The Van Buren press., 1903-08-29

don miss.
'Mirey! Have you turned against
NEE"
"Hain't ye played tn hypocrite
long enufT, Joseph Armacost," she
sneered.
The breeze rustled the letter at
her feet. He glanced at it and
started.
81 guess the plays over" he OBJ
served, wearily.
She made no reply. After awhile
he looked up again and said softly:
"Mirey. before they-before l go
will you forgive me ~
She turned away her head TO hide
the tears of wounded pride that
would not be repressed.
ut was mean. cruel. despjcable."
he continued, but we have to do
such things sometimes-they're
part of our orders. ! wish you could
understand and forgive rpe, Mrey."
"Fergive ye!' she burst out. Fer
give We! You lied to me. made love
to me, learned me to love-yes, TO
love-sich n snake as you. You'd
have sent poor old pap to prison, an
made me an outc& sta convict's dar-
ter. Fergive ye? Neyer-you hound"
"Mirey, it wasn't all a lie. l did
admire you-I do yet. And | in
tended TO arrange that your father
might escape if"
Then We wouldn't have done yer
duty. You'd have played traitor to
both sides. Don't talk to me. don't
never want to hear yer voice"
There was a long silence-then the
man remarked:
Il suppose Jake has gone after the
gang"
Don't mention Jalte's name. You
amt fit to. He's man"
Look here, Mirey. Do you realize
what you are doing? You are help
ing murder me, as surely as though
you had shot me through the head
with that revolver. Do you under
stand what that means-to take hui
man life-in cold blood? Bad as l
am ! never did what you are doing
now. You are helping murder me,
Mirey."
The girl shuddered again, then
steeled herself.
How do | know what they'll do
with ye? That's their bizness-not
mine. You an them fer that"
"Mirey, you know as well as that
I'll never see another sunrise if you
keep me here 80 minutes longer. You
loved me once, Mirey. An hour ago
you would have gone with me to t~s
ends of the earth. Do you hate me
so now that you WI stain your soul
with my blood?'
She gave great sob.
"What kin l do? | dasen't let We
go. Let me alone. Fer Gods sake
don't tempt me-"
He strained his strong wrists, the
handkerchief fell over the supple,
plant hands, and he sprang to his
feet, defying the deadly weapon
upraised in the shaking hands.
stop I'll have to shoot! Iprom-
ised Jake-ye're a spy
"Shoot, then, Mirey, I'd better die
that way than by torture. shoot
right here-between the eyes-be
sure"
The dark eyes looked into his, filed
with tears, and the grim muz1le
dropped.
80 Rob--I kain't--Im a coward"
He sprang forward, seized the
weapon, and fred every chamber in
the air.
"Now, you've done your duty he
exclaimed, brenthlessly, you've fred
every bullet at me and only wounded
me as | ran. I've boat concealed at
the river. Goodby, Mirey,"
She grasped his arm and clung to
him desperately.
Not till ! know ye won't inform
on pap and-Jake, must know
that, er III hold ye till they come
an they've hcercd tn shots"
"Could | betray you-after you've
saved me7 Mirey-girl-look in my
eyes-they shall never know"
She looked, knew, and released
him, lie stopped to kiss her, but she
thrust him back fercely, lie seized
the brown right hand, pressed II TO
his lips, and bounded away. The girl
fell on her knees.
90 Lord ferglvc me fer what I've
done. Fergiye me fer the lie I'm
about 20 tell, AM o, God, help me
to fr.S,t him."
Then she pressed her burning lips
10 the brown right hand, rubbed the
spot madly with the crushed letter,
and, witt little moan, east the pa.
per aw,.n as she east him from her
heart, and rose 90 face the hurrying
men,
Late that night when Jake re-
turned, weary and desperate, from
the frultlcss search, MIreN from the
old mans side, stepped forward In
the moonlight TO meet him,
"Jnkc,' she suid softly don't
worry, Hen never tell, ! know
Jake looked down, stcrnly into the
dark eyes
"MWpy- you let him go"
She laid both brown hands on his
arm and looked up, plcOdnglN into
the grave, rugged face,
"Ncs-it wus better I've been n
fool Jake, Hut it's all past now An
-jakc-ye needn't wait I'LL fall=ct
yen have me yit'
Jake stopped, kissed the quiccring
lips, put his strong arm about her,