Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1921-03-17


voice, looking down at her plate:
Il am glad to be with you, Mario"
1t was true: in spite of everything
she was strangely glad. But it was
wrong of her to say so. .
II myself slept till noon," he volun-
teered. "Then l waited and waited
for you to wake up, but you were
sleeping like child, you never stirred;
one had not the heart to disturb you.
Then, when it got so late, and l could
no longer put off going down into the
valley, gave Martha instructions not
to leave your bedside till l returned
or you awakened"
She wondered: "Why?"
II was afraid, I dared not leave
anything to chance. One could not
fOretell in what condition you would
wake up. If anything had happened
l think another disappearance
would have driven me insanew
She avoided his eyes, and asked,
rather mechanically, more to say
something than out Of desire to know:
"Why did you have to go down into
the valley?"
''To telegraph New York and call off
the detectives l had employed to look
for you Also to tell the villagers you
were safely found, and thank them.
They were most kind, those good peo-
pie; fully half a hundred of them
stayed up all night with me, while we
searched the woods; and though many
had not had wink of sleep, they
were still searching yesterday after
noon when I despaired and determined
to seek you in New York"
Thus reminded of the sad futility of
that search, she was too deeply dis
turbed to wonder why he could not
have teephonGd to the village.
The japanese served their coffee in
the living room. 1t was now quite
dark, and the air though sweet was
keen. The fire was burning but the
windows and door were not closed
and the family acrid smell of wood
smoke blended pleasantly with the
pungent perfume of the pines.
Mario placed an easy chair for
Priscilla, made it easier with cuSh-
ions for her back and head, offered
her cigarettes-and showed surprise
when she refused them-lighted one
for himself and threw it away half
smoked, and knelt down beside her
chair resting his elbows on it's arm
and capturing one of her hands.
She tried to steel herself against
the weakness of the flesh, the protests
of her affections, the excavation of her
Sympathies, reminding herself she
must be cruel to be kind. But it was
terribly hard to hurt him as she must.
1t wasn't as if she didn't care
The mere contact of his hand thrilled
her heart to faster tempo quickening
breath and pulses, affected all her be-
ing with tremOrs Of fear and glad
ness, made her infirm and weak of
purpose. She had for him only a
pathetic apology for a smile, forlorn
| little shake of her head.
A deeper concern Swallowed his face.
He asked tenderly: "What is it, dear?
You must tell me
cts going to be so hard" she said
reluctantly, "to say what l must. l
can't think how to begin, except in
the bluntest way"
"Do not be afraid. Tell me frankly
how have failed you, in what respect
l have fallen short"
"But you haven'tw
"Then what it was I did to make
you run away from me-"
I'm sure you could have done moth
ing"
still, you ran away!"
"No-I didn't"
He demonstrated sharply: Leo
nora I"
I'm not" she declared desperately
FIN not Leonora."
what"
81 am not your wife, Mario"
zone moment ClOuded with
doubt, his eyes challenged the candor
Of hers, but found it fiawless. At
loss-"What are you saying?" he NUT
tered.
'The truth" she affirmed. "Oh, I'm
sorry. Mario, so sorry"
"But don't understand ;"
She sat up, closing his hand within
her own.
I'm so sorry" she iterated-"but
must tell you can't avoid telling you ::
| LeOnOra Is dead"
He disengaged his hand and stood
up sharply.
"LeOnora ~
as dead. She was killed day be-
fore yesterday"
"Are you out of your mind? Or am
II"
please listen-don't make it any
| harder than it is. Carnehan murdered
Leonora while you were away, in town.
You see, he wasn't killed in the fire.
after all-he's alive. The identified
ton of the body as his was mistake
or ruse to further his escape.
saw him last night. He was in that
| place"
81 know Carnehan is not dead. Put
what Is this nonsense you are trying