The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1916-08-31


morphine. She went from the begin.
ming to the end In a breath. No pro-
rest stopped her; nothing stopped her.
You ought TO let me dIer she
walled. What harm have ever done
to anybody that you want to keep me
alivef Just look at my life! only
m'rried Roscoe TO get away from
nome, and look what IL got me intoi
wanted to have good time
and how could /? Where's any good
time among these Sheridans? They
never even had wine on the table,
thought | was marrying into n rich
family, where I'd meet attractive
people I'd read about, and travel, and
go to dances-and, oh. my Lord! all
l got was these Sheridans! I did the
| oest could; just tried TO live.
Ihlngs were just beginning to look
DriShter, and then | saw how Edith
was getting him away from me. And
what could do? What can any wom-
an do In my fix? couldn't stand II! I
went TO that icicle-that Vertrees girl
and she could have helped me n
little, and II wouldn't have hurt her.
Let her waltV Sibyrs voice, hoarse
from babbling, became no more than
husky whisper, though she strove
10 make 1t louder. She struggled half
upright, and the nurse restrained her.
I'D get up out of this bed to show her
she can't do such things to me! was
absolutely ladyllke, and she walked
out and left me there alonel She'll
see! She started after Bibbs before
Jlm's casket was fairly underground.
and she thinks she's landed that poor
loon-but she'll seel She'll see! And
Edith needn't have told what she told
Roscoe-it wouldn't have hurt her to
let me alone. And he told her bored
hlm-telephonlng him l wanted to see
him. He needn't have done 1t. He
needn't-needn't-" Her voice grew
fainter, for that while, with exhaus-
tion, though she would go over 1t all
again as soon as her strength returned.
She lay painting. Then, seeing her hus-
band standing disheveled In the door
way, Don't come in, Roscoe" she
murmured. 81 don't want to see you"
And as he turned away she added.
I'm kind Of sorry for you, Roscoe"
Her antagonist. Edith, was not more
coherent In her own waillngs, and she
had the advantage of a mother for
listener. She had also the disadvan-
tage of mother for duenna, and Mrs.
Sheridan, under her husbands sharp
tutelage, proved an effective one.
Edith was reduced to telephoning
Lamhorn from shops whenever she
could Juggle her mother into a momen-
tary distraction over a counter.
Edith was incomparably more In
love than before Lamhorn's expulsion.
Her whole being was nothing but the
determination to hurdle everything
that separated her from him. She was
In state that could be altered by
only the lightest and most delicate d.
plomacy of suggestion, but Sheridan,
like leglons Of other parents. intensi-
fed her passion and fed II hourly fuel
by opposing to It an intolerable force. !
He swore she should cool, and thus set |
her on fire.
Edith planned neatly. She fought |
hard, every other evening, with her
father and kept her bed between times |
to let him see what his violence had |
done to her. Then, when the mere |
sight OF her set him to breathing fast.
she said pltiably that she might bear
her trouble If she went away; 1t was |
impossible to be In the same town with |
Lamhorn and not think always of him.
Perhaps in New York she might forget
a little. She had written to a school
friend, established quietly with an
aunt in apartments-and month or
so of theaters and restaurants might
bring peace. Sheridan shouted with
relief; he gave her a coplous check,
and she left upon a Monday morning,
wearing violets, with her mourning,
and having kissed everybody goodby
except Sibyl and Blbbs. She might
have kissed Blbbs, but he failed to
realize that the, day of her departure
had arrived, and was surprised, on re-
turning from his zinc eater that eve
ming, to find her gone. 81 suppose
they'll be married there" he said, cas-
ually.
Sheridan, warming his stocklnged
feet at the fire, jumped up, fumlng.
Either you go out o. here, or will,
Bibbs" he snorted. 81 don't want to
be In the same room with the particu-
AR kind OF idiot you are! She's through
With that nffraff; all she needed was
to be kept away from him few
weeks, and l. kept her away, and II
lid the business. For heavens sake.
90 on out o. herev'
Bibbs obeyed the gesture OF a hand
still bandagci. And the black silk
sling was still round Sheridan's neck.
BUT no word of Gurney's and no excru-
'iating twinge OF pain could keep sber-
dams hand in the sling. The wounds,
light enough originally, had become
Infected the lrst time he had Cislodged
he bandages, and healing was long
delayed. Sheridan had the habit OF