Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-05-30

he went on. 81 was there up to the
very last night and heard the people
taking their places to see me swing.
Well, that night was nothing to this.
And if they had hanged me in the
morning it would have been nothing
nothing-it would have been nothing
The hoarse voice broke. sob after sob
shook the tortured body. and the girl
glOwed with shame to find herself the
useless witness of an agony so su-
preme. But his tears dried hers and
bound their fount. 1t froze her heart
to hear and see him. She was afraid
to speak to him, to touch his hand.
She withdrew a little. and her bare
foot pressed cold oasis on the warm
ground. She stopped and picked up a
coin.
"Ha" cried Tom.
His voice was very bitter now. but
under conttol in moment.
"Where did 1t come from?'' asked
Peggy. with the coin to a shining
crevice.
Il am ashamed to tell you" and he
ground his teeth. But you will never
| guess. From n greater brute than Pi-
| Their of the Sullivans. He came to look
| at me just afterward. I was Steaming
| like horse in this blanket. and he
| came and gloatpd over me and flung
me a farthinG-a farthing-the very
| beast who ordered me the lasheS and
pretended to be SO kind"
| "A farth'n'"
Cd hnt hi,,,; I hi
yellow throat between these ten fin
gers" And they were clutching muir
derously in the air and there was
murder in every vibration of the husky
| voice
"Sure. an it isn't farth'n' it is at
all"
What is it. then?'''
"A sov'-iI"'
And the soft Irish hrogue was rich
with honest satisfaction. She showed
him the coin in triumph He regarded
it with Il leaden eye.
"A sOv'rin,' repeated Peggy. with
enthusiasm. Stick it in your pocIut
an he grateful liver afther to Peggy's
bare fut.''
He shook his head.
"You WON'T"
| Another shake
"'Tis sinful pride | call It." remon.
strated the girl. THE kind man meant
weIr'-
The kind man."
AN isn't he?"
81 owe him a hit already" replied
Tom. Let me settle that first"
But this he meant well. man. This
is no farthn'"-
$50 much the worse. He thought to
heal the wounds I owe him with SOW
ereign. did he? His conscience and
my wounds, May they lie open and
sting anG thrOb and tickle all ut once
as they're doing now till | have my
fingers at his throat The girl looked
SO frightened that he Gulped at his pas.
sion and said: You keep it yourself
Peggy. like a good girl. You deserve
a purse of them for all you've done fol
me this night Why. what now
He sat alone in the lookup. The Cir
had stolen swiftly out. In the uncon
scious ecotism of his grief and shame
this simply puzzled him. SO he sat in
Inc mOOnDedllS, DllUkI uE Ut SHe lbpoli
until she returned and once more CLOSED
. the door.
"All's safe" she told him cheerfully
81 heard the thraps snorin' in theil
, Shape"
Had you heard something else?"
t 81 had not"
= "Then what was wrongT
rs it why I went out?" said Peggy
. fixing him with an eye that was cheer
, full too. ITO dhrop that sov'rin to tn
, very bottom of their well. An it's W,
1 will dhrop it, too. If you phase"
s Tom held out his hand.
t 1--WE offended you, Peggy. Coz
2 knows | didn't mean to. But I'm ca
/ pablc of all that's brutal tonight Yo1
< see what they've made of me already
4 Forgive me, Peggy. I'll never forgiv
e them. I'll be even with every one o
= them, curse them. curse them. and the
4 I'll swing as ! should have done a yea
q ago I'm sorry | didn't keen tina