The Washington herald., 1920-01-31
= Helene 5 NAMED Life
VI-Eerie Laughter by the Roadside
By May Christie
tcopyrisht. 1890. by The Mcclure News

OF all the experiences of my
eventfui life. none was more thrill
ing than that lonely vigil by the
roadside. with my injured husbands
head upon my knee!
In the first. wild. pulsing moment
I could scarcely believe that It was
Jimmy Jim!
But the moon shone down upon
US. Illuminating his features till
they stood out like q ciean-cut
cameo. And the nne dark eyes-fx-
! ed all unseeingly upon me-beiong-
cd to no one else but Jim.
( It's I-Heiene - here with you.
sweetheart couldn't keep the
foolish term Of endearment back. I
pressed my hand tight against his
poor forehead. From underneath
the bandage q little stream Of red
was trickiing. Oh. would help never
come?
Jim stared at me. And with a
queer contraction Of the heart. l
realized he didn't know me! He
moaned. as though in pain.
Jim! You'll soon be better! Is
It the head that hurtsT' I bent
down over him. the old love sweep
ing through it's bonds. "Jim-dear-
sst-speak to me"
The dark eyes closed. and the
Sood-looking young face fell into
lines of pain. His suffering wrung
my heart.
my sweetheart" An immensely
! protective feeling came to me. l
crooned over Jim as though he were
q little boy. and I his mother. sup
pose in every woman's love there Is
something brooding. maternal-Jim
| was 20 helpless lying there!
About us sighed the gloomy pine
trees, dark and uncanny. The slant OF
| moonlight ON the road that silhou-
I cited Jim and me SO sharply. left
all the underground in darkness.
Oh, how still 1t was.I
Jim's hand began to grope, much
as frightened little boys. !
caught 1t in my own, and held 1t
close. His fingers frightened round
my hand. His moaning stopped.
! In some miraculous way my touch
had soothed him.
Hes mine-all mine."'I told my
| self repeatedly. The wretched af-
fair with Alice Anstruther had only
| been a nightmare! Jim hadn't
| really cared for her-the empty
| headed little vampire! Alice had
only cast temporary spell. Jim
% hfa uVifaf Y
Alice's insipidity-could never hold
a man. Much less a man of my
Jim's' calibrel Jim was SO clever.
witty, sensible. And Alice hadn't
got q thing to recommend her ex-
cept her doll-like prettiness.
Helene" The word came very
feebly from the injured man. But II
sounded like the sweetest music in
my ears. Helene"
"Yes, sweetheart" I pressed my
lips against his cheek What Is it.
| dearest?"
ffis voice trailed off into silence.
He had drifted back into unconscious
| ness.
There was q sudden rustling In the
| undergrowth across the road. A
cracking as of twigs and shrubs.
Then an eerie quietness
strained my eyes to see.
1t seemed to me as though from out
the bushes hostile eyes were watch
| ing me!
Frightened. I turned to Jim. who
was lying helpless. with his head upon
my lap.
"Jim! Sweetheart! Jim!" Ny voice
had terror in 1t.
Then suddenly from across the road.
came peal after peal of dreadful
laughter. The very memory Of 1t
makes me shiver. The tones were
human, but never before or since have
/ heard anything more sinister, more
cruel!
/ started up in terror. as wild,
white face was thrust out from the
bushes. Whether man or woman.
maniac or fiend. couldn't tell. But
my very blood ran cold.
Then, just as suddenly as 1t had
come. that wild face disappeared. And
I-trembling in every limb-clutched
tight to Jim.
1t seemed like an eternity - al
thought 1t couldn't have been more