Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1923-10-12

oCllC. w ICIIli dh llSlI hNAC III
this house, with my wife an Miss
Hammond as witnesses, We'll draw up
a partnership. Go find him, Bill. l
want to show him this gold, show him
how Danny Mains pays! An the only
bitter drop in my cup today is that I
can't eyer pay Monty Price,"
Madeline watched the huge Stillwell
and the little cowboy, both talking
wildly, as they walked off arm in arm
to find Stewart She imagined some
thing of what Danny's disappointment
would be, Of the elder mans conster-
nation and grief, when he learned
Stewart had left for the border. At
this juncture she looked up to see
strange, yet familiar figure approach
ing. Padre Marcos!
Mention of Padre Marcos, sight or
him, had always occasioned Madeline
a little indefinable shock; and now, as
he stepped to the porch, a shrunken,
stopped, and sad-faced man, she was
startled.
The padre bowed low to her.
"Senora, will you grant me audi
ence? 1t is a matter of great moment
which you might not care to have any
one hear"
Wonderingly Madeline inclined her
head. The padre gently closed one
door and then the others.
"Senora, l have come to disclose a
secret-my own sinfulness in keeping
it-and to implore your pardon Do
you remember that night Senor Stew
art dragged me before you in the
waiting-room at Ell Cajon"
'Yes," replied Madeline.
"Senora, since that night you have
been Senor Stewards wife!"
| Madeline became as motionless as
stone. She seemed to feel nothing,
only to hear.
"You are Senor Stewards wife. I
have kept the secret under fear Of
DEATH But I could keep 1t no longer.
Senior Stewart may kill me now. All,
Sonora, it Is very strange to you. You
were so frightened that night, you
knew not what happened. Senior
! Stewart threatened me. He forced
you He made me speak the service
He made you speak the Spanish yes.
And I, Sonora, knowing the deeds Of
these sinful cowboys, fearing worse
than disgrace to one so beautiful and
so good as you, I could not do less
than marry you truly. At least you
should be his wife. SO I married you,
truly, in the service of my church."
"My God" cried Madeline, rising.
"Hear me! I implore you, Sonora,
| hear me out! Do not leave me! Do
not look $3.50 All, Sonora, let me
speak a word for Senor Stewart. He
was drunk that night. He did not
know what he was about. In the
morning he came to me, made me
swear by my cross that 1 would not
reveal the disgrace he had put upon
you IF I did he would kill me. Life
is nothing to the American vaquero,
Sonora. I promised to respect his
command but I did not tell him you
were his wife He did not dream
had truly married you. He went to
fight for the freedom of my country
Sonora, he Is one splendid soldier
and I brooded over the sin of my Sc
cret. If he were killed / need never
| tell you. But if he lived I knew that
1 must some day.
"SenOra, 1 pray you, do not misun-
derstand my mission. Beyond my con-
fession to you have only duty to
| tell you of the man whose wife you
are But I am priest and l can read
| the soul. The ways of God are in
scrutable. I am only humble instru-
ment. You are a noble woman, and
Senor Stewart is man of desert iron
| forged anew in the crucible Of love.
| Quien sabe? Senor Stewart SwOre he
would kill me If l betrayed him. But
| he will not lift his hand against me.
For the man bears you a very great
and pure love, and it has changed him.
To love you above the spirit of the
| flesh; to know you are his wife, his,
never to be another's except by his
glory of JOY and pride; to stand, while
| he might, between you ana evil; TO
find his happiness in service; to wait,
with never a dream of telling you, for
| the hour to come when to leave you
| free he must go out and get himself
shot Sonora, that Is beautiful, it Is
| sublime, it is terrible. 1t has brought
me to you with my confession. SO |
beseech you in my humble office as
priest, as a lover Of mankind, before
you send Stewart to his death, to be
sure there is here no mysterious dis
pensation of God. I pray you, Sonora,
before you let Stewart give you free
| dom at such cost be sure you do not
want his love, lest you cast away
something sweet and ennobling which
you yourself have created"
CHAPTER XXI