The Little River news., 1920-11-24
couldn't" she faitered on. My breast was hollow; empty as gray sky.

Ihe laOy can answer that, 1 heard the voice of the-other man sheer.
 '4There was cry, and your father sprang at him. The maids screamed. uncovered my eyes, expecting to look upon death. But the-other man leaped through the window and was gone.
 "Your father put the nHids out of the room and stood over me. I dared not look up. His face-it was ter rible! Once he raised his great arm to strike. I've prayed thousand times he Shad-it would have saved me many dsath.
 "You-! But I'll not speak the name that belongs to you His voice was hard; hoarse: awful And I be- lieved you! There's the windOw-still open! Go. if you want him! I'm through with your
 He strode out at the door and slammed it after him. have never seen him since" The Iron-Gray- Woman shuddered; turned her face toward the strong rocks above the trees. "l remember I took one step after him. l knew nothing more till some time late in the night. when I walked with your crying and found my self lying face down upon the floor. My heart grew hard as quieted you. He probably thought to find me next morning all tears and repentance--for a sin of which I was as innocent as the babe at my breast. would show him that my blood was proud as his. Wrapping you in your cradle clothes. ] muffled a cloak about me and stole from the house: stole Gown to the riv- CT. There l lOosed a skiff. whose. ! never knew, lay down in the stern and set it adrft. There was not star Only the moon looked down out of the dull sky, pale and sickly and trimmed with red; the gray sky my bosom; the s1ckly moon my heart. I rose and tried to row, but faintness came over me and I lay down again in the skiff. "The next l knew I was on rude bed in a hOusebOat miles down the river, with a kindly family of pearl fishers. They told me had been sick for long time. When I grew strong, I sold my jewelry, all but my wedding ring-that I saved for your sake bought this houseboat, and became pearl fisher. You know the rest"
 The Iron-Gray-W fell silent; rocked softly back and forth time or two; allowed the chair to settle still. The man reached an arm around her shoulders and drew her head over upon his breast. The little act of ten derness seemed to touch her deeply. For a long time the tears flowed on while the young man knelt and mar. yelled.
 'eMOther," he said very gently at last, stroking her hair, i've must go back to him.
 He felt her quiver at the word. She sat for long time staring down at the floor.
 "For your sake-we must" she an- swered at length. But not until you are twenty one, or-we find the pearl
 the pearl!" ], SBVt I am twenty-one in June-this JunA-the twentieth: and this is the thirteenth" The man was trembling with an eageness he could not con- ceai. ''The time is so near-his name my fathers name!'
 He searched her wet eyes for the answer. In all his life. ii was the first time the curtain that hid his past had ever raised. It must have been the fever that made Ter speak now. It was no light matter to unlock that door; to probe a wound of twenty years. She trembled up from her chair, her eyes wide and wild.
 "Your father-!" The young man, too, had risen. She clutched his arm. "Your father-r'
 The words seemed to choke her. There came a torrent of coughing: and the man gently eased her back into the chair.
 As he stopped over her. anxious to do something to alleviate her suffer- | ing, yet not knowing what. she raised | her face in gasp for breath. and he | saw blood upon her lips. He snatched | another cup of water and knelt beside | her, but for long time she bumped | forward, her shoulders cupped in and l her arms locked as if trying to hold | back the cough, until she seemed ac- | tually to conquer it by sheer force of | will. Finally she groped with one hand for the cup; supped the cool wa ter, strengthened, and lay back in her | chair. There was no more blood on | her lips, and the man said nothing of | the tiny fieck he had seen there.
 Mother. they're getting worse, these spells. Let me bring the doctor down from the village"
 Her eyes opened; she looked up at l him with feverish quickness.
 five lived twenty years without the world. I'll not go back to it now"
 'But, mother, if we just keep on this way, you'll-you'll"-he hesitated at the next word; finally let 1t fall-"die."
 Die" she seemed to fondle the word. "A small thing-to die!'
 She sat musing as if she found a melancholy comfort in the thought.
 But I shan't die" she continued.