The Arvada enterprise., 1923-12-06

lts middle and her eye looked upon
familiar lines
go the two brothers and their mur-
dered man"
Joan's heart fell like a leaien weight
and the color dropped from her fnce.
In an instant she was back IN Pierre's
room and the white night ctrcled her
in great silence and she vas going
over the story Of her love AMI Pierre's
their love, their beautiful. grave.
simple love that had so filled ner life
And now where was shcl In the
house of the man who had killed her
husband, She had been waiting for
HolliweTl. but for a long whhe now
she had forgotten that. Why WAS she
still here? A strange. guilty terror
came with the question. She stared
around the gorgeous little room snug
from the world. so secret in its winter
canyon. She heard Wen Hos iaces-
SAINT patterinE in the kitchen. the
crunch and thud Of Prosper's shovel.
ing outside. It was suddenly nor
rible nightmare. or less q nightma are
than q dream. pleasant In the dream
ing, but hideous to an awakened misd
She was awake. That little hon;e-
stead Of Pierre's! Such q hung .r
opened In her soul that she bent h.r
head and monned. She could think VI
nothing now but those two familias.
bare, clean rsoms-PIerre's gul,
Pierre's rod, her own coat there bJ
the door. tho snowshoes. There was
no place In her mind for the later
tragedy. She had gone hnck Of It.
She would rather he nlone In her OWL
home, desointe though II was. than
anywhere else In all the homeless
world.
And what could prevent her from
going? She laughed aloud-a short.
defiant laugb-rippled to her feet. and
in her room. took of Prosper's pretty
things" and got into her own old
clothes: the coarse underwear. the
heavy stockings and boots. the rough
skirt. the mans shirt How loosely
they all hung. How thin she was!
Now into her coat, her woolen cnp
down over her ears. her gloves-she
was ready. her heart laboring like an
exhausted s:ng's. her knees trembling
her wrists mysteriOusly absent. She
went into the hall. found her snow.
shoes. bent TO tie them on. and.
Strengthening up. met Prosper. who
had come In out Of the snow.
He was glowing from exercise. hut
at sight Of her and her pale excite
ment. the glow left him and his fnce
went bleak md grim. He put out
his hand nnd caught her by the arm
and she backed from him against the
wnll-this before either Of fheu, spoke
"Where are you going. Jonn7'
"T'm a-Ron' home"
Iic let 90 OF her arm. "You were
going like this. without n word 10 mc,"
"Mr Gael" she painted. ~ had n
fcelin' like you wouldn't "a let me go"
He turned. threw open the door and
stepped inside. She confronted his
white anger.
"Mr Gnel. I left Pierre dead I'VE
been n.wnI,ln' for Mr.. iIollIwc.l 10
come I'm strong now. ! must be
n.goin home" suddenly she hlnzed
out: "You killed my man. What hcy
to do with your"
He bowed. Her breast lnborcd md
all tho distress ~ her soul. troubled
by an instructive. lnnrtIculnte con.
scionsncss OF evil. wnvcrcd In her eyes.
Her reason nirendy accused her ~ In.
gratitude and trenchcry. but every fiber
Of her Ind suddenly rcvol,cd. She was
ali for liberty. she must have II.
lie wns' wise. mnde no attempt 10
hold her. let her go: but. ms she Ned
under the f,rs. her webs sinking deep
into the heavy. uncrus'cd snow. he
stood ana watched her keenly. lie had
not failed 70 notice tho trembling of
her body. the quick lift and fall Of her
breast, the rapid flushing and paling
of her face. He let her 60.
And Josn ran. drawing rcckless'y on
the depleted store Of whn' Ind always
been her inexhnnstIble strength. The
snow was deep md soft. hcnvy with
moisture. the March mir wns moist too.
Dot keen with frost, and the green i,r-
we're softly dark agninst m even.
tone.colored sky Of cloud. To Joan's
syes. ~ long Imprisoned. II vas all
1eeaishingly beautiful. clean and