THE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA.
raras LYRDE
ELUSTWI0?6CMH0IO
CHAPTER XXVIII Continued.
14
After iho Introduction to Johnson
klfl hari had gone mechunlcnlly to his
coat pocket. Tho domoa at liln ear
was whispering "kill! kill!" nnd his
Angers Bought and found tho weapon.
Whllo h "xaa listening with tho out
ward ct z Dalnbrldgo'a choerful rem
iniscences, tho little inlnutlao wcro ar
ranging thomsolves; ho saw where
BrofTln would Rtop, and was careful to
mark that none of tho bystanders
would bo In rango. lie would wait un
til thoro could bo no poaalblllty of
missing; then ho would flro from tho
pocket.
It was Johnson who broko tho spell.
Whllo Dalnbrldgo was Insisting that
Orlswold should como In and make a
social third at tho hotel dlnnor table,
tho teller picked up his hand-bag and
mounted tho stops. Grlswold's brain
foil Into hnlvcs. With ono of them ho
was making excuses to tho nowspapor
man; with tho othor he saw Droflln
Btop JohnBon and draw him aside.
What tho dctcctlvo was saying was
only too plainly evident. JohnBon
whoelcd short to faco tho sidewalk
Group, and OrlBWold could feel In ov
ery fiber of him tho searching scrutiny
to which ho was being subjected.
When ho stole a glanco at tho pair
on tho porch, Johnson was shaking
his head slowly; and ho did It again
aftor a second thoughtful staro. Grls
wold, missing completely now what
Balnbrldgo was saying, overheard tile
toller's low-toned rejoinder to tho do
tectivo'B urglngs: "It's no uso, Mr.
Broflln; I'd havo to swear positively
to It, you know, and I couldn't do
that. ... No, I don't want to
hoar your corroborative evidence; It
might mako mo see a resomblanco
whero thoro Is none. Wnlt until Mr.
Qulbratth recovers; bo's your man."
Grlswold hardly know how ho mado
ehlft to got away from Balnbrldgo
Anally; but when It was done, and
bo was crossing tho little triangular
nark which flllod tho angle betweon
tho business squares and tho lako
tronttng resldenco streets, ho was
w.oatlng profusely, and tho dopartlng
fear-mania was leaving him weak and
tremulous.
Passing the stono-baslncd fountain
In tho mlddlo of tho park ho stopped,
lorkod tho pistol from his pocket,
spilled tho cartridges from Its maga
slno, and stooped to gropo for a loose
stono In tho wnlk-bordor. With tho
fountain base fqr an anvil and tho loos
ened bordor Btono for a hammer ho
beat tho weapon Into shapolosB Inutili
ty and flung It away.
"God knows whom I shall bo tompt
ed to kill, next!" ho groaned; and tho
trembling lit was still unnerving him
when ho went on to keep tho appoint
teont mado by Charlotte Farnham.
CHAPTER XXIX.
r Dust and Ashes.
A full moon, blood-rod from the
smoke of forest fires far to tho east
ward, was rising over tho Wahaska
hills when Grlswold unlntchod tho gate
of tho Farnham IncloBuro and passed
quickly up tho walk.
SInco the summoning noto had
tressed tho urgonclos, ho was not sur
prised to find tho writer of It nwalt
lag his coming on tho vino-shadowed
porch. In his welcoming thoro was a
curious mingling of constraint and Im
patience, and ho was moved to marvel.
Alls Farnlmm's outlook upon llfo, tho
'fcolnt of vlow of tho Ideally well bal
anced, was uniformly polsoful and self
contained, and ho was wondorlng If
laomo froBh entanglement wore threat
enlng when sho motioned him to a
eat and placed her own chair bo that
tho light from tho sitting-room win
flows would leavo her In tho shadow.
U "You had my noto?" she began.
"Yes. It came whllo I was away
from tho hotel, and tho regular trip
or mo inn urako was tho first convoy
snco I, could catch. Am I late?"
V Her reply was qualified. "That ro
mains to bo seen,"
Thoro was a hesitant pause, and
then she went on; "Do you know why
t Bent for you to como?"
"No. not definitely."
"I was hoping you would know; It
Would mako It eaaler for mo. You owo
me something, Mr. Grlswold."
"I owo you a great deal," ho admit
ted, .warmly. "It Is hardly putting It
too strong to say that you havo mado
somo part of my work possible which
would othervijto havo boon Impos
sible." "1 didn't mean that," sho dissented,
with a touch of cool Bcorn. "I havo no
especial ambition to llguro as a char
acter, howover admirable, in a book.
Toot obligation doosn't Ho In tho lit
entry Held; It Is real and personal.
You havo done me a grout Injustice,
and It Booms to havo been carefully
premeditated."
Tho blow was so sudden and so
calmly driven homo that Grlswold
KKsped.
"An Injustice to you?" be protest
ad: but sho would not lot htm eo nn.
"Yea. At flrst, I thought it was
only a coincidence your coming to
Wahaska but now I know hnttnr.
Sfou cumo hero. In goodness knows
cay?craYcvi?.rj scasacm sorts
what spirit of reckless bravado, be
cause It was my homo; and you made
tho decision apparently without any
consideration for me; without any
thought of tho embarrassments and
difficulties In which It might Involve
me."
Truly, tho heavens had fallen and
tho oolld earth was reeling! Grlswold
lay back In tho deep lounging chair
nnd fought manfully to retain somo
little hold upon tho anchorlngs. Could
this bo his Ideal; tho woman whom
ho had sot so high above all others In
tho scnlo of heroic faultlessness and
subllmo dovotlon to prlnclplo? And
sho was so much u Blavo of tho con
ventional as to bo able to tell him
coldly that sho had recognized him
again, nnd that her chief concern was
tho embarrassment It was causing her7
Before he could gather tho words for
any adequato rojolnder, sho was going
on pointedly:
"You havo dono everything you
could to mako tho Involvement com
plete. You havo mado friends of my
friends, and you came here as a friend
of my father. You havo drawn Ed
wajd Raymor Into tho entanglement
and helped him with the stolen money.
In every way you havo sought to mako
It moro nnd more Imposslblo for me to
glvo Information against youand you
havo succeeded. I can't do It now,
without facing a scandal that would
novor dlo In a small place Uko this,
and without bringing trouble and ruin
upon ta family of our nearest friends.
And that Is why I sent for you today;
and why I say ycu owo mo some
thing." Grlswold was sltflng up ngaln, and
ho had recovered seine small measure
of self-poBsesslon.
"I cortnlnly owo yiu many apologies,
at least," ho said, Ironically. "I havo
really boon doing you a great Injus
tice, Miss Fnrnham a very grave in
justice, though not exactly of tho kind
you montlon. I think I havo boon mis
apprehending you from tho beginning.
How long havo you known mo as tho
man who Is wanted In New Orlenns?"
"A long tlmo; though I tried not to
believe It at flrst. It seemed lncred
Iblo that tho man I hnd spoken to on
the Bollo Julio would como horo nnd
put mo In such a falso position."
"Good heavens!" ho broko out; "Is
your position all you havo been think
ing of? Is that tho only reason why.
you haven't sot tho dogs on mo?"
"It Is tho chief renson why I couldn't
nfford to do anything moro than I
havo dono. Goodness knows, I havo
"Is That the Only Reason Why You
Haven't Set tho Dogs on Me7"
tried In every way to warn you, even
to pointing out tho man who is shadow
ing you. To do it, I havo had to do-
celvo my father. I havo been hoping
that you would understand and go
away."
"Walt a minute." ho commanded.
"Lot mo got It straight! you still be
llovo that tho thing I did wub a crim
inal thing?"
"Wo needn't eo into tlrnt nart of it
again," bIio returned, with a sort of
piaciu impatience. "Onco I thought
thnt thoro might bo somo wnv In which
you had Justllled yourself to yourself,
uut now "
"That Isn't tho point," ho lntorupted
roughly. "What 1 want to know is this:
Do you still bollovo.lt Is a crlmo?"
"Of courso. It Is a crime; I know It,
you know It, all the world knowB It."
Again ho sat back and took tlmo to
gather up a few of the scattered
shards and fragments. When ho spoko
It was to Bay: "I think tho doht Is on
tho othor sldo, Miss Charlotto; I think
you owo mo something. You probably
won't understand when I say that you
havo robbod me of a very precious
thing my faith In tho -ultimate good
uoss of a good woman. You bellevo
you havo always believed that I am a
criminal and yet you havo beon weak
enough to lot expediency seal your
Hps. I am truer to ray code than you
arc to yours, as you shall sco If tho
day over comes when I shall bo con
vinced that I did wrong. But that la
neither hero nor there. You sont for
mo; what Is It that you want mo to
do?"
"I want to glvo you ono moro chanco
to disappoint tho Wahaska gossips,"
sho replied, entirely unmoved, ns It
seemed, by his harsh arraignment.
"Do you know why this man Broflln
Is still waiting?"
"I can guess. Ho Is taking a long
chanco on tho chaptor of accidents."
"Not altogether. Thrco days ago,
Mr. Galbralth had Miss Grlcrson tele
graph to Now OrleanB for somo ono of
tho bank officials. Yesterday I learned
that tho man who la coming Is tho
teller who waited on mo and who gave
you tho money. As Boon ns I heard
that, I began to try to find you."
Grlswold d!d not tell her that tho
danger sho feared waa a danger past
"Go on," ho prompted.
"You aro no longer safe In Wahas
ka," sho asserted. "Tho teller can
Identify you, and tho detective will
glvo him tho opportunity. That Is
doubtless what ho Is waiting for."
"And you would suggest that I mako
a run for It? Is that why you sent for
mo?"
"It is. You aro tempting fato by
staying; nnd, notwithstanding what
you havo said, I still Insist that you
owo mo something. Thoro Is a fast
train west at ton o'clock. If you need
ready monoy "
GrlBWold laughed. It had gone be
yond tho trnglc and was fast lapsing
Into comcdy,fnrcc.
"Wo aro each of us nppcarlng In a
new rolo tonight, Miss Farnham," ho
said, with sardonic humor; "I ns tho
hunted criminal, and you as tho equal
ly culpnble accessory after tho fact.
If I run away, what shall be done with
the tho 'swag,' the bulk of which, as
you know, Is tied up in Itaymer's busi
ness?" "I havo thought of that," sho re
turned calmly, "and that Is another
reason why you shouldn't let them
tnko you. Right or wrong, you have
Incurred a fresh responsibility In your
dealings with Mr. Raymer; and Ed
ward, who Is perfectly Innocent, must
bo protected In somo way."
It was not In human naturo to re
sist tho temptation to strike back.
"I havo told Itaymer how ho can
most sucessfully undorwrlto his finan
cial rlBk," ho said, with mallco Inten
tional. "How?"
"By marrying Miss Grlerson."
Ho had touched tho springs of anger
at Inst.
J'Thnt woman!" she broko out. And
then: "If you have said that to Ed
ward Raymer, I shnll never forglvo
you as long as I live! It Is your af
fulr to secure Edward against loss in
tho monoy matter your own Individ
ual responsibility, far. Grlswold. Ho
accepted tho money in good faith,
and"
Again Grlswold gavo place to tho
caustic humor and finished for her.
"And, though It Is stolen money,
it must not be taken away from him.
Onco, when I was ovon moro foolish
than I am now, I said of you that you
would be a fitting heroine In a story
In which tho hero should bo a man
who might need to borrow a con
science. It's quite tho other way
around."
"Wo needn't quarrel," sho said, re
treating again behind tho barrier of
cold rosorvo. "I supposo I havo given
you tho right to say dlsagrecablo
things to me, If you chooso to assert
It. But wo aro wasting tlmo which
may bo very precious. Will you go
away, aa I havo suggested?"
Ho found his hat and got upon his
feet rnthor unsteadily.
"I don't know; possibly I shall. But
In nny event, you needn't borrow any
moro trouble, elthor on your own ac
count, or on Rnymer's. By tho merest
chance, I mot Johnson, tho teller you
speak of, a few minutes ago at tho
Wlnncbugo house and was Introduced
to him. Ho didn't know me, thon, or
later, when Broflln was telling him
that ho ought to know mo. Henco,
tho mattor rcstB ns It did boforo be
tween you and Mr. Galbralth."
"Mr. Galbralth?"
"Yes. That was n danger past, too,
n short tlmo ago. I met him, socially,
nnd ho didn't recognize me. After
ward, Broflln pointed mo out to him,
and ngnln ho failed to Identify me. But
tho othor dny, after I had pulled him
out of tho lake, ho romembored. I'vo
been waiting to soo what ho will do."
"Ho will do nothing. You saved hla
life."
Grlswold shook his head.
"I am still man enough to hope that
ho won't lot tho bit of personal sorvlco
mako him compound a felony."
"Why do you call It that?" sho do
manded. "BecnuBo, from his point of vlow,
nnd yours, thnt Is preclHoly what It la;
and It la what you aro' doing, Mlaa
Farnham. 1, tho criminal, say this to
you. You should havo glvon mo up
tho moment you recognized mo. That
is your crood, and you should have
lived up to It. Slnco you haven't, you
havo wro.nged yourself and havo mado
mo tho pboror by a thing that "
"Stop!" sho cried, standing up to
faco hint, "Do you mean to toll mo
that you aro ungrateful enough to "
"No; ingratltudo Isn't qulto tho
word. I'm Just sorry; with tho sor
row you havo when you look for some
thing that you havo a right to expect,
and find that It isn't thoro; that It has
novor beon thcro; that It isn't any-
whero. You havo hurt mo, and you
havo hurt yourself; hut thoro la still
a chanco for you. When I am gone,
go to tho tolcpbono and call Broflln
at tho Winnebago bouse. You can tell
blm that ho will find mo at my rooms
Good-by."
Ho was half way to the foot of Lake-
view avenue, striding along moodily
with his head down and his hands be
hind him, when ho collided violently
with Raymer going in tho opposlto di
rection. Tho shock was so unexpected
that Grlswold would havo been
knocked down If tho muscular young
Iron, founder had not caught him
promptly. At tho saving Instant camo
mutual recognition.
"Hollo, there!" said Raymer. "You
aro tho very man I'vo been looking for.
Charlotte wants to see you."
"Not now sho doesn't," was tho
rather grim contradiction. "I havo Just
loft her."
"Oh."
Thoro was a pause, nnd then Grls
wold cut In morosely.
"So you did tako my way out of tho
labor trouble, after all, didn't you?"
Raymor looked away.
"I don't know Just how you'tPllko to
havo mo answer thnt, Kenneth. How
much or how llttlo do you know of
what happened?"
"Nothing at all" shortly.
"Well, It was Margery who wrought
tho mlraclo, of course. I don't know,
yt, Just how sho did It; but It was
dono, and dono right."
"And you havo asked her to marry
you?"
"Suffering Scott! how you do como
at a man! Yes, I aBkod hor, if you've
got to know."
"Well?" snapped Grlswold.
"She sho turned mo down, Kon-
noth ; got up nnd walked all over mo.
That's a horrible thing to mako mo
say, but It's tho truth."
"I don't understand It, Raymer. Was
it the No that means No?"
"I don't understand It, .either," re
turned the Iron foundor, with grave
naivete. "And, yes, I guess sho meant
It. But that reminds mo. Sho know
I waa looking for you and sho gavo
mo a note let mo seo, I'vo got it hero
somewhere; oh, yes, hero It la gilt
monogram and all."
Grlawold took tho noto and pocketed
It without comment and without look
ing at it.
"Wore you going to Doctor Ber
tie's?" he asked.
"I was. Havo you any' objection?"
"Not tho least In tho world. It's a
good place for you to go just now,
and I guess you aro tho right man
for the place. Good-night."
At tho next corner where thero was
an electric light, Grlswold stopped and
opened the monogrammed envelope.
The encloauro waa a eingle sheet of
perfumed noto paper upon which, with
out date, address or signaturo was
written tho lino:
"Mr. Galbralth Is better and he Is
grateful."
CHAPTER XXX. '
Apples of Istakhar.
Tho swinging arc light BUBpended
above tho street crosalng sputtered
and died down to a dull red dot of 'in
candescence as Grlawold returned
Mnrgery'a note to hl8 pocket and
walked on.
There are crises In which tho chief
contention looms so largo as to leavo
no room for the ordinary mental proc
esses. Grlswold saw no significance
In tho broken line of Margery's mes
sage, the ono tremendous revelation
the knowledgo that tho dross-croat-
Ing curse had finally fallen upon tho
woman whose convictions should havo
saved her waa blotting out all the
subtler perceptive facultlea; and for
tho tlmo tho strugglo with tho sub
merging wave of disappointment and
dlsheartonment was bitter.
He was two squares beyond tho
crosalng of tho brokon-circulted arc
light, and was still following the curve
of the lakesl'do boulevard, when ho
camo to tho surface of the submerg
ing wave long enough to realize that
ho had entered Jnaper Grlerson'B por
tion of the water-front drive. Tho great
houue, dark as ,to Its westward gables
save for tho lighted upper windows
marking tho sick room and Its anto-
chamher, loomed In massive solidity
among Its sheltering oaks; and tho
moon, which had now topped the hills
and tho crimsoning smoke hazo, was
bathing land and lakescapo In a flood
of silver light, whitening tho palo yel
low aanda of tho beach nnd etching
fantastic leaf-tracerlca on the gravel
of tho boulevard driveway.
There waa no Inclosing fence on the
Moresido bordor of tho boulevard, and
under tho nearest of the lawn oaks
thcro were ruatlc park scata, Jasper
Grlorson's Blnglo concession to tho
public when ho had fought for and
secured his property right-of-way
through to the lake's margin. Grlswold
turned asido and sat down on ono of
tho benches. The disappointment was
growing less keen. Ho was beginning
to understand that ho hud mado no
allowance for tho eternal feminine in
tho Idealized Fidelia for tho feminlno
nnd thu straltly human. But tho dis
heartenment remained. Should ho
stay and tight It out? Or should ho
tako pity upon the poor prlsonor of
tho conventions and seek to postpone
tho day of reckoning by flight?
Ho had not fitted tho answer to
either of theso sharp-pointed queries
when a pair of llght-fiugered hands
camo from behind to clap themselves
upon hla oyea, and a well-known volco
aald, "Guess."
"Margery!" ho said, and sho laughed
with tho Joyous unconstralnt of a
happy child and came around to sit
by him.
"I was doing tlmo out on tho veran
da, aud I saw you down hero In tho
moonlight, looking as if you had lost
something," sho explained, adding:
"Havo you?"
"I don't know; can you lose that
which you'vo novor had?" ho returned
musingly. And thon: "Yes; perhaps
I did lose something. Don't ask me
what It Is. I hardly know, myself."
"You havo Juat como from Doctor
Bertie's?" sho Inquired.
"Yes."
"And Charlotto doesn't want to
mnrry you?"
"Heavens and earth!" ho exploded.
"Who put tho Idea Into your head that
I wanted to marry her?"
"You did" calmly.
"Then, for pity's sako, let mo tako
It out, quick. If I were tho last man
on earth, Miss Farnham wouldn't
marry mo; and If sho wero tho Inst
woman, I think I'd go drown myself
in tho lako!"
Tho young woman of tho many met
amorphoses wns laughing again, nnd
this tlmo tho laugh was a letter-perfect
.Imitation of a schoolgirl gigglo.
"My!" sho said. "How dreadfully
Hard sho must havo sat on you!"
"Please don't laugh," ho pleaded:
"unless you are tho heartlos8 kind of
person who would laugh at a funoral.
I'm down under tho hoofs of tho horses,
at last. Margery, girl. Beforo you
Very Gently Ho Took Her in His
Arms Again.
came, I was wondering If tho game
wero at all worth the candle."
Her mood changed In the twinkling
of an eye. "Tho battle Is over, and
won," sho said, speaking softly.
"Didn't you know that?" And then:
"Oh, boy, boy! but It has been a des
perate fight! Time and again I have
thought you wero gone, in splto of
all I could do!"
"You thought I was gone? Then
you know?"
"Of courae I know; I havo known
over since the first night; tho night
when I found the monoy In your suit
case. What a silly, silly thing It was
for you to do to leavo tho Bayou Stato
Security slips on tho packages!"
"But you said"
"No, I didn't say; I merely let you
bellove that I didn't seo them. After
that, I knew It would be only a ques
tion of tlmo until they would trace
you here, and I hurried; oh, I hurried!
I mado up my mind that beforo tho
strugglo came, all Wahaska should
know you, not as a bank robber, but aa
you are, and I made It como out Just
that way. Then Mr. Broflln turned up,
and the fight was on. Ho shadowed
you, and I Bhadowed him or had
Johnnie Fergus do it for me. I know
he'd try Miss Farnham first, and there
was only ono hope there that she
might fall In lovo with you and so re
fuao to glvo you away. She did, didn't
she?"
"Most emphatically, sho did not," he
denied. "You have greatly misjudged
Miss Farnham. Tho reason the only
reason why sho did not tell Broflln
what ho wanted to know was a purely
conventional ono. Sho did not want to
bo tho most-talked-of woman In Wa
haska." His companion's laugh was not
pleasant.
"I'd rather bo a spiteful llttlo cat,
which Is what sho once called me, than
to bo moth-eaten on tJie lnsldo like
that!" she commented. Then she went
on: "With Miss Farnham. out of It
and I Know sho must bo out of It,
sinco Broflln didn't strike thero was
still Mr. Galbralth. You didn't know
why I was so anxious to havo you get
acquainted with him, but ycu know
now. And It worked. When Broflln
asked him to Identify you, ho couldn't
or wouldn't. Thon camo that un
lucky drowning accident."
Grlswold nodded slowly. "Yes, Mr.
Galbralth knows mo now."
"Ho doesn't!" sho exulted, "lie Is
a dear old saint, nnd he will never
know you again as the man who held
him up. Listen: Ho sent for Broflln
this nfternoon, and gavo him a now
commission something about bonds
In California. And he told him he
must go on tho first train!"
Onco moro tho castaway was run
ning tho gamut of the fiercely varying
emotions.
"Lot mo understand," ho said. "You
knew I had taken tho monoy, nnd yet
you did all theso things to pull mo out
nnd mnko tho holdup a success. Where
was your moral sense, all this time,
llttlo girl?"
Sho mado a charming llttlo mouth
at him.
"I am Joan, and the Joans don't havo
any moral senses to speak of do
thoy? That's tho way you aro writing
it down In your book, lan't It?" Thon,
with a low laugh that Bounded somo
unfathomed dopth of loving nbandon
mont: "It was a game; and I played
It played It for all I was worth, and
won. You aro frco; freo as tho air,
Konnoth, boy. If Broflln should come
hero this minute nnd put his hand
on your shoulder, you could look up
and laugh In his faco. Aro you glad
or sorry 7"
His answer was tho answer of tho
man who was, for tho tlmo bolng, nei
ther the moralist nor tho criminal.
With a swift outrcachlng ho drow her
to him, crushed her in his arms, cor
cred her faco with kisses.
"I am glad glad that I nm your
lover," ho whispered, passlonatoly.
"God, girl! but you aro a woman to dlo
for! No, not yet" when sho would
have slipped out of his arms believe,
me, Margery; thoro haa novor beon
anyono clao not for a moment. But '
I thought It was Raymer, and for your
sako and his I could havo stepped
aside. That Is tho ono docent thing
I havo dono In all this devilish busi
ness. Aro you lUtonlne?"
Sho had stopped struggling, and was
hiding her faco on his shoulder. He
felt her quick llttlo nod and went on.
"Sinco you know tho ono decent
thing, you must know all the horrible
things, too. A dozen times I have beon
a murderer In heart."
Sho looked up quickly.
"No, boy, I'll never bellevo that
never!"
"Walt." ho said. "It was thcro this
evening Just a llttlo whllo ago. Mlaa
Farnham and Galbralth wero not tho
only onea I hnd to fear; thero was an
other; tho teller who got horo from
Now Orleans on the soven-forty-flve
train. You didn't know about him, did
you? He came, and an old newspaper
friend of mine waa with him. I
stumbled upon them on tho sidewalk
In front of tho Winnebago house; and
Broflln waB thoro, too. Wo wero Intro
duced, tho teller and I, and Broflln was
so sure ho had me that ho got his
handcuffs out and was opening them."
Margery shuddered and hid hor face
again. "And I I didn't know!" she
gasped.
"Luck was with me again," ho con
tinued. "Johnson didn't remember
me; refused to do so ovon when
Broflln stopped him and tried to tell
him who I waa. I had a pistol in
my pocket, and It was aimed at Broffiu.
If he had mado a movo to tako mo,
I should certainly have killed him."
She sat up suddenly.
"Glvo mo that pistol, Kenneth give
It to mo now!"
"I can't," he confessed, shamefaced
ly. "When It was all over, I smashed
tho pistol with a stone and threw It
away.
She drow a long breath. "Is that
all?" sho asked.
"All but one thing; tho worst of
them all . . . that day in tho bank
vault"
The daughter of men burled her face
on his shoulder again at that. "Don't!"
sho begged. "You couldn't help It,
boy; I mado you do It meaning to.
There! and I said that wild horses
should never drag It out of me!"
Again he said. "Walt," and covered
tho shining head on hla shoulder with
a caressing hand. "It wasn't love.
then, little girl; that's what it breaks
my heart to tell you it was Just mad
ness. And It wasn't clean; you've
got to know that, too."
Sho nodded her head violently. "1
know," sho murmured; "I knew It at
the time, and that was what made
me cry. But now It's It's different.
Isn't It, boy? now you are "
"You havo heard It all, Margery.
You know what I thought I was, and
what I have turned out to be. I'm
afraid I am just a common crook, after
all; there doesn't seem to be stand
ing room anywhere else for me. But
every living fiber of me, tho good and
the bad, loves you loves you!"
"What do I care for anything else?"
she flashed back. "You aro you, Ken
neth, dear; that is all I know, and alt
I caro for. If you had stolon all tho
monoy In tho world, and had killed a
dozen men to make your got-awny. It
would bo Just tho same. Only "
"Only what?' he demanded jealously.
"It would be just tho same to me;
but but. . . . Oh, hoy, dear! It
will never, never be tho same to you!"
"I I dont understand," he stam
mered. "Somo day you will. You call your
self a crook man, man! thoro Isn't
a crooked drop of blood In you! Don't
I know? You persuaded yourself that
you had a right to tako this roonoy:
perhaps you did havo; I don't say
you didn't. When I seo anything I
want, 1 reach out and tako It, If I can
and I guess most people would, If they
dared. But you aro different; you are
good. Somo day nil these dreadful
things that havo como tagging along
after tho fact will rlso up and gnash
their teeth at you and tell you that it
was a sin, a crime And then oh.
boy. dear! then I shall loso you!"
Very gently ho took her In his arms
again; nnd for a time all things sen
sible and tangible, the deserted drive
way, and tho plashing of tho little
waves on the sands, the staring moon
light and tho ntenclled shadows of the
oaks, were forgotten In tho great soul
healing sllenco that wrapped them
about and enveloped them.
(TO BR CONTINUED.)
Surely Prize Scarecrow.
An American tourist bad been boast
ing again in tho village inn, says Lon
don Tit-Bits.
"Talking of scarecrows," ho said,
with a drawl, "why, my father once
put ono up, and It frightened the
crows so much that not ono entered
tho field again for a year."
Ho looked triumphantly around his
audlenco. Surely that had settled
those country bumpklnB.
But ho was to meet his match.
"That's nothing," retorted ono farm
er. "A neighbor o' mine onco put a
scarecrow Into his potato patch and It
terrified the birds so much that one
rascal of a crow who had stolen some
potatoes came next day and put them
back."
