr.. Carroll
she began. clearly. firmly and without
prsfatory apology for what IVES to
follow.
Il have asked you 70 cone hasU 70
night to BE- my Judges. I an @ trial
You are about 70 hear the story Of ny
unspsakabls psrfidy. only require Of
you that you hear Ne 10 the end -
fore passing judgment"
At her words. Hstty anA Booth start
cd psrcsptibly: . quick glance passsd
between them. ~ II each was INCUR
ing whether the other had caught the
extraordinary words Of sslf-ind1ctmsnt.
A pushed frown Appeared on Hstty's
brow.
"Perndyi" intsrpossd Mr.. wranaall.
His wifs's expression changed from
one Of bored indifIersnos 70 sharp In.
quiry. Leslie paused In the cot Of
lighting . cigarette.
1T 10 the mildest term I can com.
mand." said Sara. Il shall b q brief
- possible In stating the case, Mr..
Wrandall. You will b surprised to
hear that have taken II upon myself.
~ the wife Of Challis wrandall and,
a. regard II. the one most vitality
concerned II not interested in the dis.
covery and punishment Of the person
who took his life-I say have taken
It upon myself to shield, protect and
defend the unhappy young woman who
accompanied him to Burton's Inn on
that night In March. She has had my
constant. my personal protection for
more than twenty months"
The Wrandalls leaned forward In
their chairs. The match burned Lss-
lis's fingers. and he dropped Il without
Appearing to notice the pain. ~,
What 10 this you ass sayins" Do
mandsd Rsdmood wrandAll.
when left the INN that niSht, aftsr
seeing my husbands BODY In the little
upstairs room. I said 70 myself that
the one who took his life bad unwit-
tingly done me- Q service. He vas NJ
husband: loved him. aAorsd hin.
To the end OF my days ! could have
gone on loving him IN spite Of tAs
cruel return no save for my love aAl
loyalty. shall not attempt 70 Ten
you Of the countless lapsss Of adslity
On his part You would not believe -
But be always came back 70 me With
the pitiful love be had for NE. and
fosgavs him his transsrsssions. These
things you know. He confessed many
things TO you. Mr.. Wrandall. He
humblsd himself to me. Perhaps you
will recall that I never complained to
you OF him. What rancor had was
always directed toward you. his fam.
lily. who would see no wrong In your
king but looked upon me ~ dirt -
meath his fest. There were moments
when | could have slain him with my
own hands. but my heart rsbellsd.
There were times when no said to ne
that ought to kill him for the things
he had done. You may now understand
what mean when ] say that the Girl
Who went To Burton's inn with him
did me . service. will not say that
! considered her guiltisss at tho time.
On the contrary. ! looked upon her In
quite different way. had no means
OF knowing then that she Was ~ pure
- snow and that he would have d.
spoiled her Of everything that was
sweet and sacred 10 her. She took his
life In order to save that which was
dsarer to her than her own life. and
She Vas on her way TO pay for her
dssd with her life II necessary when
came upon her and interviewed"
"You--you know who she is," said
Mr.. wrandall. In . low. incredulous
voice.
y have known almost from the ~
ginning. Presently you will hear her
story. from her own lips"