Middletown transcript., 1906-12-08

he had no criticisms to make and
no questions 10 ask But lie
could not leave without some
assurance Of her safety without
some knowledge Of the fugitive
she was shielding.
If the man behind you will give
me his word that sou are in nc
danger, he suggested
I'd rather be struck dead than
let hair Of her head be hurf,
came the answer from the shsd
ows with o fire of passion that
startled his questioner.
The young man bowed and
turned away at once.
For 3 momesit nothing was
said, but suspicion was alert in
the conyfcts mind. Presently
IL broke ihto words. | suppose
4
he IS true.
AS steel, answered the girl,
Eserenely.
His face cleared ] beg your
pardon. | might have known it,
he replied, humbly. -Four years
agoI would not have said that
no, nor thought it.
-Four years from now you will
not think such things. Your
faith in men will have come back
to you. Then she asked, abrupt
ly: How much of your sentence
is still TO serve?
Seven months.
Only seven months /? Oh, what
apity What pity
4 How do you mean he cried,
surprised.
She turned on him with shin.
ing eyes, her hands going out to
him, unconsciously. Go back
and finish your sentence. Pay
your debt in full Then go out
into the world with your head
up. You cannot afford to be a
sknlker from the law all your life.
You were made for better things
than that. If you have done
wrong you must stand the pun
ishment; you must endure the
grief. Surely you do not want
to start your new life with a lie.
You don't know what you ask,
the man broke out, noarsely.
No; I don't. Its an easy thing
for me 10 ask, but it will be a
splendid thing for you to do.
And you will do it-I know you
will do it.
He groaned I can't do it: you
don't understand.
/ understand this, she cried,
eyes vivid with faith in him, that
you are going to have another
try at life, and you have got to
build on an honest foundation.
You viii finish payment, and then
you will go to your brother. The
West is generous. 1t asks no
questions, but tanes man On
his merits. hope great things
for you.
His eyes scerched. You will
never kno W how much you have
dUue for NE, he said, simply.
She laughed softly ; happiness
vibrating in her voice.
And you will never know what
you have done for M.
TheTArchie srlpid tread came
to them again. He lost no time
IN bealing about the bush.
Slip on this coat and hat, he
told the convict. Quick. They
are coming.
Tile other man shook his head.
! am going to give myself up.
Ii Archie had known the girl
he loved less well lie would have
been amazed. AS it was he sim.
ply accepted the convicl's State
ment, and with u tact the other
man appreciated, stepped out to
detain the guards in talk for II
minute.
There were both power and
delicacy in the firm little hand
held out to the convict by the
girl in the shadows.
Good-by! Some day you will
come back and see us again, and
all this win then be only like a
bad dream to you.
The young mans face was
broken with emotion. He touched
her hand for a moment, then,
with a little sob, stopped and
kissed the edge of her gown.
was beyond the pale; one ac-
cursed beyond redemption-ye
you stopped 10 me. God be good
to you; God be good to you
always always, he murmured.
Then he walked into the light
and gave himself up. The girl
huripd her face in her hands Gl,o