The Elk Mountain pilot., 1916-12-14

and how it happened. Sibyl babbled
herself hoarse when Gurney withheld
morphine. She went from the begin
ming to the end in breath. No pro-
test stopped her; nothing stopped her.
You ought to let me diev' she
walled. What harm have ever done
to anybody that you want to keep me
alive? Just look at my life! l only
married Roscoe to get away from
home, and look what it got me into!
l wanted to have a good time
and how could I? Where's any good
time among these Sheridans? They
never even had wine on the table,
thought l was marrying into rich
people I'd read about, and travel, and
so to dances-and. oh, my Lord! all
l got was these Sheridans. I did the
best I could; just tried to live.
Things We're just beginning to look
brighter, and then l saw how Edith
was getting him away from me. And
what could l do? What can any wom-
an do in my fix? l couldn't stand it,
went to that icicle-that Vertrees girl
and she could have helped me
little, and it wouldn't have hurt her.
Let her waltr' Sibyrs voice, hoarse
from babbling, became no more than
husky whisper, though she strove
TO make it 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! l was
absolutely ladylike, and she walked
lne@ o1A Shar
see. She started after. Bibbs before
Jims casket was fairly underground,
and she thinks she's landed that poor
loon-but she'll see! 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
lhim-telephoning him l wanted to sec
him. He needn't have done It, He
needn't-needn't-" Her voice grew
fainter, for that while, with exhaus-
ton, 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,
4
Her antagonist, Edith, was not more
coherent in her own wailings, and she
had the advantage Of mother for
listener She had also the disadvan-
tage OF mother for duenna, and Mrs.
Sheridan, under her husbands sharp
tutelage. proved sn effective one.
Edith was reduced to telephoning
Lamhorn from shops whenever she
could juggie her mother into 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 Regions of other parents, intensi-
fed her passion and fed 1t hourly fuel
by opposing to 1t 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
IA ther, 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 pitiably that she might bear
her trouble II 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
little. She had written to a school
II xx-ifh
aunt In aparrments-and month or
so Of theaters and restaurants might
bring peace. Sheridan shouted with
relief; he gave her a copiOus check,
and she left upon a Monday morning,
wearing violets with her mourning.
and having kissed everybody goodby
except Sibyl and Bibbs. She might
have kissed Bibbs, 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 Ind her gone. 81 suppose
they'll be married there" he said, cas-
ually
Sheridan. warming his stockinged
feet at the fire, jumped up, fuming.
Either you go out O. here. or l will,
Bibbsr he snorted II don't want to
be in the same room with the particu
lar kind Of idiot you are! She's through
with that riffraff; all she needed was
to be kept away from him few
weeks, and l kept her away, and 1t
did the business. For heavens sake,
go on out O. herev'
Bibbs obeyed the gesture of a hand
still bandaged. And the black silk
sling was still round Sheridan's neck.
but no word Of Gurney's and no excru-
ciating twinge of pam could keep Sher-
idan's hand In the sling. The wounds
slight enough originally. had become