Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-09-07
WITH A CONSCIENCE.

WITH A CONSCIENCE.
II do not suppose, said Ivison.
speaking very slowly and distinctly,
and looking straight into the other
mans eyes, "that 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
and even to-even to lying
for me ii 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 I'M
gripping the back of the chair behind
which he was standing, that it was [
who put you on your feet, not only
this last 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 a fool. You say that
when he asked YOU, you were so taken
by surprise that you could only ac-
knowledge I had been willful, and
wild, and mixed up in one or two af-
fairs not greatly to my credit as a
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 why didn't you remember it?
What have you TO say for yourself?"
The other man swallowed once or
twice, but he did not speak Ivison,
growing paler every moment turned
the chair aside and moved toward the
door.
II am going" he said, because do
not care to trust myself with you
longer. II did, l might forget, ,
and if forgot, l would try to kill
you. When you get your senses again,
you will see and understand just
what you have done for me. You
have ruined my life and hers for she
loves me through it all-and am
the man who made you. am going
South tonight, and it will proba bly,
be for long time. My only wish is
that, in the years to come-until you
are dead-you will think at least once
day that it 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 lvisonw he cried, hoarsely,
'don't leave me now-let me think,
let me think! I-l--how could I
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 minute. But
can fix it, Ivison-l can fix it, 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, 'sbe-
cause, as told you, you were a fool.
Until then you had been passably
sane, and it would seem that you
ought to have known enough to keep
your mouth shut, but you didn't. On
the contrary, you told him more than
h. asked for. You said that l was
a friend of yours, but you thought
no, you knew had sown my wild
oats-and then you told him what
they were, and what sort of crop
they were yielding. 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 bad changed: that had
buried the past in astraight, upright
present and had kept it in its grave
Tor years. But you weren't content
to let it stay there; you dragged it
out"and showed it to him-enjoying
doing it. doubtless. And l made
you.
The other man looked straight be-
fore him, but he did not speak again.
lyison 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. l
came for your own good, as well as to
tell YOU just what l thought of you.
l have done that, and now l say to
you, 1 never want to set eyes on you
again. have kept my hands off
your miserable body tonight because
am not a rough; but [ warn you
now that if I ever see you again, it
may be different; for it is in my heart
TO kill you-to kill yoI, do you
hear?"
why dent you do it them" said
Che other mar. suddenly, turning his