Page 204 (1/1)

To The Last Man Zane Grey 7340K 2023-09-02

"Did y'u--did y'u" she whispered

"Yes--it's over," he said, gravely "Ellen, the Isbel-Jorth feud is ended"

"Oh, thank--God!" she cried, in breaking voice "Jean--y'u are wounded the blood on the step!"

"My arm See It's not bad Ellen, letthe blanket around her shoulders, he held it there and entreated her to get up But she only clung the closer She hid her face on his knees Long shudders rippled over her, shaking the blanket, shaking Jean's hands Distraught, he did not knohat to do And his own heart was bursting

"Ellen, you must not kneel--there--that way," he ihter

He tried to lift her up, but she was a dead weight, and with that hold on hiasped "I HAD to--kill hi nantly "Oh, Ellen! Ellen! the world has come to an end!Hush! don't keep sayin' that Of course you killed hio off with himYes, you killed him You're a Jorth an' I'm an IsbelWe've blood on our hands--both of us--I for you an' you for thened her and she raised her white face, loosening her clasp to lean back and look up Tragic, sweet, despairing, the loveliness of her--the significance of her there on her knees--thrilled him to his soul

"Blood onhiiveness--and your faith that saved ive," he responded "Nothin' Please, Ellen"

"I lied to y'u!" she cried "I lied to y'u!"

"Ellen, listen--darlin'" And the tender epithet brought her head and arms back close-pressed to him "I kno," he faltered on "I found out to-day what I believed An' I swear to God--by the memory of my dead mother--down in my heart I never, never, never believed what they--what y'u tried to make me believe NEVER!"

"Jean--I love y'u--love y'u--love y'u!" she breathed with exquisite, passionate sweetness Her dark eyes burned up into his

"Ellen, I can't lift you up," he said, in tre his crippled arm "But I can kneel with you! "