The Washington times., 1918-04-20

to you! On, ! know that-if any
one knows II, should"
'She was true to mel" wiIbra-
ham drew = long BiEh-"oh. II she
was true to me, what did the rest
matter? Why could she not have
spoken7"
"she earned good money. There
was one artist will not mention
his name-he was an old man, and
like q father to her. He gave her
Jewelry and anything she wanted
But Il was without evil intent: as
am doomed man, swear it I
knew him and her"
WilbrahRm's calm deserted him
"Go on-go onr' he cried roughly.
He was taken ill"-
That is when she stayed away
from me-"
Yes. And then he died'-
But her lies-she lied so Elibly."
81 suggested them-for your
sake She began. and had to go on.
He would never forgive me- she
said. She loved you-I tell you she
loved you truly"
MOnerief Acted A Her Agent.
"And your name-how came It
to be combined with hers?" wilbrR-
ham rose excitedly to his feet.
Il acted as agent for her, and
got her engagements when I could.
Mrs. Willoughby introduced her TO
me. 1 brought her into communi-
cation with the old man. This was
all before she married you. I was
not the blackguard in those days
that I have become. She liked me
and was grRteful-that is all. Later
on realized that people thought
there was more between uS than
actually existed
1T nattsred me-and I did not
deny # IL thought that what
people said ought to be the truth.
30 made love 70 her, and abe re-
pulsed<mO-moFe than once. That
Is how I know she was true to you,
for II she had been unfaithful she
would have come to me-so you un-
derstandD
WilbrAhAm seizOd him By the
shoulders. He was terribly excited,
For q moment he was almost as
mad as Moncrief had been.
And all this is trus?"
True; 1 swear it" Moncrief gave
. terrified Eroan- "God, man, don't
be rough with me. Is not your re-
Vengs complete7"
You allowed everyone to believe
this i'll Of herr"
Yes; IL is my sIn-not hers."
wilbrahAm thrust him violently
back, and then, with Z sob IN his
throat, sank into his chair.
Pleads FOr Hts Life.
"And now you know-you will
help me-you will give me some
thing to cure met I feel stronger,
oh, much stronger As II f." Moncrief
crawled along the floor and caught
the surgeon by his knees you
won't let me die now. you know
that truth7 Nan, man." he shrieked
in the frenzy OF frustrated hope,
don't let me die"
But Wilbraham paid no heed 20
him. He sat back in his chair. and
his face was buried in his hands.
His body shook with conVuIslve sobG.
i killed her" he moaned, "and
she was innocent"
You will not: you cannot let me
die like this" Moncrief had raised
himself to his knees, and had DRAG
ged himself along the floor, q des-
thrown out he was attempting 10
draw Wilbraham's hands from his
face, to attract attention to hts own
wretched personality. "I have told
you all" he kept repeating. There
Is nothing more that can say. You
promised that you would do your
best Tor me. Nan, man." he tuEEed
Valnly at the surgeons arms, don't
you know that you are committing
murder IL you let me der"
Wilbraham Bpurned him with his
foot "You abjset foolI" he said
Thought Only Of HIs wife.
Even then Moncrisf did not under
stand. His brain had so thorough
ly absorbed the idea Of the impL-
nencs of death that beyond this hs
could see nothing. Had he been IN
normal state OF mind, he must
have wondered At the absence Of
pain, At the cessation OF his spasma.
at his strength and vitality. He
noticed nothing OF these. He still
felt that he was doomed to die un-
less WilbrAhAm chose to spars him.
and on his knees he begEed and
prayed for mercy.
II was q long willis before the
surgeon paid any heed to him.
Spencer wilbraham had forgotten
his revenge and thought no more
OF the curious scientific experiment
which he had combined with II.
The agent Aoncrief had for the
moment passed out OF his ken. His
thoughts were with his wife, and
his strong frame shook with an
agony OF SobB GS he realized that
for years he had wronRed her in
his mind, and that in very truth
he had murdered the woman who
had never been false TO him, who
had struggled to support herself
because his own income was small,
who had lied even to the bitter
end for fear OF hurting him, who
had loved him truly and devotedly.
His pain was intense as that OF the
man who grOveled at his feet.
SForEiVs Me-" He Moaned.
Z killed her" he Eroaned. "Gnd
she knew that killed her. Oh,
Clementine, my love, my wife, for
give me-for l shall never forgive
myself"
1t had been his wish to break
his enemy, but IN the effort he had
broken himself
And 50 the tragedy reached its
climax. A man in the throes Of
imaginary suffering alternately
prayed, muttering words which had
long been strange to his lips, and
blasphemed, writhsd in dread of a
painful death, and begged for
mercy at the feet OF a man whose
suffering, albeit mental was all too
zeal