Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-08-15
''Ske's
0(iine -
By Herbert Shaw

MOI know. You haven't. I'm going
home. l am not sure, if her answer
had been dierent, that l would have
let her bemarried TO a sweep like
you"
"Oh, that's your opinion" said Me
Kergow, for about thirteen years
Harkers's face was not nice at this
moment. Rage took him at first he
gulped rather than spoke Il think
lean hit back" he said. It's just
about thirteen years-since there was
a certain business with a check. You
had to go abroad afterward"
We'll" said Nc Kergow, Il don't
defend myself to you, but I've always
been straight with women. And I've
worked The other out.
There wasn't much in it, after all.
It's not going to hurt me now
Il shall write and tell her-thaLs
ALL" said Harker.
Before God, Harker," ne cried, IF
if you rell Lcr l viii kill you,
At a slight noise both men looked
up. II was M'sieu Bouvard who stood
in the open doorway, bringing in Har-
ker's chocolate.
McKergow sat long, thinking, at
the foot of the great gilt cross upon
the rock. He had been to Poulard's
for lunch, but he had eaten nothing.
Presently he was swinging back in
the dusk along the deserted, rain
swept road with the same drumming
thought She would know nothing
10 lessen her idea of him.
In the black passage to the com
mon room he bumped against a man.
ooh is that you. Nc Kergow?" said
the sneering voice, and on answer
came the challenge. 81 shan't be long.
I'm just going out to post a letter"
Come in here" said McKergow at
once, and felt his way into the room.
1t was quite dark, but neither troubled
about light.
You're writing to Edica?" McKer-
gov was strung to the topmost pitch,
but perfectly resolute.
Il am"
You're not to send that letter"
I'm posting it. you fool, l tell you!"
reiterated Harker.
I'm fighting" said McKergow sim
ply. Ready"
quite" sneered HarRer, and The
next moment the blood was running
from McKergows face-Harker's ling.
No man could have stood against
McKergow then after his lonely walk
and the mastering thought and the
blow to crown all. He struck twice,
blindly and fercely and hard. Har-
ker fell.
McKergov knelt down and went
systematica through his pockets in
the dark Till his fingers closed upon
the letter, He stood upright and his
only thought was that The dark was
getting irksome. Then there was a
binding light behind him, the room
turned to see M'sieu Bouvard in the
sprang suddendly to day and he
doorway, lighted lamp in his hand.
The landlord put the lamp on the
table, slowly and carefully as usual.
shifting ii to it's accustomed place.
Not till then did he kneel down.
Harker's head had struck the open
hearthstone
He's dead" said M'sieu Bouvard
calhly.
Yes" said McKergow YEARLY
What are you going to do?"
Bury him." said Bouvard quietly,
and it woke McKergow up.
What that" he shouted, in
whirl.
Look, you" said Bouvard. He's
dead, Monsieur Kergow He's dead,
the pig. He did not know me, but
knew him at once When l was
at Auray, years ago, he stayed with
me. There was something with my
daughter, monsieur, my daughter
Anna, whom you have never seen,
and afterward-he went away in the
night and never wrote to her. 1t
killed my wife-and my daughter
walks in Paris. Who knows him?
He had no friends. We will bury
him, you and I. He has gone away
in the night again to wander some
where else. I had a score with him
that you have paid and we are alone
in the house, We two.
So Mr.. McKergow went home. The
past is no trouble to him, for he be-
lieved himself justified, and that
night he dropped the past behind him
altogether The rest is in the gar
don of tha Hotel de IFurone and