The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-11-09

trumcn and touched the keys softly.
With admiration Jack gazed at the
instrument.
81 came around by Florence" an
swered Jack, with a smile.
Eagerly Polly turned toward him.
"See anything of Bud Lane?' she
queried.
mo" Again Jack smiled-this time
at the girls impetuosity.
Hell lose his job with me IL he don't
call more regular" she said.
Say, Jack, you amt fergettin' what
you promised-to help Bud with the
money thai you said was comm in
soon, as Dicks share of a speculation
you and him was pardners in? I'm
powerful anxious to get him away from
McKee,
Jack had not forgotten the promise,
but, alas! under the goading of Mrs.
Allen that he should clear off the mort
gage on his home, ne had used Dick
Lanes money for this purpose. In
what a mesh of lies and broker PROM
Uses he was entangling himself! Now
he was forced further to deceive trust
ing little Polly in the matter that was
dearest to her heart.
mo. Polly, but the fact is-that
speculation isn't turning out so we'll,
after ALL"
The disappointed girl turned sadly
away, and went out to Mrs. Allen in
the kitchen.
Jack removed his belt and gun ard
hung them on the rack by the door.
Spying his father at the corral, he
called to him to come into the house.
Hello, Jack!" was Aliens greeting
as he entered. shaking the
mans hand
when did you come over?"
This morning." Allen told him.
"Echo's birthday. you know, M the
old lady allowed we'd have to be here.
Amt seen you since the weddin'-got
things lookin' fine here" Allen slowly
surveyed the room.
Jack agreed with him with a gesture
of assent. A more important topic to
him than the furnishing Of a room vas
what had become of Dick Lane. After
the wedding ceremony no chance had
com to him to speak privately to
Allen.
The festivities of the wedding had
been shortened. Slim had gathered a
posse and taken up the trail of the
slayers. Jim Allen had Joined them.
The hazing of Jack, and the hasty de-
parture of the bridal pair on horse
back in a shower of corn, shelled and
on the cob. prevented the two men
from meeting,
The older mar had volunteered no ex-
PLANTATION. Jack knew that in his heart
Alien did not approve of his actions.
bat was keeping silent because of his
daughter.
Jack could restrain himself no longer.
"Jim-what happened that night?" he
asked b%rokenly.
Allen showed his embarrassment.
"m~eanin'--' Then he hesitated.
Dick" was all Jack could say.
~ seed him. If I hadn't, he'd busted
up the weddin' some," was his laconic
answer.
Where is he?"
Allen relighted his pipe. When he
got the smoke drawing freely, he gazed
at lack thoughtfully and answered.:
He's o Back where he came from
into the desert" Jim puffed slowly.
and then added: Looks like you
didn't give Dick a square deal"
Allen liked his son-in-law, and was
going to stand by him. but in Arizona
the saying "Alrs fair in love and war"
is not accepted at its face value
"I didn't acknowledged Jack. Il
was desperate at the thought of losing
her. She loved me, and had forgotten
him-she's happy with me now"
81 reckon that's right" was Jim's
consoling reply.
To clinch his argument and soothe
his troublesome conscience, Jack con-
tinued: "She never would have been
happy with him."
That's what 1 told him." declared
Allen. HE knew it, an that's why he
went away-an' Echo-no matter what
comes, she must never know. She'd
never forgive you-an', fer that matter,
me, neither"
Jack looked long out of the window
toward the distant mountains-the bsr-
rier behind which Dick was wandering
in the great desert, u off from the
woman he loved by a false friend.
"How l have suffered for that ne!"
uttered Jack, in tones full of anguish,
That's what hurts me most-the
thought that / lied to her. I might
have killed him hat night pondered
Jack. He shuddered at the thought
that he had been on the point of adding
murder to the lie. He had faced the
same temptation which Dick had yet
to overcome.
"Mebbe you did. There's more'n n
way of KILN a man. suggested Allen.
Jack swung round and faced him.
The observation had struck home. He
realized how poignantly Dick must
have endured the loss of Echo and the
thought of his betrayal by Jack. As
he had suffered mentally so Dick must
be suffering in the desert. In self
justification he returned to his old
argument.
II waited until / was sure he was
dead. Six months / waited after We
heard the news. After | had told Echo
l loved her and found that was loved
in return-then came this letter. God!
What a fight I had with myself when
I found that he still iived-was think
ing of returning home to claim her fer
his own. I rode VI into the hills and
fought it out all alone, like an Indian
then resolved to hurry the wedding
to lie to her-and l have been Twins
that lie every minute. every hour"
lack leaned heavily on the table.
His head sank. His voice dropped al
most to a whisper.
Allen slapped him on the back to
cheer him up. Philosophically he an
nounced: "well, it's got to be as 1t Is.
You'll mebbe never hear from him
again. You mustn't never tell her.
1879. oo;o, 80 Gov, rofbins about II