Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-05-10
she monrned, addressing nobody

loOked at mel lntently.
"That is true" he told her
gently; II do not know you. / do
not, | assure you"
She returned his intent gaze,
but she seemed to be trying to
lock within herself, to examine
her own processes of reasoning, to
assure herself of her own sanity.
There was in her glance incredu-
lity, distrust Of herself and of
him.
"Do you mean to say" she
wondered in a low voice, you
wandered in a low voice, "you
don't remember me - you. don't
remember Shanghai-the time we
We're there six years ago9"
Smith drew himself more erect.
Waller thought he braced himself,
like a man facing bravely a great
and unexpected torture.
Il do not" he repeated.
Waller stepped forward and adj
dressed Mary Leslie.
MAY | suggest, madam he
said firmly, that this is hardly
the place for a discussion of this
sort?
She took no note of him.
Jack, you do remember" she
said to Smith, her voice raised.
You must remember!" Entreaty
was strong in her words. eff you
don t, I'll remind you" She took
one short, timid, creeping step
toward him. "You remember
Charles place-and Josie the
spaniard-and the boats down on
the river in the moonlight her
voice broke on that-sYou re-
the boats down on the
don't your"
he stared at her, and paused
before he could find words with
to express some of the
things that went whirling through
brain. His gaze was enough to
explore her very soul.
Waller turned to him.
"Oh, come, old mani" he i'm
plored, "This won't do at all.
Why listen to such a thing?"
Mallon contradicted the sugges-
ton.
Wed better listen" he said
roughly.
1T won't do at all!' Mary ac-
knowledged Waller finally. "Well
it won't!" Her anger was for
Waller, not for Smith. That vas
quite evident. tive found this
man again, and you say it won't
/! Scorn and contempt made
her words quick, strong. "He
ran away from me-ran away!'
She struck her thin, white fists to-
gether. "Do you know what that
means2 [ tell you I am his wife
| was-"
She turned suddenly to Smith
and implored him with out
stretched hands.
Why do you stand there and
pretend that what | say is not
true?" She sobbed once. "Oh,
why?"
10 that he made no answer. For
the moment his mind was bnsv
with Edith, who stood back Of the
woman, her hands clenched
in from of her, her face a colorless
model for grief.
1You can't deny it, can your"
Mary Leslie challenged him, per-
sonal anger against him lively in
her voice at last. why don't
you speak,"
He stared at her fxedly. His
nostrils dilated with the rapidity
Of his breathing. His features
twitched as if the gray fingers Of
the pallor that was upon him
twisted them sharply.
ATen me!o she begged, seeing
his suffering. Don't you know
met"
He answered her with a great
effort:
II don't know" he said, hoars
ness in his throat.
He heard the half audible cry
from Edith, and, without looking
at her, saw that she WINGED as il.
she had been struck. "a smile Of
was on Mallon' s face. The
reporters stirred slightly, an
even a greater sensa-
ton than that which they had Just
Mrs. Kane went close
to Edith and put an arm about her
Mary Leslie fell back from
smith q step and walled:
You don't knowi
They watched him as he stood,
to his full height like q
man facing execution.
Waller broke in again.