The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-09

--ii's all tIr snmc---is your real nImer
." Yes, II H." ! said. duggcdly. And ]
nnu'i know what yoI are driving ut, Nj.
Blackjack"
~ u snow YOU" And he took ont Il slip
of paper from MI 'neidr pocket, ana iaid "
HIT on the de,k before me. 1t was the
cneck with To" fnlsc signature; and, "a !
gOi silht Of the name ! had written. tbC
room and everything in il seemed I. spin
round me. II was Hll cNuld a. to keep
from s'n9-"tine was that sirl ard diZIy
nut :iil trie1 to pnt n hot rae ou Il.
who sivuod thai check he asked.
Aud answered:
George Mcriwciher. suppose What
do know about II Z"
"You know cnouoh about il to send you
to Sing Sing" he sud, v r. qui fly, fold
ing mp the pnr auJ putting n back IN his
pocket. Ana | know all thut's necessary
for my. purp JOS You can 50 back yuw
office, Mr.. S,cbhins."
lie began to write -ain rs II he haG
nothing more to say. But didL't 20.
MIR Bnack lock- Won We siiid a very hard
thng to me. / think rye cot right 90 ask
what Won mnpu by IT," began. Tor ! had
80 make m effort, though knew 1t was all
up with me.
He turned upon me with II sewage look.
Soc here, sir, ! don't propose u waste
words with you. nor t. give You Amy unne-
COS, nv Information. Iven good memory
io faces and voices nnd you know as well
rs do why I'm likely 10 remember yours
Don't make "A bad matter wors for your
self by pretending tOf 10 know.
began TO see that / iiad no chance 81
that, sure enough; and in my fright STAN
incrcd out something about beng allowed
60 explain. But he shut me up shortly.
! don't want any or your explanations,
ana don't ak you any questions. You've
got just one chance tokccp ont OF jail. and
I wouldn't give you that II | didn't sce
some excuse for you IN the way things have
gone lutclV."
"Thngs have gone dcuced hard for hon
ost men lately" Il SAID, bitterly.
But thats nC excuse for honest men
Turning rogucs 80 he a. swcrcd bgck. And
honest men don't. | -hart paricN with y0l
about that. however. Your one chance j.
TO bring me seVCntV-ilye collars week
from To day. IT you don't, Nou know the
consequences. and / know where TO imG
you
Somebody cnme Up to speak 10 HIM, and
| walked ont without answering; but n
ever amy whipped dog Ielt an amer. I'm
sorry Tor him. II took me some time
to remember that things weren't ~
bad rs they might have been. I might
nave been exposed ~ thief, aud ar
rested before all The g0utiemc IN the Of
Zee; but Mr.. Blackjack had taken pains to
speak so that nobody could hear but NV
self. Evidently he didn't intend 10 expose
or punish me, provided | brought the
money back; aud he allowed ~" Il weeks
time Tor that. mad 20 own IL was letting
M or much easier than | had n IignI 10
expect. But, after oil. what did II amount
10! For how was going 10 RAISE so Ut II
week uVilc"l NJ need Oi my stealing
George McfiwcthUT's warrant II had mad
an earthly chance ~ doiuE thA'.
II was y black look out. and IL II hadn't
been tor Molly. | thin< / should have been
tempted b. jump INTO The river and put an
cul tOIt all what | went through that
week, sOal and body, It! lng to raise the
III 1nry. no tongue can u. seventy I'VE
millions wouldu pay me for the misery I
>aiicrcd, and how any man can take up
stealing Tor trade has been mystery
to me ever sine. For mind You, it
wasn't ouly tue Disgrace of bong
found out, and the straits wa
put 20 in ScInping the money together.
Fellow tuds Out-wuen hc lorcs it--tnat
his own self resp'c Is worth moro 10 him
than ANYTHING else IA iIfe. Ia have sold
ms sou ior L.id sINleucc ia those days,
ami pitt the buyer.
Yet | had to keep n >tin upper lin in the
uMCc, aud Il, fore the huA4ut. at The tRbic.
and cspeciaily before Molly ana ths old
folks. 10 have let them guess what had
happened would have kii.cu inc. - hid
M trouble tdc best way | cOuld; but Moi
y eye, lender ana WAtcnlui eyes they
wcrc-fnuId cut presently that | had II
trouble fo hide.
"YouIc not like yourself jack" she
said, one nj INT OH'Ve something on
your minl that yon doni tell ms; nld /
can Just tell you thai don't think II IL
Kind
at wouldn't he very Kind 10 bother von
with my irudhles, surprising | had ANY ia
part GUAR" | sad. " But there's uo.hIug
inc mnttrr, Molly, ms I've Told you before "
" on, YES know -Ou'Ae tod me. Jack,
bat don bvlteVcl,.
She had her knitting work acain-the
sanle white, luGy sun E,t made her
hands look 80 lg,tty-;iul the purplr stuu.
in h'r ring shot and sp1rNled rs tho flew
10 and fro. Sudden thought struck me
Faala q alal..
CLEAN Of the amethyst III the 1relight. A
riIsCaI.y, mean thought II was, but | wAs IN
dcsp". ate condition. The week Of eIace
WINS nearly ended, and | hal raised. by
nInt OF actual hccraly, tho sum Of $40.
had written implOrng letters 10 ny Tela-
tiOns, | mad dulled 10 distraction every
body tnut oweG me "A cent | had gone on
my knees, pretty nearly, 80 every body |
knew that had Crht Ia lend; and thu sum
total Of my scrapirSs was $40
II was not Ia be expected lhut Mr.. Black
lock would accept any such half payment
rs that. lie was known Tor hard man,
aud II was "a great deal tor him to give me
the chance at all. | knew what ! had to
expect II | failed; aud yer whore. in
Gods name, TO look for another dollar,
didn't know. i can only SAY 10 eX-
eiISe my Ineauucss. thnt l was Dies
perntc; and the ssht OF TINT ring
flashing IN the hrehgtt made me think Of
the money pad Tor it--more than that,
made me wonder II l couldn't contriVe to
turn II into money again. And just rs the
thought was passing through NY mind.
Molly gave IA little. quick JERK at her kmt-
tag nuedIes-there was "A snGrl IN her wool
AMI the ring tlew OF her lnger.
"There" she cried, us 1t uuklcd down
on the hcnrthstonc, ana | stopped 10 pick
:. no: chats the third time TODAY nv
ring has d opped on Something Is gong
to happen, Jack, and know IT,"
Something Is always happeaing ain I
II p said |. ihe rings too big for your
ridiculous little finger; that's what's the
natter
"Yhai's isn't my fault" she answered.
demuirly. 1t Masn'i that bought It,"
"Wtil, it's got TO be nSed, or else you II
lose IL some day. IN take Il back 10 the
jewelers., and make INN put little band
inside. You can spare 1t Tor day or two,
can't Your
"Well-ycs. If you're sure he won't spoil
it, aud II you Il be very careful not TO lose
II, Jack"
Don't you be bit alarmed" And |
stole kiss from the pretty, snucy lips that
pretended 10 pont al me. IL lose II IN
ger you another
"Bul / don't want another another
wouldn't be the same thing az all, sac
SAID.
All right, then, won't lose it,"
Aud didn't intend to, ii could help n.
| only meant 10 make her believe | mad,
Door little Molly aIter had sold IL to pay
my nVitt, MAS the tilSt en- stompr M fhut