Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-10-11

was letter that showed the Kind OF
cur he had been. I let Claire see it.
l thought of a way. showed her that
dead devil in his true colors, cured
her Of her folly. aud l thanked God I'd
put him out of her way and mine. Re-
greet 1t? Repent it? Never for an in
slant! Never to this houry'
You let an innocent man suffer for
your crimer' said Nicholas Harding,
with SILVER.
"DidI? And do you suppose 1 would
have let him hang? l was under the
Impression that saved his neck.
would have saved it with my own had
that been necessary. Only yesterday
risked my life to save his. Who took
him away from the iron gang? I had
to commit a forgery and risk my liber-
ty to do 1t. Who would have treated
him like a brother from that day? 1t
was his own doing, mark you, that
made him u menIal! And he would
hang me, would he, for Kidding the
earth of the crying rascal who picked
his own pocket like common thief?
He shakes his head, but / know him
better. And that's his gratitude-after
all I've done! Something like yours,
you, Harding! save your daughter
from poisonous scoundrel, so am
not to marry her for my pains. A just
pair convict bushranger and fraudu-
lent NJ. p! A precious pair to join
forces against an honest man! Do
your worst. I shall marry her against
,, Jou both. I shall, shall. shalt"
Tom knew this voice. He wondered
he had not heard the madness In it
from the first.
"Neyer" cried Harding. II would
sather see her in her coffin"
"She loves me as l love her."
"She does not love you at ALL"
At these words feeling of pity crept
over Tom. They rang so true, and
they told SO palpably upon that dis
torted heart which could bear up bet
ter against a charge of murder.
Does she not cried Daintree. eve
shall seer And he darted from them
with an altered face. was first out Of
the room, first up the stairs and first
into the ladies' sitting room, but Tom s
foot was in the door before he could
bang it behind him, and Tom and Mr..
Harding burst their way in together.
On the threshold they stopped with
one accord. Daintree had not turned
to confront them. He had flung HIM
self at the feet of Claire, who was
seated on a sofa by her aunt's side.
''They say you do not love me- wills
pered Daiptree in voice that broke
with very tenderness and vet retained
q confident ring 81 love you better
than my own life and all the world.
Tell them nothing can part us, nothing
they can say, nothing have done. Tell
them you love me as I love you. Tell
them you would marry me il had to
go to prison tomorrow
The brown curls moved slowly from
side to side.
what! There Is truth, then, in what
they say I"
Forgive me! Forgive mep' were
Clafre's only words.
$50 it Is true!'
His tone would have been marvel
Of restraint In any man. In this one ii
was a miracle. Still on his knees he
besought her as last favor to tell
him whom she did love. Her eye few
to Toms. The cunning of the criminal
lunatic shone through the tears In his
$50 1t Is Erickson, not Blaydes,' he
said, getting up and standing harm
lessly in their midst. Next instant he
had whipped out his pistol and fred II
point blank at Toms heart. The report
Twas appalling. A white cloud filled
the room. AS 1t thinned away there
was Tom still standing, with the one