The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-12-01

say, Miss henderson! p
Il say that love him." replied the
| girl. Il love and trust him. We came
here to ask you to marry us: not right
away. but we wanted to talk it over
with you"
1t seemed to be the mans turn to
speak and Brown waited for his words
Stone stood with bowed head, his eyes
upon the floor. Becoming conscious of
the silence, he looked up.
Il am glad that you are here he
said. "Of course you will understand
that | had no thought of it. Your
name is not uncommon
''Woll. | should think it wasn't" re-
sponded the minister. with Il laugh.
You. better than any other man. can
tell me whether have the right to do
this" said Stone Il have told her the
truth. and still she would come to me
and live in the home that | have built
But | cannot give her my name. am
known here as Morton Brook and must
continue to be so known"
Now. let's consider how the matter
stands" said Brown briakly. Your
case comes back to me. but not your
face, by the way. l really cannot see
the most casual resembla nee. Howev-
er, let us proceed The warden told me
all about you. He said that you had
struck Il man in the heat of a quarrel
with your hand and not with a weap-
on. The man went home and died two
hours later from the effects Of his own
excitement and many years OF hard
drinking. That's the fact in the mat
ter. as the warden said and as | came
to believe after a brief investigation.
You may remember that l was there
for only few weeks after you came.
AS l said, you struck this man. You
were blamable. no doubt. You may
have owed some reparation under
the laws. But to convict you of any
form of homicide was monstrous in
view of the medical testimony given at
the trial, and it never could have been
done except that the man in question
was Il politician of the party then all
powerful in that city. | think that the
true story told in this community and
backed by me could hurt you but little.
Why not make a firm stand! Resume
your own name; beStow it upon this
sweet and exemplary young woman
who has honored you with her love.
Tell the plain truth
Stone raised his hand to check tn
beneath the bronze.
81 am Il fugitive" said he. II forgot
that YOU might not know. ! escaped
from that prison.
us he the more to blame for that"
exclaimed the young woman. You
have said yourself that his conviction
was unjust, and they condemned him
has told me that he could not hay"
lived so long"
81 have said what | believed" added
Stone in Il firm voice. My health WAS
slipping away as water runs through
ones fingers. You remember how |
looked: SO when the chance came
and it was chance took it and step
ped out to freedom"
"You escaped, then, without VIC
lence:" said the clergyman.
absolutely"
The minister sat down upon Il corner
Of his desk and beat his hands merry
0usly together. the knuckles of one
into the palm Of the other.
IL would not send you back" he said.
IL cannot see that any good would come
Of 1t. But | wish you hadn't told me-"
For whose sake?" asked Miss Hen
derson quickly.
The clergymun's face flushed.
"For my own, l suppose" said he.
because this secret might embarrass
me-
"How?"
"lf he should be traced, if | should
be asked directly"
"You would tell the truth. of
course said Stone. I'VE should OK
pect nothing else"
81 dread the way Of mortal affairs
as experience has shown it to me-
said the clergyman. 'Thcrc is nothing
in this world more battling to the mind.
yet nothing more conspicuous to the
observation. than the workings of the
law whereby this very time, when he
would most dearly wish to hide his
secret. becomes the time when it Is
most likely to be revealed
"iou would dssuade her. them" said
Stone
81 do not say So was the rcjoindcr,
land yet
"What is the worst that could hap
pen: said Mabel. Let us think Of
that. Suppose the officers who were to
take him back We're standing in this
room waiting for him. DO YOU think
that would not keep my word to him?
Do YOU think l should not wish to be
his wife,"
Stone threw his arm impulSivclv
across her shoulders and crushed her
close To him.
| 'lf YOU are sure of that" said the
minister, II have no more To say Mar,
~ him, and may God bless YOU both.
When do you desire the ccremony:"
1--WE had planned it for Il week from