The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1904-01-28

night, sharing your hardships, starv-
ing when you went hungry, freezing
through the long. dark nights because
he dared not kindle a blaze which
might have apprised you that you were
watched. At first his only thought
was to claim shares in whatever you
might find. But when, ambushed in
the tall grass, he saw you gather I'M
told wealth, the demon of avarice
took possession of him, and he de-
termiued to have the treasure, even
IL it came to the taking of life. You
were nothing to him then; he simply
saw in you one of an army of adven-
turers, many of whom would have
served him the same way. He left
YOU for dead, fled with his spoi! to
the coast, and thought that his secret
was buried in the desert. He was rich,
and he became richer; from that hour
everything he touched turned to gold.
Eut he had miscalculated the power
OF conscience, of remorse and-of
love. Sir Arthur and Miss Dysart,
am the man who sho. and robbed your
brother"
He ceased speaking and turned
away. There was silence in the room,
save for the dull swapping and flicker
of The fire, while from the darkness
came a woman's sobs, answered by a
deep groan of anguish from the bowed
form OF the man who had just signed
his own deathwarrant.
The two men, Sir Arthur and Rich
aIu, sat ioohing at Kane In dumb
amaze. The former was the first to
Lnd his tongue, although usually the
more unready OF the brothers.
This is a most eXtraordnary-er-
presume you are aware of the full i'm
port Of what you have told us-and-
er-of the consequences" this last sig
nihcantly
The culprit bowed.
Kane, old man." said Richard,
I'm unfeignedly sorry! I'd rather it
had been any man but you. | wont
say but what, since we saw old PlSh
yesterday, I've had certain misgivings,
but | was unprepared for this"
There was-there is--there can be
no palliation or excuse" said Kane,
lifting his head. The guilty knowl-
edge became more than | could carry
after al! your Kindness and" The
sentence was unlinish ed, for his voice
Lroke.
Il presume you realize that this ends
everything, Mr. Kane" said Sir Ar
thur, with a wave of the hand to where
Stella was sitting sobbing softly.
God help me, | dol" was the reply
wrung from the anguished spirit, but
bear." and with these words he left
the room, and the clang of the heavy
outer door announced his departure to
those within.
Stella broke down utterly then,
and would not be comforted
Send for Marcia" she walled, and,
knowing nothing else to do, Rick set
out across the park TO beseech her to
come TO the motherlcss girl in her eX.
tremity.
1T is too dreadful, too horrble!"
said Marcia, as they drove back after
she had been made acquainted with
Kane's confession. Suppose he had
hilled you, as he meant to do, the
wretch" she painted. IN never for
give him-never!
"Oh, | don't know" said Richard
coolly. He came mighty near it, but
he just missed it, you see. If Id
caught him red-handed, or even three
months ago, | expect I'd have been
pretty hard on him too; but now,
you see, it's different"
Il don't See" said Marcia vindict-
lively.
wait till you meet Stella said
Rick significantly.
she ought to hate him, tool" in
sisted Marcia.
We'll | fancy she won't" was the
quiet reply, arguing that Master Rick
possessed rather more insight into the
workings of the feminine mind than
might have been expected.
Curiously enough, much of his own
hot anger and Indignation had left
him, and he found himself looking at
the matter from the position of an out
slider or an onlooker. No doubt Stella
would readily enough admit the enor-
nifty of kanes offense, but Rick could
see how it might appear to her as a
mere episode in a daring and adven-
turGus mans career Then, too, the
aeggar had made clean breast of it!
However, Stella kept her room all
the next day, and SO no one knew what
her feelings were.