Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1916-09-01
"1f that were true-possIble-theD

could sleep
His eyes closed. A weak tremulous
sigh quivered at the corners of his
mouth. Noiselessly she turned out the
lights and left him.
Sylvia Arnaud's room lay at the
farther end of the corridor Gabrielle
knocked and Immediately entered. Her
manner, from that Of quiet good hui
NOR, had become alert and hard. Her
eyes were very bright, her mouth set
in lines that for once betrayed no
trace of humor.
"Your husband is very Ill, Madame
Arnaud," she said. "He ia on the
brink Of nervous breakdown-per-
haps worse-and only you can save
him. | came to warn you"
"You are very kind, Miss Smith,"
This is not the time to exchange
commonplaces. When be awakes you
must go to him. You must tell him
that you will accompany him to Ton
kin. But you must act at once-before
it is too late"
Sylvia Arnaud drew back, white and
trembling, the first indugent good hui
NOR turned to an incredulous anger.
Miss Smith. are you forgetting"
THAT l am your paid companion :?
No. But 1t is in your or my power to
make our status into that Of absolute
equality-this moment If you wish. Do
you wish it?''e
Sylvia stared blankly at the stern
white face of the woman confronting
her. Her anger had burned out like
straw and she was now only fright
ened and little resentful
IL don't want to lose you. Miss
Smith," she stammered. IL know that
you do not care for me: but in your
strange way you have been friendly
and IL am very alone. have conf
dence in you. am prepared to over
look the evenings outbreak"
That's what you cannot and shall
not do" was the grim answer. You
have driven your husband to the verge
Of madness. Madame Arnaud. and
through madness to crime-to the MUIR
der of a man who surely was once
dear to you"
"Whom do you mean?"
Richard Farquhar."
II forbid you-you are beside your
self"
GABRIELLE interrupted the indignant
protest with quiet decision tinged
with irony.
1--WE are always beside ourselves
when we tell the truth, Madame Ar
maud. But fortunately have not much
more to say. Go to your husband
tell him that Richard Farquhar never
was and never could be his rival in
your affections-tell him whom it was
you went to meet in the grove that
night"
II cannot-what you ask is absurd"
The gray, neat little figure came
closer.
"You are very lovely, Madame Ar
Maud" Gabrielle Smith said very gen.
tly and almost reverently. Zone under
stands why men suffer so much and
patiently for you. A mans life is in
your power. Whatever he has done
he loved you. He still looks up to you
as a saint in heaven. Madame Arnaud,
such loyalty is rare You dare not kill
itv'
Sylvia laughed carelessly.
"That all comes too late" she said.
"You cannot plead to me for pity. And
justice! What justice dare you claim
for an outcast-a cheat. man whom
all honest men shrink from-or for
dissolute roue who has not shrunk
from murder? They have earned their
fate"
Sylvia rose instinctively to her feet.
and they faced each other in the silence
of unrelenting antagonism. The little
gray-clad woman turned and went
quietly toward the door. For the first
time Sylvia's voice sounded breathless
and anxious.
what are you going to do?"
II am going to act for you"
The door closed Sylvia Arnaud ran
to it and. turning the key, set her back
against it as though shutting out an
unreasoned, nameless terror.
UNABLE TO SEE THE JOKE