Omaha daily bee., 1922-01-13

Wheeler. Hut, ss sh- IL ssoat to
leave the hem~. which is e~t~r No.
thnrd's. The publisher reiurns. Learn
ing Of her plight. and threatening
her with arrest otherwise. he PER-
-uaJrs >iueit~ Ia let him accompany
her home with some things for
Wheeler, New so on with the ster,,
CHAPTER VII.
The Shadow Of Death.
Things Tor Josh!P she said
hlsnkly.
"Yes. por, vino and stuff.
don't know what there is in .hc
house. but you can come along aud
See.''
lie led the way across the hall
and she followed; she was dumb
with sheer amazcment; she could
only stand by as in a dream as he
iansaeked the well-iilled larder and
packed a basket
A cold fowl and a jelly, two bot.
ties of port and some grapes.
"Oh. have you always got things
like this in the house?" she asked al
last with a gasp.
Nothard looked amused.
Il suppose so" he admitted. 81
DON'T believe I've ever been in the
pantry before"
They went back to the study, and
few minutes later taxi drove up
10 the door. Ninctte was watching
Nothard now with fascinated eyes;
the dreamlike feeling was beginning
TO wear off and she realized that this
wonderful happening was all true
She was going home in taxi, and
he was going with her; they were
taking all sorts of delicate food FOR
Josh, and now he would soon get
well, and be able to go about again;
she was all cagcrncss to be gone.
When they were driving away she
leaned forward. staring into the
darkness with strained eyes.
Hell wonder where I've been"
she said half to herself. "Oh, do
hope he won't have missed mep
She turned suddenly to the man be-
side her. IS it very late:" she
asked.
about TO-" he answered.
"Then I've been out hours and
hours"
"We shall soon be there now," he
told her.
But it seemed an eternity to MIN
cite. When at last the cab stopped
in the street where they lived she
sprang out and rushed into the
house.
Nothard, following stumbled after
her through the dark, narrow pas
sage and upstairs, carrying the bas-
ke:.
He was amused at himself, though
he knew perfectly well that there
was nothing to be amused at. The
darkness and heavy atmosphere OF
the house oppressed him; somehow
he had never realized that people
had really to live in such surround
ings. His life had been rather a SCI
fish one more from force .of cir
cumstances than any real desire on
iiio pdll " llidhS IL 81.
Beyond married sister he had
no relatives in the world, and did
not want any; he was exceedingly
we'll off, and wrapped up in his busi-
ness; he had never troubled much
about his fellow creatures.
But there was a vague sense of
shame now in his heart as he climbed
the stairs and followed Ninette into
the back bedroom above.
He could hear her moving about
in the darkness, could hear her say:
wait minute while find the
matches"
He heard the spurt of a match on
tie box, and by the flickering candle
light for a moment caught the pale,
anxious silhouette of her face before
She turned swiftly to the bed.
"Joshr'
Nothard put down the basket he
carried and crossed the room softly
till he stood beside her.
He began to say something abou.
Sorry to hear you're i'll, Wheeler"
but the words died in his throat as
Ninette gave strangled cry, Josh!
Josh!'
Nothard caught the candle as it fell
from her hand; his own nerves were
shaken as he shaded the light and
bent over the pinched, sick face on
the pillow.
Ninette need not have feared that
Josh Wheeler would have missed her,
for Josh Wheeler was dead!
There was a moment of tragic
silence, then Northard put the candle
down on the table beside the bed and
touched Ninette's arm.
"Come away" he said hoarsely-
come awayP'
He saw that she had not really
understood what had happened.
though the first glimpse of Wheeler's
pallid face had wrung that strangled
cry from her; she stood there, bend
ing little over him, her hand Oil
his shoulder.
Come away" Northard said again.
She turned then and looked at him
across her shoulder, and suddenly her
eyes dilated and she began to shake
rs she read the shocked compassion
on his face.
Twice her lips moved before she
could frame any words, then she
said in a cracked, difficult voice:
Hes dead, isn't he?"
"Yes." 1t seemed the kindcst
thing to tell her at once, but the
scene he had expected never follow
ed. She gave great shudder and
for an instant shut her eyes.
"Dead-Josh" she whispered with
white lips.
Nothard put an arm around her
and led her away; she came quite
INTERESTINGLY, walking like figure
asleep.
At the doorway he stumbled
against the basket of food he had
brought with him. and an angry
pang OF remorse shot through his
heart, as he realized how little he
had been too late.
This afternoon. when the girl