Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-04-13
W i
Destroying
Angel
By Louis Joseph Vance
Ausks, Of
1.-THE Pssl Of Esme.''
1.-THE Bronze 6sll." "7hs Rlsek
Bog. "7hs Bssss Be.ol."
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Copyright by Louis Joseph Vance

subsequent to his awakening. His
chiefest and most direct interest cen.
tered upon the woman. There was
warm color in the cheeks that he had
last seen livid, there was the wonted
play Of light and shadow in her fas.
cinating eyes; there were gracious
rounded curves where had been sunken
surfaces followed out by fatigue ana
strain; and there remained the in
eluctable allurement of her tremendous
vitality.
you are not hurt?" he demanded.
you are-all rightT
Quite" she told him with q smile
significant Of her appreciation Of his
generous feeling. "But you2 Haven't
you slept at all?"
ooh, surely-a great deal. But I've
been awake for some time-a few
hours"
But T.! What time is it?"
II haven't q watch, but late after
noon, I should think-going by the
sun. It's nearly down."
Good heavens!" he muttered.
t udSUeOs i u2NO oACPkb
You earned your right to. .
You needed 1t far more than l." Her
eyes shone, warm with kindness.
She swayed almost imperceptibly to-
ward him. Her voice was low pitched
and tribe broken with emotion:
"You saved my life"
q? Oh, that was only what any
other man"
"Nene other didT'
"Please don't speak Of tt mean,
consider 1t that way" he stammered.
"What I want to know is, where are
we7'
Her reply was more distant. 'On
an island. somewhere. It's uninhabited,
/ think"
He could only echo in bewiklerment
"An island i Uninhabited
~ Dismay assailed him. He got
up, after . little struggle overcoming
the resistance Of stiff and sore limbs,
and stood with q hand on the coaming
Of the dismantled catboat, raking the
island with an incredulous stare.
She stirred from her place and Of
fered him q hand. "Please help me
up"
He turned eagerly, with 4 feeling Of
chagrin that she had needed to ask
him. For an instant he had both her
hands, warm and womanly, in his
grasp, while she rose by his aid, and
for an instant longer-possibly by way
OF reward. Then she disengaged them
with gentle nrmness.
She stood beside him so tall and fair.
50, serenely invested with the snawless
dignity OF her womanhood that he NO
longer thought Of the incongruity Of
her grotesQue garb.
you've been up there7" he asked,
far too keenly interested to scorn tho
self.evident.
She gave q comprehensive gesture,
embracing the visible prospect. "All
over. When woke, I thought
surely went to see, found
nothing living except the sheep and
some chickens and turkeys in the farm
yard. And the farmhouse-apparently
it's ordinarily inhabited. Evidently
the people have gone away for visit
somewhere. It gives the impression of
being home the year round. There
isn't any. boat
mo boatr'
"Not sign Of one, that can find
except this wreck" She indicated the
i catboat.
But you can't do anything with
this" he sxpostulated.
Tho deep, wide break In its side
placed It beyond consideration, even
il it should prove possible to remedy
its many other lacks.
mo. The people who live here must
have boat saw mooring buoy out
there"-wtth q gesture toward the wa
ter. "Of course. How else could they
get away?
'The question is, how we are to get
away" he grumbled, morose.
you'll find the way" she told him
with quiet confidence.
81! I'll find the way1 Howl"
II don't know-only you must. There
must be some way Of signaling the
mainland, some means Of communica-
ton. Surely people wouldn't live here,
cut Off from all the world Per-
haps we'll find something In the farm
house to tell US what to do. didn't
have much time to look round. I
wanted clothing. mostly-and found
these awful things hanging behind the
kitchen door. And then wanted
! something to eat, and found that
some bread, not too stale, and plenty
Of eggs In the henhouse. And
you-you must be famished!"
The reminder had an effect singular
" distressing. He turned little faint,
was seized with slight sensation of
giddlness, ut the thought Of food, 80
that he was glad Of the catboat for
support.
"Gh, you are:'' Compassion thrilled
her tone. "Tm so sorry. Come-if you
can walk" She caught his hand MS II
to help him onward. eve can build a
fire and have something hot; there's
/. plenty Of fuel
"But-what did you do?"
"I-oh, took my eggs au natural
barring some salt and pepper. was
in too much of hurry to bother with
q stove"
"Why in a hurry?"
She made no answer for an instant.