The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1908-05-01

/ women usurers. You are curious
hence miserable / can help you. there
] fore | should do ii for a smile. You
ask me to break my promises and risl
my honor on your caprice. Well. that.
womanlike. and I'll do it. I'll put my
self in your power. but l won't do il
gratis. No; Wen trade"
ut isn't curiosity" she denied in
dignantly; 1T is my due"
mo; you've heard the common talk
and grown suspicious. that's ALL You
think know something that will
throw a new light or a new shadow
on everything you have in the world
and you're worked up TO such con-
dition that you can't take your own
peoples word: and, on the other hand.
you cant go to strangers. so you cone
to me. Suppose l tell you l had the
papers you brought to me last spring
In that safe and that they told the
whole story whether your uncle Is
unimpeachable or whether he deserved
hanging by that mob-what would you
do, Ell? What would you give to see
them? Well, they're there and ready
to speak for themselves. If you're a
woman you won't rest till you've seen
them. VIII you trade"
Yes, yes! Give them to me-" she
cried eagerly, at which a wave of
crimson rushed up to his eyes and he
rose abruptly from his chair He made
toward her. but she retreated to the
wall, pale and wide eyed.
Cant you see." she flung at him.
"that l must know?"
He paused. "Of course / can, but
I want kiss to bind the bargain-to
apply on account" He reached for
her hand with his own hot one, but
she pushed him away and slipped past
him toward the door.
"Suit Yourself" said he, "but if I'm
not mistaken you'll never rest till
you've seen those papers. I've studied
you, and I'll place bet that you can't
marry Mcnamara or look your uncle
in the eye till you know the truth.
You might do either if you knew them
to be crooks, but you couldn't If you
When you get ready. come back. TT
show you proof because l don't claim
to be anything but what | am-Wilton
Strive, bargainer of some mean a5il
ity. When they come to inscribe my
headstone | hope they can carve there
on with truth, He got value re-
ceived.'"
you're a panther" she said loath-
ingly
Graceful and elegant brute, that"
he laughed. "Affectionate and full of
play, but with sharp teeth and sharper
claws. TO follow out the idea, which !
Dleases me- / believe the creature owes !
no loyalty to its fellows, and hunts |
alone Now, when you've followed this !
out and placed the blame +
where it belongs. won't you come and |
tell me about it? That door leads into
IN outer hall which opens into the 7
street. No one will see you come or
60"
AS she hurried along she wondered
lazedly why she had stayed to listen
20 long. What monster he was. His
meaning was plain, had always been
10 from the first day he laid eyes on
Ter, and he was utterly constituencies.
She had known all this; and yet, in her
,roud youthful confidence, and in her
iced, every hour more desperate and
lrgent, to know the truth, she had
Jared risk herself with him. Withal.
he man was shrewd and Observant
md had OWNED her mental condition
With remarkable sagacity. She had
allied with him; but the kirl now knew
hat she could never rest till she found
n answer to her questions. She must
ill this suspicion that ate into her SO,
he thought tenderfy of her uncle's
oodness to her, chung with despairing
aith to the last of her kin. The blood
les of the Chesters were close and
he felt in dire need of that lost brother
7ho was somewhere in this mysterious
lnd-need of some one In whom ran
be strain that bound her to the weak
Id man up yonder. There was Nc
tamara; but how could he help her.
ow much did she know of him, this
ian who was now within the darkest
hadow of her new suspicious?
Feeling almost intolerably friendless
nd alone weakened both by her re-
emit fright and by her encounter with
truve, Helen considered as calmly as
err emotions wolld allow and decided
nat this was no day in which pride
Mould figure. There were facts which
was imperative she should know,
nd Immediately; therefore, a few min
ties later, she knocked at the door Of 4,
berry Malotte
When the girl appeared, Helen was
stonished to see that she had been ;
wing. Tears burn hottest and leave
ainest trace in eyes where they come ;
ost seldom. The younger girl could ;,
Dt guess the tumult Of emotion the !,
her had undergone during her alb
,nce. the utter DEPTHS of self abase-
ent 1sne had fathomed, for the sight
Helen and her fresh young beauty <