Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1916-10-27
CHAPTER XXI.
Atonement.


Mrs Farquhar, do you hear me-do |
you understands"
The wide blue eyes flickered an in
slant; ii was her only response. She
lag stretched out, white and still on
the great bed-a pathetic figure in
which age and childhoods frailty had
Joined in the completed circle Of life
Her hands lay on the Counterpart.
They were still loaded with rings, and
the heavy, glistening stones seemed
to have drawn in all the vitality from
the dead and helpless fingers. For
the first time her wig sat straight, and
by contrast the face beneath looked
smaller, wizened and shriveled like
little old witch who, somehow or
other, had retained a grotesque fasci-
nation. Only the eyes were terrible.
Save for that one scarcely perceptible
flicker of assent they never closed or
wavered, yet the change in them was
ceaseless. They passed from face to
face with a concentrated intensity that
was savage in its dumb significance.
They became then piiable in their APP
peal or frantic in their fierce impa-
thence.
Preston, standing beside her, took
one of the helpless hands and pressed
1t shyly.
"You understand. Mrs. Farquhar?
I've been something worse than a
blackguard-I've been a fool. But
now I'm going back to make good.
You trust me now, don't you? You
believe me-Td lay down my life to
have Richard back. You know that? l
won't touch my native shore till I've
made things right"
1t was scarcely a smile that shad-
owed the blue eyes. Then suddenly
they closed, and the last sign of life
was snuffed out like the light of
candle. Preston looked up. Gabri-
ellie stood at the foot of the bed and
she beckoned him, and they went out
together in the adjoining room. Pres
ton closed the door. His boys face,
contrasting curiously with the upright,
powerful figure, had lost its hopeful
ness and had become haggard and
overcast.
my God, and to think that l was
instrumental in thatr' he said hoarsely.
IL feel as though l had murdered
someone; it's pitiable-terrible. l shall
see those eyes to my life's end, Miss
Smith"
She nodded from the window where
she stood looking out on to the street
bathed in the mellow glow OF evening
ut is awful TO watch the struggle"
she said half to herself. "She is trying
to tell us something, and l cannot read
the message. Her eyes are full OF it
feel that l am blind and stupid not
to understandable | only know that
DEATH"
"Death?" he echoed blankly.
"After what you saw that night
don't you realize that death is not far
offT
He thrust his hands deep into his
pockets.
81 won't believe it." he said decisive
ly. "They dare not"
els there anything that dare not be
done to legionary"
He Is an Englishman. Tiff they
dared 1 should make it an international
question: should rouse all Eng
land"
would you succeed In getting let.
ter into the Times, do you think, Mr.
Prestonf'
He drew his hands out Of his pockets
and swung round angrily on her. She
was smiling a wry amusement.
Miss Smith-can you afford to
laughr'
''Yes-a little. l suppose you think
me heartless AS a matter of fact. we
laugh most easily when" She stopped
short with a gesture OF impatience
"Forgive me, I have tendency to be
trite. and at that moment l was peril
ously near pathos as we'll"
81 know what you mean, though. ]
didn't think you heartless. But you
can't feel as do. You haven't all this
on your conscience-you weren't his
friend, as / was" He caught glimpse
of her face clean cut against the light
and suddenly he faltered and the slow
color mounted to his eyes.
I'll understand. You're rather
splendid. Miss Smith. If l could only
set things right-make good" he NUT
tered.
She made little genre of assent.
THAT seems to me all that we live