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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1886)
THE WEST SHORE. 127 During Christmas week he was summoned to a oon snltation in a distant town. He would be dotainod for two days. .Toe Brainerd came to stay with hi mnthor TTheu the minute of departure came he wont t sny jood-bye to his wife. It was a ceremony he never on.itted. Sometimes she mot him with a blow, sometimes ith sullen silence. To-day she lookrnl up wit.h miiu-Hliing of the old childish smile ou her lips, mul, to hi amazement, put her arms nhout his neck nud kiw-.d him. -i.iie way it did not reassure him. As the traiu r.J!d away through the darkoning aftornoon, a sense of duugw grew upon him more and more. It impressed him like the positive knowledge of an impending oates tTophe. At last he oould endure it no longer; by the time the trl. had reached the junction his resolve was taken. Ill consultation might go. A cross-country train would land him within five miles of homo. If there was no conveyance there it was a lonely littlo ptao ha would have the distance to walk ovor these horrible road No matter. Anything was better than Uii. It vita nearly midnight when, as ho had expected, ho wt on' i lonely walk. A winter thunder storm had o mo ou, ami the night was black as pitch. A mile from tlie eUtion h heard approaching wheok , There was ii ithing unusual in that, but it brought his heart into Vi throat He took his stand by the roadway and kHJ. The carriage came on slowly, floundering M.k ouh the mud-clogged road. In tL ret flash of lightning ho thought the faces of the ocwonutriwererevealedtohim. Without a second's ciwidiTrttion he sprang at the horses' heads and had the aUttUl animals by the bits. An oath camo from t tie driv. r, ai. l the whip fell in a stinging blow upon the plunging horses. Hall kept his hold. He was a man of unoHuid strength in his unoxoitod minutes; now he bad the rve of desperation. They dragged him U whm l:v lit under thoir hoofs but he did not lose his giKm and at length he was on his feet again. An other ilat-U ttust have showed his face; there was a smothered hi., lek, and then a pistol ball stung his shoul der nhnrply. " You hive not killed me, John 8tacy, but by hoavon, Not a word was spoken. Alioo sat motionless in her corner. When he reached his house do one was stir ring. Hor uuuie had not been disoovored There was a wretehod scene next day. For ouoe Hall broke over his stern resolve of silence. "What am I to do, Alice? This is twice that I have saved you. How many times must I, can I, stand between you and ruin ? " " Ruiu I," with a cold rage in her voice. " What right have you to talk of that to me ? I never belonged to you. I was married to John Btocy three months be fore I ever saw you. ' Hall turned away without a word Ho weut straight to her mother and told her. "Is it true?" Mrs. Brainord wrung her hand. " I don't know nolaaly know. Hhfl was sway with him throe days once." " And that was the girl that you gave mo for a wife." That was all ho said. Ho wont straight to his ofllue and lockod the door. All that afternoon there was utter silence within. Mrs, ltraiimrd came and weut anxiously. Once she knocked timidly, but no answer came and she went away again. It she oould have en terod the darkened, tireless 'room, she would have found tho doctor outstretched on the floor, like a womau -sobbing, too, as a few women do sob. In all those weary weeks and months ho had rigidly shot out all voluntary thought of those weeks beside tho sea. It had not Wn so difficult as it might seem, llody ami brain bad both boon taxed to tho uttermost with stern present neoeasi. tios. Uut now it came Iuo on mm uie pure-iaonu woman that had crossed his path, that might have been so much to him. . And this other ? In tho eyes of (Jod and man she had no claim on him. Hut if ho let her go out of hie keeping, what would become of hor ? Hlio had U put into his hand. lu th eyes of man ho was fro In his own eyes -In tho eyes of the Tower alove ail That was tho way it ended, matter by what train of thought he wrought out tho problem. lie went over it .....in .n.l min. and tho evening found him worn out with the struggle, but seeing no wsy but this. Not his won prove unh.ua vou h-hve that carriacre in one minute, I will kill .. ,.ni. n,Ki. ,U(i vt n his care while she lived. . " " """ ! ' . ... i . I He would stand between Mr ami iuo sname . ing she was struggling toward, it was hardly ikely that Stacy would renew the attempt If he did he ild oonfront him with her amiomeim n v. it-ft sudden sense of relief sot M nean ki bounding, and then it sunk again jusi as su.mm .7. . could not believe her. . There was nothing to do U to face his duty, and his duty set him as guardian over ur physical well Wing at least Half the night the dx-Wi st- went W'k and forth. There was stillness again. When Joe Nralnerd, nlarmMd at tho eil.uee, forced tho door i.xt morning, he Uy aslp on tJ.. lounge. II was a .Up that proved you. The doctor's Toioe was very steady. The horses were sUn.ling in comparative quiet and John Stacy did . what wan, pr!iaps, the wisest thing, under tho circum sU'ioen dismounted at once. - Vou idiot" Hall half whispered, "don't yon know that you are r inning away with an insane woman ?" Words and tone carried conviction. The guilty man Ud tewildored and holploss. Hall took his vacated pbioe, and left him standing. "You will find your team at Lewis stable to-morrow," Hall said, with perfect comixwuro, as ho turned back on the road they had just traveled.