Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-05-13

bane, saw 1t both ways from the be-
ginning. She was acting lie to save
a life. That was one side of the mat
ter. She was screening the guilty at
the expense of the innocent. That was
the other side. And If Claire was In
any respect singular among women it
was in this inherent and not invariably
convenient faculty of seeing the other
side whether she would or no.
All her love could not blind her to
the terrible strength of the case against
Tom, and all her prayers could not I'M
say what Tom had said to her about
the murdered man on the very night of
the murder I'D hang for the hound
and think the satisfaction cheap at the
price, Those had been his actual
words. They We're forever tolling, toll
ing in her ears. and. strong though the
case was, would they not have
strengthened it still more? And, good
reason as all the world had to think
him guilty, had not she. God help her.
better reason than any living man or
woman? But, oh, she could not and
she never would believe 1t of him-not
murder, And even with that cry in
her heart she did believe II. but fought
to deceive herself little longer. Her
first theory, however. that of self de-
Tense. was virtually shattered by his
| reported wholesale denials. Then
| what more was to he snid for the deS-
| perate hero of guilty fight, taken at
last with the dead mans possessions
upon his person?
Claire could not imagine, but a clever
| barrister might-nay, woodland she
| set her teeth and vowed that Tom
should have the finest brain at the bar
| to defend him. guilty or not guilty. and
| though she perjured her soul for the
| price. But this was not necessary. 1t
was only necessary to act the lie, and
| Claire scOrned herself for the slight
| comfort that mean distinction gave
her against her will. The honest lie
was unnecessary because she was deal
! ing with a man of extremes. who neg
lected many things. but did nothing by
| halves, and whom every passing
breath left cold or burning. A breath
! from Claire could have but one effect.
and Daintree was already white hot
| for the defense. He had caught fire Mt
q word and from that moment made 1t
the business Of his life to rescue that
| of an obscure homicide. He could talk
of nothing else. His passionate zeal
chilled Claire with the thought of what
| n iCrht f11r 70 Shnul1 hn hp
| truth.
Within twenty-four hours of the
committal he came in hrimful of news
and self Importance. Claire was dis
! covered in the garden and Informed
who had been retained for the defense
in a meaning voice which conveyed no
special meaning to her. The name
was a big one, but the girl was not q
great reader of the newspaper and she
| grateful. therefore. but not grateful
enough for Daintree. whose greed for
her admiration was such that in the
next breath he must needs tell hel
with what figure the big mans brief
had been marked. And then he heamed
for the girl stood thunderstruck at his
words.
give hundred guineasw she repeat
ed slowly. you are never going tc
find five-hundred-gu ineas?"
"And why not!" said he. with ready
pique. do you think that that colos
sal sum is beyond my means?"
For q man of whom you know moth
ing-who has no claim upon you? Yes
dor'
Pardon mew replied Daintree in his
most elaborate manner II know a
least as much of the young man a:
does Miss Harding. His case has al
ready excited her sympathy. He ha!
therefore the very strongest claim up
on mine"
ooh, but you must not do itr' CRIED
Claire impulsively. at is too mucl
for you to dream of doing. am sorry
l ever said a word about 1t. You arr
too noble. too generous. too goodw
He hung his head a moment ant
then exclaimed. with the estraordinar!
passion of the man. that there wa!
nothing he would not do to win sucl
words from her lips: that she had re
paid him already a hundredfold.
"And, remember. 1t is all for you.
he added suddenly, as though he hat
caught her candor. LET there be m
mistake about that between you anC
me. Whatever / may do is not don,
for yonder prisoner, but for you. an,
you alone"
"For me" whispered Claire An,
she could say no more. thinking he
voice had already betrayed her.
yes; every bit for you
But how can that be? He IS moth
ing to us either. We did not know tn
family. You heard of the quarrel
And the young man was very seldom
there, never once in our house" s.
she still swerved instinctively at tn
lie direct and despised herself NOR
than If she had told dozen. The SIT
uation was intolerable to her. Sh
was on the brink of rash confession
and such an appeal to Daintree's mag
| OF -ha,