The Palatka news and advertiser., 1917-09-14

in a few weeks, one of the Craddocks
came to his end Both sides renew
ed vows of eternal hatred, and have
carefully taught it to their children
My own father was next shot from
ambush, mother died of a broken
heart, and one brother who fell into
the hands of the law died in prison.
This leaves me, me alone, to keep up
the fires of vengeance to which my
father swore me with his dying
breath"
To this point, the girl had spoken
with a calmness which went strange
ly with her story; but now, as though
fired by an unseen hand, she broke
forth; 81 live but to hate; it was
grated into me, it breathes with the
breath of my SOUL it lies down with
me, it awakes when wake--it growsl
: It grows! 1t is in my dreams, there
is nothing besides it cam never go
who're it does not come. Oh, it is
my life, my life! How can help
it!"
The hot blood had mounted to her
face and her overmasterng passion
was ravishing all the softness of her
beauty. The look of the avenger of
blood was there, and the man cast
his eyes to his feet, that he might not
too plainly recall that expression up
on the face that he loved so well.
His words came in r. repressed
manner. Suppose you should find
at the last that that original wrong
| +,1, Ia In I-
under standing-that it was never IN
tended. You say that Craddock was
trusted neighbor-did he make any
claim to innocence in the matter?"
eyes, but it was all too plain. My
grandfather was of too kind nature
to infer a wrong where none was
meant"
"There is only one way that light
can come in, Mary" He now spoke
quickly and eagerly. "Love will Kill
this family skeleton, will utterly dis
sove it. Gods love, if allowed to en-
ter your heart, will give you forgive
ness where now hate rancors. WITH
nothing to feed upon, this habltant OF
your closet will surely die. 1t is the
miracle of the newborn soul, Mary.
His voice took on an added pleading.
ooh. Mary, because of God, and life,
endless life, | entreat YOU"
| She interrupted him violently. "The
only being in all the Universe that l
love is you, John Allen! | have new
er told you so before, but tell NeN
now, because | see the end OF all
things between US. l will not give
up this family heritage. Wm.e !
live, | am in honor bound to guard
and keep it. You must go away
alone." And she turned away that
he might not guess what beng 9e-
reft of him would mean to her.
Her words strove with the very
foundations of his being. When she
confessed her feeling for him, ne
started forward. but the brightness
Of his face was put out by her furthl-
er avowal. ard he fell away, plach
and hopeless. H.,
How could he now say that which
he knew he must say! Slowly, came
his farewell.
MARY, for ten years ! nave
thought Of you with the new hope o,
every morning and with the quiet ard
rest of every evening, and all the day
and night long, you have been with
me in every thought and act, but to-
night, I must go into a future with
out you. This living horror which
abidcs here could never enter our
home. am servant of the Cos
pcI of Forgiveness, he would blast
the souls of us, and be as the poison
in the cup. I fear God too much
Oh. woman of my heart. Mary
Again he had to halt his forward
step; once move came the pIcadiNgF
of the strong man: "Destroy it, Give
me this peace. Oh let nc 90 in