Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1906-08-02

ed at me and her eyes cleaned insult
ingly.
Are your hands clean?" she de-
manded.
1 was stung past endurnce. I, Gordon
Barttle-W estinghouse, to be asked by a
girl who stole postal orders whether
my hands were clean.
"Clean from theft, at least" | said.
will you please take me-" she said
with determination, ito the nearest
pawnshop at once?"
| | gasped THE nearest what"
'Pawnshop-P-A-W-N, pawn; S-H-O-
p, shop"
For all her defiance, | noticed that
her lip trembled, and realized that
she was badly scared at the thought
of what she was going to do. also
realized that | had been badly sold. II
she was going to get rid of some rim
ket or other TO pay me back-oh, most
decidedly | had been an ass and a
brute into the bargain
Il don't know of one" said weakly.
| III
and look for one" she said.
We left the station In silence, and
| presently found what she wanted She
looked at me little uncertainty AMI
hesitated. | spoke with great deter
mination.
TITS not possible for you to go in
here" | said. IF you insist upon-er-
the transaction, insist upon executing
it for you"
| knew she was relieved, but she
would not show it. very WE'LL" she
said composedly. Please take this
bangle. But it was you who forced
upon me this transaction
Il shall be only minute" said,
with my hand on the door.
Il am surprised" she retorted, that
you can trust me out of your sight as
| long as that"
Once inside | slipped the bangle In
to breast pocket, and inquired the
way to an imaginary road. Information
on the subject being-naturally-Rc
Forthcoming, | was reduced to stoop-
Ing to tie bootlace that had not come
undone; after which joined her,
holding out two sovereigns She
looked at them without satisfaction.
There is the money" she said
Good morning"
And though her voice was perfectly
even, there was an expression In her
eyes that troubled me. and certain
dispirited droop Of the shoulders, as
though she had fought hard and long
for something and had been vanquish-
ed. The memory of the way in which |
had treated her overwhelmed me.
watched her helplessly as she walked
to the door. AS she turned the hanola
a young man walked past at brisk
| pace, and a low exclamation escaped
her. The young man wheeled around.
"Hullo, Betty" he said breezily,
you here? And" he stared at me a
moment in puzzled way, and then
held out his hand rather shyly-'how
do You do? | didn't know you knew
my sister. You won't remember me, !
expect. You were In the Sixth when
| was in the Fellowes Minor, at the
bottom ofthe Lower school"
| did remember him. but my tongue
seemed frozen in my mouth. II SEEM
ed an eternity while waited for her
to annihilate me with word
She laughed suddenly. and look.
ed up. She was patting her left-hand
pocket ruefully. | shuddered.
"0h, Teddy" she said, little un.
steadily, Il don't know what should
have done but for Mr.. Barttle West.
inghouse, What d. you think? / los,
my purse, and he has had to pay even
the penny for my bus fare"
Again she laughed with soft roguish
ness. and I could have fallen on my
knees to her. At the same time By
no means lost consciousness of the
fact that the explanation, though I'm
: genious, had its weak points as well
How, for instance, II Teddy asked, was
she going to explain? But Teddy didnt
ask. His mind appeared full of some
thing else, and he was staring first al
: his sister and then at me In a kind 81
awed way.
"Then"--he looked at her-"is he
really coming down with us. or what?
She drew sort Of quivering breath
and stared amazedly at them both
What was Il all aboutg
Teddy" she said. will you please
so and get me ticket? Mine was lost
with NV purse"
He went and she turned TO NE
eagerly. opened my lips TO try and
thank her for her generosity. but sh,
stopped me with a gesture.
"oh, please" she said there's 81
, little time. and | must explain before
Teddy gets back had made up my
mind no, 70 explain anything. but--bu
now YOU will wonder" She gave m,
an anxious glance. "You really ar,
the Parasite Hunter. aren't your" sh,
asked
remembered that that had beer
the title bestowed on me by promin
ent daily not long before.
| atNNr.A11 81 II