Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1888-11-17

they would cruelty him"
Philip was recovering his composure. AZ
first he had felt wild impulse to confess
everything to the wronged husband. He
seemed SO grand, so nlagEanimous: he would
not he cruel. But then his reason cams back
to him. In such case rs this there could be
no amends lnnoCa..ly, Bertha and Philip
had done him Il Ter: lale wrong-and them
selves; forgiveness coIld not blot it out. God
in his mercy might spare them the penalty
of infamy; but the injured husband had no
choice but vindicate his honor, when he
came to know.
"You look i'll" said Philip at last, drawing
him out a chair. Should he detain him
Bertha might come before her time and brC ak
in upon them, the two men both of whom
she had injured so terriblys Oh! that must
not happen. Was not that step in the pas
sage now Should ne let Curran go, then 4
The first man he met would pour the story of
his shame into his ears, and then the catas-
trophe. He must not Go-but he must not
stay Philip looked ont into the passage No
one was there. Curran had dropped into the
chair Philip had offered him.
''Do | look i'll p he asked, pushing his long
hair back from his forehead. Did you ever
love woman who hated you Did you ever
want topOur out your life for her. and see that
she despised you You know whom | mean.
Why | once fancied you and she were lovers,
till she told me not. l mean Bertha" Re
spoke the name so tenderly, q thrill of shame
passed over Philip. Bertha was this mans
wife. Had be not right then to speak her
name tenderly! And SO Curran had fancied
Bertha and he We're lovers till she told him
nOt-ah, Bertha.
''She has left me-" Curran went on in the
same soft, tender tone Il don't suppose it
interests you. But if could only see her
now, | have such a strange feeling that |
might win her back She made such ten
der sweetheart" Then he lifted his eyes
more firmly to Philips face, set like a wall of
rock. is there any trouble among your
help!'
YES, they have flung all my offers in my
teeth"
''It must have been that which made them
send for re | had hoped, or feared, hardly
know which, it might be something of Ber
tha. 1t is queer, isn't it, a woman like her
should turn my head so Completely' What
is there about her, did you ever think of it!
OF course you haven't" Curran seemed to
make an effort to dismiss all thoughts of her
that unnamed him. You needn't be afraid
of me; thought you seemed little strange
when | came ill.,"
Philip started involuntarily, but Curran
,ontinued Il sha'n't encourage any strikes
against rou. God will bless your life for
your work for the poor. If he hasn't yet, he
will give you a happier love than he has
y
his feet II must go and stop the mischief.
| can do more with your laborers for good or
evil than any man in the world suppose
they may be in the hall tonight"
"Yes" But Philip hurried up to him and
laid his hand ON his arm. But don't go, not
yet"
81 must Shall you be here longl Well,
will see you again tonight"
''God grant not, p" murmured Philip Breton,
as the door closed after him. Then Philip
unlocked the great safe and swung back its
green door of iron. He took out a packet
and locked the safe again, and carried his
packet back to his office He turned the gas
still higher and held the packet in the flame
till all that was left of it was little heap of
charred paper ON the flOor-all that was left
of Philip Breton's will With that act he
closed up, as he believed, all that part of his
life worthy to be remembered. He was
young and strong but he had failed. Hence
forth ne must look on while others worked.
Fate had taken his work away from him. He
must sit back on the seats with the women
and children, and look on and applaud when
great deeds were doing. He would have
liked to work, too; but perhaps others would
do his work better
Halo, halo, Phil, don't you work pretty
late!n 1t was Giddings, the lawyer, in CON
dition of decided intoxication. 'l'll bet yer
dollar you don't know what | came for! ha,
ha, ha: you think money; don't you; more
money? But aint that sort of feller."
Philip had been simply disguised at first,
but there seemed a terrible leer in the drunken
eyes, Could it be the man had come to ex-
pose him? What was the use Of struggling
against his destiny any longer! If lie could
have gone yesterday, he would have saved
all risks. Hut he had waited just too long.
Curran had returned to claim his wife. Jane
EllingSwOrth had discovered everything.
And now this Giddings in his drunkard's
-,at hn
could bring.
'You are not going to do anything rash
are you," said Philip, dropping his eyes in
humiliation.
But Giddings came close to him and laid
his hand ON his shoulder. Then he put his
face close to Philips, with a drunken mans
false measure of distance. The young man
writhed at his TOUCH and held his breath to
avoid taking the hot fumes of bad liquor the
fellow exhaled But he did not dare to anger
the low creature.
''Did you think" continued Giddings with
gushing Representatives,, that l amt got
any conscience? You're doin' wrong, Mr.
let it go on Did you think amt got no
consciencep
Philip shook him off and his face grew so
terrible that the fellow WINGED as he had
done before at that look
Don't strike-dont kill me, Phil-Mr.
Breton, was only JOklu - YOU uei
when mans jokin'. Got any money bout
clothes, say $50; IN awful hard up. Wouldn't
hurt you; your altogether too nice feller" !"
He leered affectionately at the young man,
then suddenly he winked frightfully.
Philip threw him roll of bills. 1t, was
the last blood money the scoundrel would
ever draw. By tomorrow morning Philip
Breton and his wife would be beyond the
reach of harm, or beyond the reach of help,
one or the other. "There is 500; take it and
go, have business"
"Ten, twenty, and twenty makes thirty,
ten, and twenty and twenty, here amt but
$50, Thought rs too drunk to coun' did
your
"There is 500 there"
as lie. Yer takin' vantage me cause I'm
drunk"
This creature must be away if it cost 81 600
He crowded another $50 bill into the fellows
clammy hand
"Now go, or you'll stay longer than you
want to-"
Giddings dried his tears and gathered his
limp joints together to go. But he insisted
on Philips shaking hands,
But even after Giddings had got into the
hall Philip heard the fellow muttering to
himself He stepped hurriedly to the door OF
30 otoh 4ba oy.1 b,,to opul1