The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1923-11-16
CHAPTER Ix-continued.

| looking at tue teDiedu thcy muue :
Prosper white, caught in the teeth of
honor, his face set to hide its secret,
Betty reading his eyes. his soul.
81 am entirely yours, in your hands"
said Prosper Gael.
Betty shook his arm and let it go,
"You are lying. You love the woman.
DO you think l can't seer"
ut will be a very strange divorce
suit" went on Jasper. "Your lawyers,
Betty, will perhaps prove your case.
My lawyers will certainly prove mine,
and, when we find ourselves free, our
our lovers will then unite in holy
matrimony-rather an original out
come"
"Wlll you go, Prospect" asked
Betty. II was a command.
He saw that, at that moment, his
presence was intolerable to her.
"Of course. If you wish it. Jasper,
you know where to find me, and,
Betty,"-he turned to her with
weary enderness-"forgive me and
make use Of me, If you will, as You
will"
He went out quickly, feeling himself
coward to leave her, knowing that
he would be coward to stay to watch
the anguish of her broken heart and
pride. For an instant he did hesitate
and look back. They were standing
together, calmly, man and wife. What
could he do to help them, he that had
broken their lives?
Betty turned to Jasper, still with
the muff before her mouth, looking at
him above 1t with her wide, childlike,
desperate eyes.
what do you get out. of this, JAS
per? l will go to Woodward. 1 will
never come back to you. Is 1t
revengeT
IF So" said Jasper, at isn't yet
complete. Betty, you have been rash
to pit yourself against me. You must
have known that l would break you
utterly. l will break you, my dear,
and l will have you back, and will be
your master instead of your servant,
and l will love you"
'You must be mad. I'm afraid of
you. PleaSe let me go.
'In moment, when you have
learned what home you have to go to.
This morning l had an interview with
your brother in his office, and he wrote
this letter that 1 have in my pocket
and asked me to give it to you"
Betty laid down her muff, showing
at last the pale and twisted mouth.
Jasper watched her read her brothers
letter, and his eyes were as patient
and observant as the eyes of skillful
doctor who has given a dangerous but
necessary draught.
Betty read the small, sharp, care
full writing, very familiar to her.
II have instructed your maid to
pack your things and to return at once
to your husbands house. He is a
much too merciful man. You have
treated him shamelessly. l can find
no excuse for you. My house is def
nitely closed to you. 1 will send you
no money, allow you no support, coun-
tenance you in no way. This is final.
You have only one course TO return
humbly and with penitence to your
husband, submit yourself to him, and
learn to love and honor and obey him
as he deserves. The evidence OF your
guilt Is incontrovertible l utterly dis |
believe your story against him. 1t is |
part of your sin, and it is easily to be |
explained in the light of my present /
knowledge of your real character. |
Whether you return to Moreno or not, |
l emphatically reassert that 1 will not |
see you or speak to you again. You |
are to my mind a woman of shameless
life, such woman as 1 should feel
justified in turning out of any decent
household.
WOODWARD KANE"
The room turned giddily about
Betty. She saw the whole roaring
city turn about her, and she knew that
there was no home in it for her. She
could go to Prosper Gael, but at what
horrible sacrifice of pride, and, If JAS
per now refused to bring suit. could
she ask this man, who no longer loved
her, to keep her as his mistress? What
could she do? Where could she turn?
How could she keep herself alive?
For the first time, life, stripped of
but its hard and ugly
bones, faced her. She had always
been sheltered, been dependent, been
loved. Once before she had lost cour-
age and had failed to venture beyond
he familiar shelter of custom and con-
vention. Now, she was again most
horribly afraid. Anything was better
han this feeling of being lost. alone
She looked at Jasper. At that moment
he was nothing but a protector,
means of life, and he knew it.
"Will you come home with me now?"
he asked her bitterly.
Betty forced the twisted mouth to
peech. "What else is there for me to
lo?" she said.