Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-06-27
titled to know how the scheme is
working. Don't you think can keep

Of course he laughed, trying to
change the subject of their talk; but
she arose and leaned against the desk
near him, vowing that she would not
leave the office without piercing her
suspicion that there was something be-
hind 1t all This dissipated, brilliant
creature knew the situation thorough
ly; and yet, though swayed by her eff
forts, he remained chained by caution.
She leaned forward and smiled at him.
You're just like the others. aren't
you? You won't give me any satisfac-
ton at all"
Give. give, give" said Struve, cyni-
cally That's always the woman's cry.
Give me this-give me that. Selfish
sex! Why don't you offer something
] in return? Men are traders, women
usurers You are curious, hence mis-
cradle I, can help you, therefore |
| should do it for a smile You ask me
| to break my promises and risk my
honor at your caprice. Wells that's
| woman-iike, and I'll do it. I'll put my
self in your power, but I won't do it
gratis No, we'll trade.
ut isn't curiosity she denied, tndig-
nantly ut is my due"
and grown suspicious, that's all. You
think / know something that will
throw new light or new shadow on
everything you have in the world, ana
you're worked up to such condition
that you can't take your own peoples
word; and, on the other hand, you
can't go to strangers, so you come 10
me. Suppose told you had the pa.
pers you brought to me last spring IN
that safe and that they told the whole
story-whether your uncle IS unlm,
peachable or whether he deserved
hanging by that mob. What would you
do, Ell? What would you give 10 see
them? Well, they're there and ready
to speak for themselves. IL you re q
woman you won't rest till you've seen
them. "Will you trader
eyes, yes! Give them to me-! sue
cried, eagerly, at which wave Oh
crimson rushed up to his eyes ana ne
rose abruptly from his chair. He MADE
towards her, but she retreated 10 the
wall, pale, and wide-eyed.
Cant you see" she flung at him.
'that must know
He paused. "Of course l can, but
want a kiss to bind the bargain-to
apply on account" He reached for her
hand with his own hot one, but she
pushed him away and slipped past him
towards the door.
"Suit Yourself said he, t'but if I'm
not mistaken, you'll never rest III
you've seen those papers. I've studied
you, and I'll place bet that you cant
marry Mcnamara nor look your uncle
in the eye till you know the truth.
You might do either if you knew them
to be crooks, but you couldn't If you
only suspected it-that's the woman.
When you get ready, come back; W
show you proof, because ! don't claim
to be anything but what ! am-Wtlton
Struve, bargainer of some mean abli-
lily. When they come to inscribe my
headstone hope they can carve there
on with truth, He got value re-
ceived.'
You're a panther she said, loath-
Iingly. 49,, /,
he laughed. 'Affectionate and full OF
tplay but with sharp teeth and sharper
claws. To follow out the idea, which
pleases me, believe the creature owes
no loyalty to its fellows and hunts
alone. Now, when you've followed this
conspiracy out and placed the blame
where 1t belongs, won't you come ana
tell me about it? That door leads into
an outer hall which opens into the
street. No one will see you come or
60"
| AS she hurried away she wondered
dazedly why she had stayed to listen
SO long. What a monster he was! His
meaning was plain, mad always been
SO from the first day he laid eyes upon
her, and he was utterly conscience
less. She had known all this; and
| yet, in her proud, youthful confidence,
and In her need, every hour more des'
perate and urgent, to know the truth,
she had dared risk herself with him.
Withal, the man was shrewd and OBJ
servant and had OWNED her mental
condition with remarkable sagacity
She had failed with him! but the girl
knew that she could never rest TIL
she found an answer to her questions
She must kill this suspicion that ate
into her so. She thought tenderly of
her uncle's goodness to her, chung with
despairing faith to the last Of her kin
The blood ties of the Chesters were
close and she relt in dire need of that
lost brother who was somewhere III
this mysterious land-need of some
one in whom ran the strain that bound
her to the weak old man up yonder
There was Mcnamara; but how could
he help her, how much did she know
of him. this man who was now within
the darkest shadow of her new sus
picions?
Feeling almost intolerably friendless
and alone, weakened both by her re
cent fright and by her encounter with
Strive, Helen considered as calmly as
her emotions would allow and de
cided that this. was no day in which
pride should figure. There were facts
which it was imperative she should
know, and Immediately; therefore, 8
few minutes later, she knocked at the
door of Cherry Malotte. When the CIR
appeared, Helen was astonished to SEE
that she had been crying. Tears burr
hottest and leave plainest trace in eye:
where they come most seldom The
younger girl could not guess the tn