Evening journal., 1922-06-01
o971 hs LcuiA Jossph van1.

fed and shriven her conscience wit
the belief that theye were of on
mind, It must and would be ReD
first.
Now Reno no longer held fort
any promise of salvation, Of tn
laws sanction, the church's counte
nance. Today and henceforward 1
must be all for love or
nothing a break final AM
irreparable
And for all the shock she had suf
fered, for all the wrong Lynn had
done and the pain OF which his Ill
faith had been the cause. the love
she had given the man still wa'
dear, dangerously sweet and dis
arming. Already she was aware oi
anxiety 60 grasp at excuses for him
10 comfort the ache in her heart
with the thought that she was ac-
cording charity TO a dear transgres-
sor, already she felt her strength to
resist being sapped flesh and spirit
succumbing anew to the spell he
knew too well how TO weave.
The scales hung long in trem-
bling. They turned only when Sum-
merlad. unwisely, losing patience.
sought 10 take by storm the lips she
had not yet made up her mind to
surrender. and thus aroused resist
ance till then dormant.
With an ease that in a queer. de-
tached way she found surprising,
she managed to break his embrace
!. IL L. e. -
She faltered to the fireplace and
rested hand on the mantel, her
forehead upon the hand. Lynn fol-
lowed. stood by her side. over and
over he murmured gently: Linda,
Linda, Linda " Shaking from
head to foot. she made a feeble sign
OF appeal. He disregarded this en-
tirely. his arms again stole round
her and would have drawn her TO
him but that, OF sudden, her mind.
caught at a straw of memory, she
drew away, with a hand upon his
bosom put him firmly from her eyes
that were melting none the less
denying him, lips that were a-quiver
with "Yes" resolutely pronouncing
"Nol"
you are cruel d. ,. :"
mo, Lynn. Wait. Tell me some
thing You say she-your wife
agreed to divorce you?"
Il made her promise" Summerlad
asserted grimiy.
"when was that? The day she
disappeared? The day / found her
lying senseless in her room2"
"I suppose so. Well. then-yes."
Did you have much OF scene?"
"I'll say It was some stormy young
session."
"Is that why you found 1t neces-
sary to strike her?"
Summerlad started. what" Strike
heri What do you mean?'
But his eyes WINGED from her I'M
Fortunate regard.
''She-Nelly had a bruise on her
cheek, that afternoon; and It wasn't
an old bruise. Lynn you struck
heri"
Perhaps. Maybe / did forget my
self 1 don't remember What II
did? She asked for 1t. didn't she?
I'd have half killed her II she'd
stuck to her refusal to go back |
easti"
Realizing that his tongue was
again running away with his discre-
ton. he curbed it sharply.
She started back in repulsion. but
he overlook her in the middle OF the
room and again crushed her 70 him.
Linda, Lindal what do these
things matter? love you. dearest,
YOU love me, nothing else matters.
For Gods sake be kind to me! let's
forget"
The fury OF her antagonism found
nim unprepared. Once more his
arms were empty. And this time
xhen he started in pursuit, some
hing he couldn't see struck him
,rutally in the chest and threw him
,ack. In the same instant he heard
heavy. crashing noice he couldn't
lccount for. An inhuman sound. 1t
hook the room. beat deafeningly
lpon ones ears. AS II someone had
verturned a heavy piece OF furni-
ure. only no one had. Certainly he
adn't. certainly Lucinda hadn't. she
ras fattened against the farther
vail. watching him with a face OF
orror. blanched and gaping.
Enraged, he put forth all his
trength TO recover from that mex J
iicable blow. And instantly II was
epeated. And again. Each time ac- Il
ompanied by that savage, crashing
Ioise. Like thunder cut off short. :
md each time he reeled under the !
impact, and sickening pains shot Il
through him, like knives white-hot.
lie felt himself sinking.
In expiring flashes OF consciousness
ne saw Lucinda. still fiat against the
wall. staring not at him hut at a
French window nearby. Between its .
curtains a woman's arm was thrust, I,
the hand grasping an automatic pis- !
tol with muzzle family fuming.
There was face Of shadowed pal s
Tor dinly visible beyond the cur {
tains. a face with wild, exultant eyes I
Nelly's
XXI
To the woman pinned TO the wall /
,v shock the moments Immediately ;
following that murdcrous fusillade
we're a. raving welter of horrors.
Between two heartbeats she saw
VIM. with a face as blank as paper.
mining. toppling, beating the air
18th ainl1ess arms. pitching TO the
oor like something blasted, resting
lere in a sickening. inert crumple;
nd was keenly aware of the acrid
,ek Of smokeless powder cutting. as
id cuts oil, the sensuous scent of
e roses that dressed the room in
n honor; and all the while was
nscious of the pistol nosing in be-
zen the draperies Ike an animate
ing of infinite malice, and the