El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-09-01
4 Serial OF East and West.
The PLOtterS =. By J g5@ J. I Ts.sr"'
5anuuuuuHHaCc runzuuuHrHu
Elizabeth Receives Her First Love Letter From John
Butler, Who Has No Word of Self Pity
CONTINUED from saturday, Herald.I

ELIZABETH WADE went into her
Il own room. gripping John Buffers
letter tightly. Il seemed the one
thing for her to hold fast to.
Some instinct made her turn the
key in the door behind her. She could
not endure the possibility OF any ones
intruding on her privacy. Then she
sat down and with trembling hands
tore open the envelope she held.
Ny darling" she read.
Her first love letter! AS a girl she
had dreamed Of a man who would
some day write her ike this
In her dazed condition she had al
most forgotten her anxiety and fear.
Now both rushed back upon her like
mighty forces as she read what her
lover had TO tell
He was being detained pending fur
Their investigation into the death Of
Amos Chaplin That was the way he
put il To the gil the sentence meant
but one thing
John was accused Of murder He
would be tried, perhaps found guilty
by q group Of men who knew nothing
about him. He might even be
She started 70 her feet in an agony
Of terror. Then, with a sharp self
reprimand. she sat down again
For bis sake must keep sane,
She muttered.
For his sake.
Slowly she read the closely written
pages. Investigation OF the course
the bullet had taken showed that the
wound could not have been self in
flicted. at least, that was what the
coroner's jury decided
I'VE know they are wrong" John
wrote. and truth must conquer
eventually. Chaplin shot himself
90 not know whether this was acct
dental or not. 1t may have been that
he was crazed By rage; perhaps he
took up the pistol with the idea OF
self defense, and in his agitation
pulled the trigger
yet it is strange that 1 do not
remember seeing him touch the thing
as he came toward me Perhaps /.
TOO. was SO much excited that il es-
myself for his attack. and thinking
that I must not strike an elderly man,
even in self defense.
Then there was a binding flash
and he fell In falling he must have
flung the pistol upon the table again.
II all is like an awful dream to me
! know ny explanation sounds insane
and ridiculous Il viii sound so to
the Jurors who viii try my case.
You and Mrs Chaplin viii be called
as witnesses. OF course ] wish I
could spare you all this. my darling.
Ny fear Is not for myself but for
you-fear that this shock will make
you III, fear that you are wretchedly
unhappy. am thankful your brother
Is coming. You must do just what he
tells you to do
Meanwhile there are the countless
delays OF the law You have heard
Of them So have I 1 have spoken
lightly. jestingly OF them shall
never do SO again
do not worry about me, dearest.
], am comfortable here in this little
country jau- Later. OF course. I dc
not know. and I must be patient and
await Developments. I viii try TO
write you regularly
No Self Pity.
Write TO me II you can, please dear
I viii not tell the man who takes
this to wait for an answer"
Then there followed repetitions OF
his love for her and his regret at
what he was causing her 10 suffer
his desire that she try TO be happy
in spite Of all that had happened.
Not q word Of self pity. Not a
word Of his fear for himself And his
life was in danger
Elizabeth sat mouonless for some
time She felt unable TO make any
mus ular effort At last she dragged
herself TO her feet Her limbs were
numb. her brain -dazed- But he must
this man. who depended upon her
love.
Seating herself at the table. she
took q sheet o. paper out Of the
drawer and, with unsteady fingers,
scrubbed q few lines.
There was such a blur before her
eyes that she could scarcely see, John
must not suspect this
Darling" she wrote
CThis term Of endearment came
naturally from her pen 1t was as Il
she and John had been married for
years-she took her love and his 30
entirely as a matter Of course.)
I am sending you just this little
note was out when your mes
sengef came. and as I have kept him
waiting so long. I must let him re-
turn 10 you soon
I an loving you better and trust
ing you more all the tine. 7 am sure
every thing viii come out right II
must II viii You and ! must stay
our souls upon this belief.
ELIZABETH"
still acting a part" she muttered: I
pretending not 10 be afraid when I
an"
Unlocking her door, she went on
downstairs The man who had
brought Johns letter was on the
side porch. Mrs. Miller had said. Eliz-
abeth felt she could not face him.