The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1908-11-22

"I knew, oh, knewl" she cried.
You. need not tell me!p
The hell Of two passions that wero
struggling within him--a savage exul.
tatlon and submerging wave Of pity
for her utter ignorance, her blind faith
for the painful denouemcnt that was
rushing upon her-died, and left him
cold and still, "No,' he said grave
ly, @ am not the man they want. 1t
has all come back to mc-the past that
| had lost. Such a crime has no part
in it. -
At another time the abrupt news of
this retrieval must have affected her
strangely, for she had wondered much
concerning the return OF that memory
that held alike their early love and his
own tragedy and shame. Now, how
ever, n greater contingency absorbed
her. He must 20, and without delay.
he closed the door behind him and
stepped quickly toward her. AT all
odds, he was thinking. she must NOT
see the man in that inner room If she
remained he could not guess what shock
might result.
"Jessica," he said, "you have tried
to save me from danger tonight. |
is to ask no questions, but TO 90 at
once. ! can not explain why, but you
must not stay here a moment. -
"Oh,' she cried bitterly, "you don t
intend to leave. You choose to face it,
and You want TO spare mo. If you
really want to spare me, you will gol
Why, you would have no chance where
was killed robbing the sluice tonight,
and he ed-lied-liedI He swore you
did it, and they will believe i'll"
He put back her beseeching hands.
How could he explain? Only to get her
away-to gain time, to thinkl
Listen!" she went on wildly.
"They will wait to carry him to the
town. can go and bring my horse
here for you There is time! You have
only to send me word, and | viii fol.
low you TO the end of the worldl Only
say you will gol'
He caught at the straw. The expedi.
ent might serve.
every well" he said; "bring him to
the upper trail, and wait there for
me- -
She gave a sob of relief at his acqui.
escence, 81 will hurry, burry!" she
cried and was gone, swift as a swal-
low s flight, into the darkness.
AS he re-entered the cabin, the calm
ness fell from Harry Sanderson as n
mask drops, and the latent passion
spTang IN It's place. He crossed the
room and drew the bolt for the wretch
ed man who, after one swift glance at
mis- face, groveled on his knees before
him, sobered and shivering.
''For God IS sake, Harry, you won I
give me up2" Hugh cried. '|You can t
mean to do that! why, we were in col.
lege togctherl I'd been drinking to.
night, or | wouldn't have talked to you
as / did. I'm sober enough now, Harry
You can have the claim. ! III give it TO
you and all you we got out of it. Only
let me 90 before they come to take
mel''
Harry drew his feet from the frantic
hands that clssped them. Did you
kill Morcau2' he asked shortly.
"It was an accident - moaned Hugh
81 never intended to- swear to
heaven l didn't He bounded me, and
he tried to bleed me. | only meant to
frighten him OF. Then-then-I was
afraid, and 1 ran for it. That was when
came TO you at Aniston and-we
Played Hugh's breath came in gasps
and drops Of sweat stood on his fore
head.
\ weird, crowding clamor was sweep
the sound Of Jessica 3 voice, he had
thrust Hugh into the inner room, it
had been only to gain time, to push
further back, if by but a moment, the
shock which was inevitable. Then, N
the twinklng OF an eye, fate had
swept the board. Hugh's worthless
life was forfeit. He would stand no
longer between him and Jessica! The
enginery Of the law would be their
savior.
Neither crime nor penalty was OF his
making. He owed Hugh nothing-the
very mo- be had taken from the
ground, save q bare living, had gone
TO pay his thievery, He could surrender
him to the law, then take Jessica far
away where the truth would come
mercifully softened by distance and
lightened by future happiness. 1t was
not his to intervene, to cozen justice,
TO compound felony and defeat a
righteous providence! He owed mercy
10 Jessica, He owed none to this cring-
ing, lying thing before him, who now
reminded him of that chapel game that
ruined the Rev. Henry Sanderson!
"When we Played" he echoed.
9 How have you settled your debt-the
debt Of honor you once counted so
highly7 How have you lived since
then9 Have you paid me those days
of decent living You staked, and lost2'
Hugh looked past him with hollow,
hunted gaze. There was no escape, no
weapon to his hand, and those eyes
were on him like unwavering sparks of
iron.
"But [ will" he exclaimed des-
elf you'll only help me out
~ Too4oA eQ