The Redmond spokesman., May 21, 1914, Page PAGE THREE, Image 3

I I . | V | 4
HII'KM D AY, M AY
TD K
The Hollow
# o f Her Hand
bp
George Barr
McCutcheon
A u th o r of ‘C r a u a ta r k .*
iY
“ I V u x to n K in ^ 'c tc .
^
V
'
a
11LUÌTVATI0N5 by MISTAVIM TOkJ
rv/*>vt<niHT IVIv HY
art»' i» r>A»K M *cuTc«m w
'
OOFYKtOKT I'Jlt ITT
M I. A li «
OnMIUktY
thing llial waa her» to kill She r»u i 4
not mourn for him
She could only
||
' I
1 wonder what the poor, hunted, ter-
r■ l in a i ■ *.» I I h h i i i
:.. j r
s . w
creature would do when taken
M rs
W r a n t u l i la « u n i t i
it* i r.
It
and made lo pay for the thing ahe had
|i
I I'li
>
done
• Itu
. tn|.«n . .1 « ran.I i l l I , |!i„
I a iil> a a u u «n l| f .|laa|.|.. a t ■ J la aua
One«. In the courae of her bitter re-
Vt ra n . la II. II app- . i a
,| |. ,| «
'r arili tira ti». Ita)
hla
a lt.
||r i
flection», ahe apt.ke aloud In a ahrtll,
a ll » t a t i » l . « r k ft.r N a a > *>r la In an
ten»« voice, forgetful of the preaenca
i.tltitt « t.IIn.tiHU a ti..a a i..rm
of the man bealde her
SYN D l'nlb
rtn»d
C H APTE R II.
I The Passing of a Night.
»beriff « > • right
riara Wran
taa au ritraordluary aomao, If
lx. permitted to modify bla rath
lil* netlmate of liar It la illfllrult
Ot-rwiand. much l»aa dearrtb» a
a Ilk» bora Fin» mlti<l»d. «»nlljr
• onion who can go through an
I aurh aa ah» »x p »rlrn i«d » lib
’»aklng undor tha atraln am ram
1 They tnuat Im «undorful. It
Id to Imaglno a mom heart hrnak
friaia lii Ilf» than ib » on» which
unted b»r on thla dr»a.lful ulght.
|)i.| ah» faced It »Ith a fortllud»
| tr.-uia altnoat unholjr
p had loved b »r handaome, way-
huaband 11 « had hurt h«r deep-
or« (lm «a than ah» choaa to m
lb»r during th» alt year« of th»lr
fled Ufa. but aba bad loved him
• , 1» " f th » »i.unda up to th» In
I » h»n aha a food b »»ld » bla d»ad
r In tha cold lit 1 1« room at llur-
I Inn Hba » » n t tb »r» luting him
» had llvad. ) » l prepared altnoat
■ »urn. to Ittalb» him aa ho bad
. and ah» l»ft him lying tbara
» in that dmary room without a
rk of tha old affection In h»r aoul
lota for bint dlad In gltlng birth
lh « hatr»d th »’
-»raaad bar
W ill» b» IItoil It «a a not In h»r pow-
ar O control th* unmaaotilng. reals!
laaa thing that atanda for Iota In worn
U
b» »a a b»r lot»r. lh» maatrr of
ha » a >
an
uii
S
' I. • to», unlotrly rl.ul a pallid
ig to b» acorn»d, a hulk of worth
■ clay
Ilia blood »a a cold
11«
lid no longrr warm h«r with It. It
• Id no |ong«r kill th» chill that hla
•d»«da caat about her lander a»nal
an»aa. hla 11 pa and »y»a n »t«r morn
Ibid »m il» and con<|u»r
11» waa a
id thing
lt»r lo t « waa a dead
|l> g
Th»y la separate ai I apart
• tla waa broken
With lo t» dl»d
final »park of map»ct ah» had left
ter him In h»r tired loyal. b»tray»d
art
11 » waa at laat a thing lo b»
■ ptard. » t » n by h»r
She d »»p l»»d
Jm
(Rho aant th» car down tb» alop» and
taa tha miN.nl»«» valley with »mail
gard for her own or h»r compan
jb'a aafely
It swerved from aid» to
Id», »kidded and leaped with terrl-
’Ing suddenness but held It» way » »
ralitlit aa the bird that (Ilea, driven
| a atrady hand and a mind that had
> thought for peril A sober man at
l>r aide would have been afraid, thla
an awayed mildly to and fro and
tiuckled with drunken glee
Her bitter thought» were not of tha
•ad man back them, hot of the lira
M m that »he ••»» to hury with him;
ear» that would never |ui»a beyond
er k«vt, that would never dla. Ha
jd loved her In hla wild, ruthl«aa
My. lie had left her tInina without
lumber In the yearn gone by. but ba
Ad alwaya com« back, gaily unchaa-
. ihm I. to remold lh « lov« that »a iled
Ith dug Ilk» fidelity for the t-jurh of
)la running ha’id
Hut he hud taken
)la laat flight
He would not coma
Dck again It waa all over Once too
fieri lie had tried hla reckleaa »Inga.
!he would not have to forgive him
)galn. Uppermost In her mind wna
be curloual) reatful thought that hla
rouble» were over, and with them her
an. A hand lea» forgiving than her»
ad atrurk him dead
Somehow, »he envied the woman to
(Whom Mini hand belonged.
It had
!.en her divine right to kill, and yet
another took It from her
Mack there at the Inn »he had »aid
the aatonlahed aherlff
"Poor thing. If «lie can eacape pun-
ahment for thla. let It be go I »hall
hot help the law to kill her almply
«cause ahe took It In her own hand»
■o pay that man what »he owed him
I »hall not be the one to »ay that ha
did not deaerve death at her hand»,
whoever the may be No. I »hall offer
no reward
If you catch her, I »hall
be aorry for her. Mr Sheriff Relieve
me, 1 bear her no grudge "
"llut »he robbed him," the aherlff
had cried
"From my point of view, Mr Sher­
iff. that haan't anything to do with th#
r-aae," wna her algnlflcant reply.
"O f courae, I am not defendlnE
him."
"N or am I defending her." ahe had
retorted "It would appear that »he I*
«hie to defend hereelf."
Now. on the cold, tracking» road, ahe
wa« aaylng to heraelf that aha did
have a grudge agalnat the woman
who had deetroyed the life that be­
longed to her. who had killed the
« 0.1 they will aee him now
a» l uave aeen him all the»« yeara.
They will know him aa they have
never known him
Thank Mod for
that'“
l b « man looked kt her atupldly and
muttered eomethtng under bla breath.
She heard him, and recalling b«r wlta,
naked which turn ah« waa to take for
the atatlon
1 * » fellow lopped bark
In tha neat, too drunk to reply
For a moment ahe waa dismayed,
frightened
Then
she
resolutely
reached nut and shook him by the
shoulder
She hail bruugbt the car
to a full atop.
"Arouae youraelf. man!" ahe cried.
"Im you want to freeae to deathf
Where la the station?"
Ha straightened up with aa effort,
and. aftar vainly seeking light lo tha
darkn«»«. fell bark again with a grunt,
but managed to wave hla hand toward
tba left
She took the chance. In
five minutes ahe brought tba car to a
atandatlll bealde the atatlon Through
the window she saw a man with hla
feet cocked high, reading He leaped
lo hla feet In amazement aa ahe en­
tered the waiting room
"A re you the agent?" she demanded.
No. maam
I'm almply staying
here for the aharlff We're looking for
a woman s a y '"
He stopped short
and stared at tba veiled face with
wide excited eyes "Mee whlx! May­
be you—“
"No. I am not tha woman you want.
Do you know anything about tha
tra in e r
"I gueaa Ml telephone to the sheriff
before 1 —“
If you will step outside you will
And one of the sheriffs deputies In my
automobile helplessly Intoxicated
1
am Mr* Wrandall."
"Oh.” he gasped. T heard 'em aay
you were coming up tonight. Well,
aay* What do you think o f—"
' In there a train In before morning?"
"No, ma'am
Seven-forty Is the
firs t"
She waited a moment ‘Then I shall
have lo ask you to come out and get
your fellow deputy
lie la useless to
me 1 mean lo go on In the machine.
The sheriff understands"
The fellow hesitated
"I cannot take him with me, and he
will freete to death If 1 leave him In
the road Will you come?”
The man stared at her
"Hay, la It your huaband?" he
asked agape.
She nodded her head.
"W ell, I'll go out and have a look
at the fellow you've got with you,"
he said, still doubtful
She stood In the door while he
crossed over to the car and peered at
the face of the sleeper.
“ Steve Morley." he said
"Fuller'n
a goat."
'T lea ee remove him from the car,"
»he directed
loiter on. aa he stood looking down
at the Inert figure In the bl* rocking
chair, and panting from hla labors, he
heard her aay patiently:
"And now will you be so good aa to
direct me to the Poet road "
He scratched hla heatt
"Thla la
mighty queer, the whole business." he
declared, assailed by doubts
"Sup­
pose you are not Mr» Wrandall, but
— the other one What then?"
As If In answer to hla question, the
man Morley opened hi» blear-eyea and
tried to get to hla feet
"W hat—what are we doin' here. Ml»'
Wran'all? Wha'a up?"
"Stay where you are, Steve," said
the other "It's all rig h t" Then he
went forth and pointed the wny to
her. "It'» a long way« to Columbus
Circle," he said " I don't envy you the
trip. Keep straight ahead after you
hit the Post road " He stood there
listening until the whir of the motor
was lost In the distance "She'll never
make It," he »aid to hltnaelf. "It's
more than a strong man could do on
roads like these She must be craxy "
Coming to the Post road, she In­
creased the speed of the car, with the
sharp wind behind her. her eyes In
tent on the white stretch that leaped
up In front of the lamps like a blank
wall beyond which there was nothing
hut dense oblivion. Rut for the fact
that she knew that this road ran
straight and unobstructed Into the out­
skirts of New York, shp might have
lost courage and decision The natural
confidence of an experienced driver
was her« She had the daring of one
who has never met with an accident,
and who truata to the Instincts rather
than to an actual understanding of
REDMOND
SPOKESM AN
PAGE
The girl laid her head on ner arms ngnts. ine tirai signs ot tmcgiy popu­
Mrs Wrandall aat above her. look­ lated districts. They were still eight
ing down, held mule by warring emo­ or ten miles from the outskirts of the
tions. The Impossible had come to city and the way was aiduous
Hh»
pass
The girl for whom th » whole was conscious of a sudden feeling of
world would he searching In a day or fatigue The chill of the night seemed
two. had stepped out of the unknown to have made Itself felt with abrupt.
and. by the moat whimsical )«»t of
fate. Into th» custody o f the one per­
son moat Interested of all In that self­
same world It waa unbelievable She
wondered If It were not a dream, or
the hallucination of an overwrought
mind
Spurred by the sudden doubt
an to the reality of the object before
her. ahe stretched out her band and
touched the glrl'a shoulder
Instantly she looked up
Her fin­
gers sought the friendly hand and
clasped It tightly.
“ Oh If you will only take me to the
city with you' If you only give me
the chance," she cried hoarsely
“I
don't know what Impulse waa driv­
ing me back there
I only know I
could not help myself
You really
mean It? You will take me with you?"
"Yea
Don't be afraid Come' Met
In." said the woman In the car rapidly
YOU you are real’ "
The girl did not hear the strange
question. She was hurrying around
to the opposite aide of the car
As
she crossed before the lamps. Mrs
She Sank to tha Floor In a Heap.
Wrandall noticed with dulled Inter­
almost
stupefying force
She won­
est that her garments were covered
with mud; her small, comely hat waa dered If ahe could keep her strength,
In sad disorder, loose wisps of hair her courage—her nerve»
The girl waa English. Mrs Wran­
fluttered with the unsightly veil Her
hands ahe recalled, were clad In thin dall was convinced of the fact, almost
Unmistakably English
auede gloves
She would be half- Immediately.
frnxen
She had been out In all thla and apparently of the cultivated type
terrible weather perhaps since the In fac», the peculiarities of speech
that determines the I,ondon show girl
hour of her flight from the Inn
The mid feeling of pity grew strong­ or music hall character were wholly
er within htr. She made no effort to larking Her voice, her manner, even
analyte It. nor to account for It Why under such trying conditions, were
should she pity the slayer of her hus­ characteristic of the English woman
band? It was a question unasked, un- of cultivation. Despite the dreadful
conaldered
Afterward» ahe waa to strain under which she labored, there
recall thla hour and Its strange Im­ were evidences of that curious se­
pulses. and to realize that It was not renity which marks the English wom­
pity, but mercy that moved her to do an of the better claaaea: an inborn
the extraordinary thing that followed composure, a calm orderliness of the
Mra Wrandall waa con­
Trembling all over, her teeth chat­ emotions.
tering. her breath coming In short lit­ scious of a sense of surprise, of a
tle moans, the girl struggled* up be­ wonder that Increased aa her thoughts
alde her and fell back In the seat resolved themselves Into something
Without a word. Sara Wrandall drew less chaotic than they were at the time
the great buffalo robe over her and of contact with this visible condition.
For a mile or more she sent the car
tucked It In about her feet and legs
far up about her body, which had along with reckless disregard for com­
fort or safety. Her mind was groping
slumped down In the seat.
“ You are very, very good.” chattered for something tangible In the way of
the girl, almost Inau'Mbty. "I shall nev­ Intentions. What was she to do with
er forget—" She did not complete the this creature? What was to become
sentence, but sat upright and fixed her of her? At what street corner should
gate on her companion’» face. "You— she turn her adrift? The Idea of
you are not doing thla Just to turn handing her over to the police did
me over to— to the police* They must not enter her thoughts for an Instant.
be searching for me. You are not Somehow she felt that the girl was
going to give me up to them, are you? a stranger to the city. She could not
explain the feeling, yet It was with
There will be a reward I—"
"There Is no reward." said Sara her and very persistent^ Of courae
Wrandall sharply. "I do not mean to there was a home of some sort, or
give you up I am simply giving you lodgings, or friends but would he girl
a chance to get away I have alwaya dare show heraelf In familiar haunts?
She found herself wondering why
felt aorry for the fox when the time
for the kill drew near. That-» the the poor wretch had not made way
with heraelf
Escape seemed out of
way f feel."
"Oh thank you' Thank you' But the question. That must have been
what am I saying* Why should I per­ clear to her from the beginning, else
mit you to do thla for me? 1 meant to why was she going hack there to give
go back there and have it over with. heraelf up? What better way out of
I know I can't escape It will have to It than self-destruction. She would
eatr.x.. It Is bound to come Why put adrtae the girl to leave the car when
It off? Let them take me let them they reached the center of a certain
bridge that spanned the river! No one
do what they will with me I —"
“ Hush! W e'll see First of all. un­ would find her. . . .
Even as the thought took shape In
derstand me-
I shall not turn you
over to the police I will give you the her mind she experienced a great
chance. 1 will help you. I can do sense of awe. so overwhelming that
she cried out with the horror of It.
no more than that."
"Rut whv should you help me? I— She turned her head for a quick glance
I—oh I can't let you do It! You do at the mute, wretched face showing
white above th». robe, and her heart
not understand 1—have—committed
- - a —terrible— " she broke off with a ached with sudden pity for her The
thought o f that slender, alive thing
groan
"I understand." said the other, some­ going down to the Icy water«— her
thing like grltnness In her level tones soul turned sick with the dread of It'
In that Instant. Sara Wrandall—no
"I have been tempted more than once
philanthropist, no
sentimentalist—
myself
"
The
enigmatic
remark
made
M
made up her mind to give this erring
no Impression on the listener.
“ 1 wonder how long ago It waa that one more than an even chance for sal­
It all happened." muttered the girl, as vation. She would see her safely
If to herself. “ It seem« axes- -oh, across that bridge and many others.
Mod had directed the footsteps of this
auch a t e « "
"W here have yon been hiding since girl so that she should fall in with
last night?" asked Mrs
Wrandall. the one best qualified to pass judg­
throwing In the clutch The car start­ ment on her It was in that person's
She Knew— This Waa the Woman.
power to save her or destroy her. The
ed forward with a Jerk kicking up the
commandment. “ Thou shalt not kill.”
«now
behind
It.
Wrandall. her voice hoarse ami trem­
"Was It only last night? Oh. I've tcok on a broader meaning as she con­
ulous.
sidered the power that was hers; the
“ I am looking for an Inn. It must been—" The thought of her suffer­ power to kill.
ings from exposure and dread was too
be near by. I do— "
A great relaxation came over Sara
much for the wretched creature. She
"An Inn?" with a «tart.
Wrandall
It was as if every nerve,
broke
out
In
a
soft
wall
"1 do not recall th«- name It la not
every muscle in her body had reached
"You've
been
out
In
all
this
weath­
far from a Tillage. In the hills."
the snapping point and suddenly had
er?" demanded the other.
"Ho you mean Iturton'i?”
" I lost mv wav
In the hills back given way. For a moment her hands
"Y e t
T h a t» It. Can you direct
wore weak and powerless; her head
me?" The voice of the girl waa faint; there I don't know where I was.”
fell forward.
In an instant she
"Had
you
no
place
of
shelter?"
she seemed about to fall
conquered — but only partially—the
"W
here
could
I
seek
shelter?
I
"It 1 » »lx or eight miles from here,”
strange feeling of lassitude. Then she
»aid Mra. Wrandall. still looking In spent the day In the cellar o f a farm­
er's house
He didn't know I waa realised how tired she was. how fierce­
wonder at the miserable night farer.
ly the strain had told on her body and
The g irl'» head sank; a moan of de­ there. I have had no food."
brain, how much she had really suf­
"Why did you kill that man?"
spair came through her lip«, ending In
fered
"There
was
nothing
left
for
me
to
a sob.
Her blurred eyes turned once more
"So far aa that?” ahe murmured. do ta t that "
for a look at the girl, who sat there.
"And why did you rob him?"
Then »he drew herself up with a fine
"Ah. I had ample time to think of all Just as she had been sitting for miles,
show of resolution "Rut I must not
that
You may tell the officer« they her white face standing out with al­
atop here Thank you "
will
find
everything hidden In that most unnatural clearness and as rigid
"W a lt!" cried the other. The girl
farmhouse
cellar Mod knows I do not as that of a sphinx
turned to her once more "le — la It
The girl spoke "Do thev hang wom­
want them I am not a thief. I'm not
a matter o f life or death?"
an In thia country V
There was a long alienee "Yea. I to bad as th a t"
Mra. Wrandall started. "In some of
Mr*. Wrandall marveled. "Not eo
must find my wav there It la—death "
the states," she replied, and was an-
bad
as
that!”
And
she
was
a
murder­
Sara Wrandall laid her heavily
able to account for the Sfltlft Impulse
gloved hand on the ellm fingers that ess. a wanton!
to evade.
You are hungry. You must be fam­
touched the tire.
"Rut In thla state?" persisted the
"I.lsten to me." »he said, a shrill ished."
other, almost without a movement of
"No,
I
am
not
hungry
I
have
not
note of resolve ringing In her voice.
the lips.
"1 am going to New York
Won't thought of food." She said It In such
"They send them to the electric
a way that the other knew what her
you let me take you v Ith me?"
chair— sometimes," aald kfrs. Wran­
The girl drew back, wonder and ap­ whole mind had been given over to dall.
prehension struggling for the mastery since the night before.
There was a long silence between
A fresh Impulse seised her
"You
of her eyea.
them, broken finally by the gtrl.
shall
have
food
and
a
place
where
you
"Rut I am bound the other way. To
“ You have been very kind to me.
ran sleep^ and rest." she said "Now
the Inn I must go on.”
madam. I have no means of express­
“ Coire with m e " said Sara Wrandall please don't aay anything more I do ing my gratitude. 1 ran only say that
firmly “ You must not go bark there not want to know too much. The leaat I shall bleaa you to my dying hour
I know what has happened there. you aay tonight, the better for— for May I trouble you to set me down at
Come! I will take care of you. You both of us."
the bridge? I remember crossing one
With that she devoted all of her at­
must not go to the Inn "
1 shall be able to— ''
tention to the car. Increasing the
"You know?" faltered the girl.
"N o !" cried Mrs Wrandall shrilly,
speed
considerably
Far
ahead
«he
“ Tee You poor th in g'" There waa
divining the other's Intention at once.
could
see
twinkling,
will-o'-the-wisp
|
Infinite tdtv In her voice.
conditions
Wltn ner, it was not a
question o f her own capacity and
strength, but a belief In th« fidelity of
the engine that carried her forward
It had not occurred to her that the
tusk of guiding that heavy, swerving
thing through the unbroken road was
something beyond her powers of en­
durance
She often had driven It s
hundred mile« and more without rest­
ing tir without losing seat In the en­
terprise; limn why should she fear
the «mull matter of 30 m il»» even un­
der the moat trying of conditions?
Sharply there rarne to her mind the
question was she the only one abroad
In this black little world* What of
the other woman? The one who was
being hunted? Where was she? And
what nf the ghost at her heele?
The car bounded over a railroad
crossing She recalled the direction»
given by the man at the station and
hastily applied the brake There waa
another and more dangerous crossing
a hundred yard» ahead. She had been
warned particularly to take It care­
fully as there was a sharp curve In
the road beyond
Suddenly aha lammed down the
emergency brake, a atartled exclama
Ron falling from her Ups
Not 2<J
feet ahead. In the middle o f the road
and directly In line with the light of
the lamps stood a black, motionless
figure the figure of a woman whose
head waa lowered and whose arms
hung limply at her aide«
The wuinan In the car bent forward
over the «h eel, staring hard
Many
seconds passed
At last the forlorn
object In the roadway lifted her face
aud looked vacantly Into the glare of
the lamp». Her eyHi were wide open,
her face a ghastly white
"Mod In heaven!” struggled from the
stiffening lips o f s»ra W m t e U
H *r
Angers tightened on the wheel.
She knew
Thla waa the woman!
The long brown ulster; the limp,
fluttering veil? "A woman about your
a ll« and figure," the aherlff had »aid.
The figure swayed and then moved
a few steps forward
llllnded by the
lights, »he bent her head and shielded
her eye» with her hand the better to
glimpse the occupant of the car.
Are you looking for me?" ahe cried
out shrilly, at the sam e time spread­
ing her arms aa If In surrender. It
was almost a f a ll
Mr» Wrandall caught her breath.
Her heart began to beat once more.
“ Who are you? What do you want?"
ahe cried out. without knowing what
she said
The girl started
She had not ex­
pected to hear the voice of a woman.
She staggered to the side of the road,
out of the line of light
" I - 1 beg your pardon." «he cried—
It waa like a wall of disappointment—
"1 am aorry to have stopped you "
'Tom e here." commanded the other,
still staring
The unsteady figure advanced. Halt­
ing bealde the car, ahe leaned across
the spare tires and gazed Into the
eyes of the driver Their faces were
not more than a foot apart, their eyes
were narrowed In tense scrutiny.
"What do you want?" repeated Mra.
j
TH R E E
"you snail not do that l, loo, thougne
of that aa a way out of It for you.
but no. It must not be that. Give ma
a few minutes to think I will find A
way "
The girl turned toward h»r. Ils r
«yea were burning
“ Do you mean that you will help
me io get away?" she cried slowly.
Incredulously
“ l-et ro» think!"
"You will lay youraelf liable—”
"L et me think I say."
"Rut I mean to surrender myself
to—"
“ An hour ago you meant to do IU
but wbai were you thinking of ten
minutes ago? Not surrender. You
were thinking of the bridge Listen to
me now: I am sure that I can save
you. I do not know all the— all tha
circumstances connected with your as­
sociation with— with that man back
there at the inn. Twenty-four hours
passed before they were able to Iden­
tify blm. It la not unlikely that to­
morrow may put them In possession of
the name of the woman who went
with him to that place They do not
know It tonight of that I am positive.
You covered your trail too well. But
you must have been seen with blm
during the day or the night— ”
The other broke In eagerly;
"I
don't believe any one knows that I—
that I went out there with blm. Ha
arranged It very—carefully. Oh. what
a beast be w aa'" The bitterness o f
that wall caused the woman bealde ber
to cry oat aa If hurt by a sharp, al­
most unbearable pain For an Instant
she seemed about to lose control of
herself
The car swerved and came
dangerously near leaving the road.
A full minute passed before sha
could treat herself to apeak. Them
It was with a deep hoarseness In her
vole#
"You can tell me about It later on.
not now I don't want to hear It. Tell
me. where do you live?"
The girl’s manner changed so abso­
lutely that there could be but one in­
ference; she was acutely suspicions.
Her lips tightened and her figure
seemed to stiffen in the seat
"W here do you live?" repeated the
other sharply
"W hy should I tell you that? I do
not know you. You— ”
"You are afraid of me?”
"Oh. I don't know what to say, or
what to do," came from the lips of the
bunted one. “ I have no friends, no
one to turn to, no one to help me.
Yon— you can't be so heartless as to
lead me on and then give me up to—
Mod help me. I— I should not be made
to suffer for what I have done. If yon
only knew the circumstances. If yon
only knew— “
"S top !" cried the other. In agony.
The girl was bewildered. "You are
so strange. I don’t understand— "
“ W e have but two or three miles to
go." Interrupted Mrs Wrandall. “W e
must think hard and— rapidly. Are
you willing to come with me to my
hotel? You will be safe there for the
present Tomorrow we can plan some­
thing for the future."
" I f I can only find a place to rest
for a little while." began the other.
“ I shall be busy all day. you will not
be disturbed
Rut leave the rest to
me. I shall find a way.”
It was nearly three o'clock when
she brought the car to a stop in front
of a small, exclusive hotel not far
from Central park. The street was
dark and the vestibule was but dimly
lighted. No attendant was in sight.
“ Slip into this." commanded Mrs.
Wrandall. beginning to divest herself
o f her own fur coat. “ It will cover
your muddy garments.
I am quite
warmly dressed.
Don’t worry.
Be
quick. For the time being you are my
guest here. You will not be ques­
tioned. No one need know who you
«re. It will not matter If you look dis­
tressed. You have just heard of the
dreadful thing that has happened to
me. You— "
"Happened to you?" cried the girl,
drawing the coat about her.
"A member of my family has died.
They know It in the hotel by this
time. 1 was called to the death bed—
tonight. That Is all you will have to
know.”
"Oh. I am sorry—"
“ Come, let us go In.
When we
reach my rooms, you may order food
and drink. You must do it. not 1.
Please try to remember that It Is I
who am suffering, not you."
A sleepy night watchman took them
up in the elevator. He » a s not even
interested.
Mr*. Wrandall did not
speak, but leaned rather heavily on
the arm of her companion. The door
had no sooner closed behind them
when the girl collapsed. She sank to
the floor In a heap.
"Get up!" commanded her hostess
sharply
This was not the time for
soft, persuasive words
"Get up at
once. You are young and strong. You
must show the stuff you are made o f
now If you ever mean to show it. I
cannot help you If you quail."
The girl looked up piteously, and
then struggled to her feet. She stood
before
protectress, weaving like
a frail reed In the wind, pallid to the
lips.
"1 beg your pardon," she murmured.
"I will not give way like that again.
I dare say I am faint. I have had no
food, no rest— but n^ver mind that
now. Tell me what 1 am to do. 1 will
try to obey.”
"First of all. get out of those muddy,
frozen things you have on.”
Mrs Wrandall herself moved stiffly
and with unsteady limbs as she began
to remove her own outer garments.
The girl mechanically followed her ex­
ample. She was a pitiable object In
the strong light of the electrolier.
Muddy from head to foot, water-
stained and bedraggled, her face
streaked with dirt, she was the most
unattractive creature one could well
imagine.
Continued on Page 6