The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-02-17
TheSpoilers.:
" REx E. BEACH.
Copyright 1905, by Rex n Beach.


(VOulIuutU IINsm In&t khtuO.D
"Suit Yourself" said lie. hut IL 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 II you knew them
to I've crooks. hut you couldn't IL YOU
only suspected it-that's the woman.
When you get ready. come back. I'll
show you proof. because don't claim
to he anything but what | am-Wilton
Strive. bargainer of some mean abil.
lily. When they come TO lnscribe my
headstone hope they can carve there,
on with truth. He got value re-
lceived.'
You're a panther" she said loath-
lngly.
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
ipleases me, believe the creature owes
mo loyalty to its fellows. and hunts
alone. Now. when you've followed this
conspiracy out and placed the blame
where IL belongs. won't you come and
tell me about t.? That door leads into
an outer hall which opens into the
street No one will see you come or
go"
| AS she hurried along she wondered
dazedly why she had stayed 10 listen
so long. What u monster he was! His
meaning was plain. had always been
so from the first day he laid eyes on
her. and he was utterly constituencies.
She had known all this and yet. in her
proud, youthful confidence, aud in her
need. every hour more desperate and
urgent, TO know the truth, she had
dared risk herself with him. Withal,
the man was shrewd and observant
and had OWNED her mental condition.
with remarkable sagacity. She bad
failed with him: but the kirl now knew
that she could never rest till she found
an answer to her questions. She must
kill this suspicion that ate into her so.
she thought tenderly OF her uncle's
goodness to her chung with despairing
faith TO the last OF her kin. The blood
| ties of the Chesters We're close and
she felt In dire need of that lost brother
who was somewhere in this mysterious
land-need of some one In whom ran
the strain that bound her TO the weak
old man up yOnder. There was Me
Namara; but how could he help her.
how much did she know Of him, this
man who was now within the darkest
shadow of her new suspicious?
Feeling almost intolerably frlendless
and alone. weakened both by her re-
cent fright and by her encounter with
Strive, Helen considered as calmly ms
her emotions would allow and decided
that this was no day In which pride
should figur~. There were facts which
| Ii was imperative she should know,
and Immediately; therefore, few min
utes later, sne knocked at the door OF
Cherry Malotte.
When the girl appeared. Helen was
astonished to see that she had been
crying. Tears burn hottest and leave
plainest trace in eyes where they come
most seldom. The younger girl could
not guess the tumult OF emotion the
other had undergone during her abb
| sence, the utter depths OF self abase-
ment she had fathomed. for the sight
OF Helen and her fresh young beauty
had aroused In the adventures very
tempest OF bitterness and Jealousy.
Whether Helen Chester were guilty or
innocent, how could Glenlster hesitate
between themf Cherry had asked her
self. Now she stared nj her visitor in
Hospitality and without sign.
"will you let me come in?" Helen
asked her. Il have something TO say
10 you"
When they were inside. Cherry Ma
lotte stood and gazed at her visitor