The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-01-11

| rested her cheek against my hand.
Her sobs were louder now.
''Of course won't leave you,"
said, in. comforting tone.
''Oh, don't leave me-" she said again.
Nov, try and pull yourself to-
gether," I remarked. TITS no use
crying" At this her sobs increased
so as to become almost screams; !
realized what a foolish thing I had
said. I did not know what to do. I
couldn't stay indefinitely to be dis
covered by the servants perhaps. So
used a heroic remedy. Freeing my
hand by violent effort, I seized her
by the shoulders and forced her to
her feet, shaking her vigorously two
or three times. She gave me a moan,
a gasp, and suddenly her tears stopped.
She was staring at me with open
eyes, her mouth still convulsed, but
silent.
Now" said, "quick. You've no
time to waste. What happened?"
She seemed to find speech difficult.
but she tried: ''I can't tell you. . -
"Oh, nonsense!' I spoke harshly
on purpose. It's no use trying to
hide. I've just been through that
room and I found your husband. at
least I suppose it's your husband.
Don't begin crying again, -
said angrily, as her mouth opened.
IT'S your only chance. Tell me
what happened. You shot him, didn't
ou?"
yes" I caught the whisper.
We'll now, what's to be done?"
She was rapidly becoming com
posed: There's nothing to be done
except send for the police"
at suppose I ought to- I said
But I don't want to if can help it.
Oh. whatever made you do this?"
She was not listening to me, for
she replied: rs he dead?"
Eyes. he's dead" I told her. ST
looked. But, blythe way, you haven't
asked me what I'm doing here" She
shrugged her shoulders. Yes. I
agree with you; it doesn't matter. ]
was passing outside; I heard a shot,
and I came in"
well. you'd better send for the
police"
why should II" I looked at her
more carefully. Instinctively, she
had wiped her face; no doubt it was
der beauty which inclined me to
mercy. I realized that when all was
well with her, this woman would
show most beautiful features. The
rough, rudy hair hung in tangled
locks, as if it had been raveled out
of its plaits. for a green bow hung
at the end of a strand Of hair. 1t
Grew low upon the white brow,
where 1t made seven beautiful points
of bright bronze. Under cleaning
golden eyebrows, large green eyes
were looking at me piteously, and a
very red mouth trembled. Look
here" I said, Suppose I'd passed
your house five minutes later, l
shouldn't have come in. Then you
could have escaped. Now, look hero,
get your clothes on, and go as quick
as you can otherwise you're sure to
be caught. You'll go to prison for
years. Get your clothes on quick BY
the time you're ready I'll be gone"
She seized my arm with her free
hand, having evidently forgotten the
revolver in -he other: Don't go
she whispered. Then, tensely: IF
you go. I'll shoot myself. too"
But but" I said vaguely
Don't go. Yes, I killed him. I
don't care. I couldn't help it. I had
to. It couldn't go on. I couldn't
stand it, she said on a louder note,
which made me fear renewed hyster-
les. But suddenly she grew calm: ''I
don't know who you are and 1 don't
care. 1 don't care about anything. I
don't care If they hang me I
wish they would"
''Of course they won't hang YOU"
Listen. Let me tell you. I want to
tell you. I suppose you think I'm
horrible because I'm a murderess. I
couldn't help It." She released my
arm and sat down heavily in the arm
chair, as If her energy deserted her,
but all through her story her voice
was now audible, though monoto-
nous.
The man you've just seen, who's
dead in there, was my husband. We've
been married for seven years. When
we married 1 was II and he was is. l
didn't want to marry him. I
wanted to marry somebody else
my boy Dick. My mother, well, she
didn't like Dick. You see, we were
what is called nice people, and Dick
was third mate on a ship in the mer-
chant service. Mother said he wasn't
the right class for me. They
wouldn't let me marry him. He was
1u L,n
Oh, was bad, bad"
She stopped, and 1 said: "FIow do
you mean, bad?'
Oh, ought to have stuck to him.
L promised him. l told him I'd wait.
But they wanted me to marry
the man L married. He was rich, very
rich, and we were so poor. Oh. I
ought to have stuck to him, my boy
DICK but they were too strong for
me. L couldn't. I was only IT. oh,
you do understand, don't you? |
couldn't They were too strong"
Yes" l said. 81 understand. Go
on"
Well" she went on. at married
him. couldn't help it. Seven wears
ago. He wasn't unl1ind to me at first
lie said he loved me, and 1 suppose
ne did. And l tried to love him, too
l did my best; 1 swear to you I did
my best. But 1 couldn't 1 was al.
ways thinking of my boy Dick, far
away, and the dreadful letter he wrote
me when he heard that I'd married
He was right, but 1t hurt me dread.
fully. For a year or two things went
well enough. 4 was very wretched
hut didn't chnrr L. AID -. -.