The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1893-10-06

Her fear of the law, of death, of pur-
gatory, of hell, was vague and as moth
ing to her terror of the vengeance of the
Malta. None of her family were mem
bers of the dread organization, but she
remembered only too wildly how the
husband of her first cousin had years
ago received just such warning as this,
and one day he had gone as usual to his
work and had never come home again.
Ever since she had had the letters in
her possession she had felt as if the angel
of death were lowering over the house.
AS she stood at Pats side and saw him
read the words of warning she began to
cry.
go God sague, Meester Pad. wad you
ees-a been dor" she moaned.
Pat laughed.
"Well, ma'am,' said he, lat the pres
ent moment I'm jist afther a second
visit to yer yung frind, Socola. We're
that thick ye'd think we were twins-or
thriplets mebbe. an l was two an he
Ji.l> the way he does bow an
sch; ght an left to me-"
If FIT had said he had just returned
from ~ visit to his satanic majesty. she
she would not have been much more
startled ''Socola! You ees-a been see
Socola! Fo' God sague. how you ees-a
fin 'iln?"
Find i'm! Faith an he's as well as
cud be expected afther havin a fine by
a-Sunda' night. Ye see, it does be very
dangerous whin a first by is BORN to
an ou1d man. 1t does fly to his head an
set i'm ravin crazy. / b'lave the doc
thors do call it puerile faver. Did ye
niver heer av ut?''
The woman was too much concerned
even to realize that he was testing.
"Wad g sayce to your she asked
eagerly.
''Sure an he SEE he wants to name the
yungshter afther me, but I'm that proud
I won't allow ut. Ye see, the shtyle av
beauty in the Rooney family has been
preserved through thick an thin wud
great pains, an I'd niver consint tc
take risk on Socola's failures wud nc
promise av relate from her loyal accind-
ency the madam. Ye see. a proud man
must protect his name as well as his
fame"
This bantering, really only a ruse tc
gain time to reflect little on the situa
ton, was becoming very trying to the
signora. Pat became suddenly consciou-
that there were genuine tears in he1
eyes.
'fNiver mind now, niver mind. he said.
with real feeling. Don't fret yersilf be-
cause a couple o. cranks do sind me
valentine. Faith, there's northin in ut
but mebbe thrick o. the shoe thrade to
dthrive me out O. the competition
He then briefly reviewed his two visits
to the old Sicilian. emitting the occasion
of his going and laying special stress on
all the pleasant features of their meet
ings.
But she was not to be SO easily ap-
peased. She lowered her voice almost to
a whisper when she spoke again:
''Tell-a you thrue. Meester Pad, me an
Carlo ees-a been hear sometheen.''
''Heerd something. did We? An what
was ut?'
''Plenny young mans ees-a tell me an
Carlo you ees-a say sometheen 'boud-a
Clotta an Signor Socola- ALA peoples
ees-a talkin 'boud."
''They are. are they? An whut if didt
An whut did ye say?"
Socola ees-a neva was-a lova-a Clotta. !"
eye did, did YEP An whut did 'er ia
Their say?
"Carlo sayce you ees-a just mague-a
LII fun. Y no true"
Pat scratched his head. IAN betune
the two av yez ye've made me out
bloomin liur now, haven't yezg
s'F nague you oud lie. mague
You Just-a partners TO myselve- Fo'
God sague, hs'n ad me, Meester Pad. z
no time fo' talk 'boud lie. Ia time 70
business. You muz-a go just-a so quig
as you cana go an tell ALA doze young
mans you was-a just-a play'n."
Even the strong friendship evinced by
her intense anxiety failed to palliate the
afront of her proposition IN Pats eyes.
He looked at her. bit his lip and without
a word turned on his heel and left her.
As he passed out Of the door the sound
Of sob reached his ear. He was back
IN a moment-
lCONTNUED.@