People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1893-09-08
HIS CONSCIENCE.

speaking very slowly and distinctly,
and looking straight into the
other mans eyes, chat you
knew exactly what you were
doing; but | say again, that is
no excuse for you. We have been
friends long enough to warrant your
taking sides with me in almost any.
thing, and even to-even to lying for
me if it were necessary"
The other man shifted his position
little and wet his lips with his
tongue.
"YOu did not remember, did you"
lviSon went on, gripping and ungrip-
ping the back of the chair behind
which he was standing, that it was
I;who put you on your feet, not only
this ast,time, but once or twice be.
fore? am going to believe you for
got this-forgot that to me you owe
even what little you have; for don't
want to think of you as an migrate
full man. No you are not ungrateful,
you are simply fool. You say that
when he asked you, you were taken
by surprise that you could only ack-
nowledge | had been willful, and
wild, and mixed up in ono or two af-
fairs not greatly to my credit as
gentleman. And yet you ought to
have known and remembered that
your words were my death-warrant
with her father. You did know it,
but you didn't remember itP What
have you to say for yourself?"
The other man swallowed once or
twice, but he did not speak. wi
son, growing paler every moment,
turned the chair aside and moved
toward the door.
81 am going" he said, because
l do not care to trust myself with
you longer. If | did, | might for
get and if | forgot, l would try
to kill you When you get your
senses again, you will see and under
stand just what you have done for
me. You have ruined my life. and
hers, for she loved me through it
all-and | am the man who made
you. | am going South tonight.
and it will probably be for long
time. My only wish is that, in the
years to come-until you are dead
you will think at least once a day
that 1t was you who wrecked the
happiness of two people-who broke
her heart and brought the old hell
back into mine; and it is you who
will pay for it in the end"
At last the other man found his
tongue.
"My God, IviSon,m he cried,
hoarsely, "dOn't leave me now-let
me think. let me think! I-I-how
could know what he wanted? He
only asked me if you had been wild
years ago, and | said'-passing his
hand quickly over his eyes-''what
did say? 1t could not have been
much, for he was here but a minute.
But | can fix it. Ivison-I can fix il
some way! How could know it was
her father%
"YOu couldn't know" answered
lvison, in the same clear, even tones,
though the other man knew that
back OF this forced calmness the
devil himself ragged in the others
soul, because, as | told you, YOU
were a fool. Until then you had
been passably sane, and it would
seem that you ought to know enough
to Keep your mouth shut, but you
didn't On the contrary you told
him more than he asked for You
told him that was friend of yours,
but you thought no, you knew
had sown my wild oats-and then
you told him what they were and
what kind of crop they were yield
ing. You told of the other woman,
and-and all the rest Could any
man alive have given his daughter
to me hearing that And yet all the
time you were talking, you knew
had changed; that | had buried the
past in a straight, upright present
and had kept it In its grave for years.
But you wernt content to let it re-
main there; you dragged it out and
showed it to him enjoyed doing it,
doubtless. And | made you"
The other man looked straight be-
fore him, but he did not speak again.
lvison took up his hat, drew his
gloves from his pocket, and began
slowly putting them on.
81 did not come here to preach to
you. he said, presently, '.for l am
not good at that sort of thing. |
came for your own good, as we'll
as to tell you just what l
thought of you l have done that,
and now say to you, l never want
to set eyes on you again. l have
kept my hands off your miserable
body tonight because l am not a
rough; but | warn you now that if
l ever see you again, it may be
different; foI it is in my heart to
kill you-to kill you, do you hear?"
"Why don't you do it them" said
the other man, suddenly. turning his
suuken eyes upon his scourger, his
voice still hoarse with emotion; 81
wouldn't stop you. know all you
say, and more, is true-that you
made me. aud that | have ruined
you. You couldn't possibly think
any less of me than | do of myself.
il putting an end to Y unhappy life
l. u