The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1920-09-09
THE SHADOW
BY ALVAH JORDAN GARTH


started to her feet suddenly and
stared, rigid as if spellbound.
She was only thirty-siX, but looked
many years older. Hers had been a
sad fate. Married to a man whose
unworthineSs she learned too late,
love replaced by tie NEST horrifying
dread, she had fed from him as from
pestilence and for nearly a year
under an assumed name had been
practically in hiding
Since then she had gladly relievedly
harbOred a companion, her only near
relative, half-niece, Alice Barston,
who was with her now. A fair, gem
tle-faced girl of nineteen, she was
deeply stirred as she noted the UNI
usual agitation manifested. To Mrs.
Gaines she owed her education. For
five years until she was equipped to
face the world for herself, she, an
orphan had been supported by her
generous, loving relative. She had re-
ceiyed by that time thorough training
which enabled her to earn fair in.
come as a pen and ink artist.
John Gaines had squandered all of
the means of his wife, lie dominated
her by inspiring terror. 1t was when
he had tried to influence her to bring
a suit based on forgery and fraud,
which he had conceived against the
estate of an uncle and which would
rob three mOtherless children of their
all, that she had rcbelled. Determined
to forever escape the viIIainies of the
husband she had learned to abhor,
Mrs. Gaines had sought out Alice for
shelter and sympathy. The true,
brave-hearted girl had not wavered as
to the sacrifices of duty and love.
She planned a safe course for her
relative and gave up her position, and
even the man she loved to devote all
her energies toward protecting the
person who had done so much for her.
They had stolen away together to
another city and had found a refuge
in a small suite of rooms in an OBJ
scure building. Alice secured work
she could do at home and Mrs. Gaines
took in occasional sewing to make
ends meet. Peace and certain degree
Of happiness came in time to the for
l0rn wife, while Alice experienced the
pleasures of duties nobly met and exc.
cuted
Look see oh, Alice, the shadow"
cried Mrs. Gaines, staring out of the
window and across narrow court
The room not twelve feet distant fac
ing their own had its window shade
drawn, but silhouetted across it by
the interior lights was the figure and
face of Il man in shadow. The profile
was perfectly distinct.
at is he,b painted the affrlghted
Mrs. Gaines. "Oh, there can be no
mistake, Only yesterday l fancied
| saw him on the street. That profile,
the extending chin, the protrudlng
brow 1t is he-my husband"
"Oh, it cannot be-" replied Alice.
"How should he trace you here, and
why should he?"
ITO attempt to make me an instrus
ment to his crimes. See, he has lifted
one edge of the shade and Is peering
this way. All now | am sure. He is
making certain Of his prey before he
sweeps down upon us. Alice, l shall
die if he comes here. We must fly to
the furthest ends Of the earth If
need be, but we two must never meet
again face to face
Alice was now persuaded that Mrs.
Gaines was suffering under no de-
fusion. She acted promptly and ener-
getically, They diligently occupied
themselves packing their belongings in
two sultcases, stole from the house
like guilty fugitlycs by a rear exit,
secured taxi and within a few hours
were sequestered in new home in
remote portion Of the great me-
tropolis.
The old fear had returned to the
nerve-racked Mrs. Gaines, and Alice
rarely left the neighborhood except
when deeply yelled, or after dusk.
Neither could feel the security of es-
Gaping the menace that threatened,
One evening Alice came face to face
with her old-time lover, Barton Grey,
as she was purchasing some goods in
store
How he pleaded to know why she
had so cruelty given him up. And
then clearly Alice told him Of the
self-accepted responsibility she had
assumed, and insisted that while her
oId-time benefactress lived in poverty
and trouble she could not, would not,
leave her.
"And your nobIeucss Of soul makes
me love you ten times more than
ever" declared the loyal Grey. you
need friends, a protector. Let me
know where ! may find You, and this
prosecuted lady, Mrs Gaines, and help
you in devising Il way to safely out
wit and defy this rccreant husband"
Alice was persuaded TO give Grey
her address, though no encouragement
as to his love suit She hurried home
to face a mighty surprise. Seated IN
the same room with Mrs. Gaines was
a man who exactly resembled the
shadow profile that had driven them
into flight.
"Thls Is a brother of my husband,
Alice introduced Mrs. Gaines, "and
he has been seeking me to tell me that
John Gaines is dead and that he feels
IL his duty to atone for his neglect by
placing me beyond the fear of want"
And when Barton Grey called next