Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1908-01-31

traye1 Tom ly".,..it so she still
Thought bat the Ikea of the master
turning traitor in this WHY WIS to her
iu,olcrahlc She had heard the mar
riagc WAS put OF. size OWNED some all
sufficient cause. :..' with tn cbbing
Of her last hopes 81 Tom her first gen
erous go"l will 10 him returned She
looked ut Ginger and found Ginger
looking ut her VI Castle Sullivan he
had been furtiye admircr He was
an open one now Nat was In the next
room
"Wen. Ginger, an what is 1t y IN
tind to say;'
Il shall have to swear to him. though
Id never have let this out In ny sober
senses. He saved my life. I meant
to save his"
AN you will do that same say you
made mistake. It's his life yell be
swearin' away"
but its true, Peggy"
AN It's meselfll be thruer STILL
Ginger darlin', If you will but say the
word an do by Tom as he did by you"
She had not thought of it before. 1t
was sudden inspiration of the quick
Irish brain, a sudden impulse of the
warm Irish heart. When Nat came in.
with wet hair plastcred over his thick
skull, the coal black head and the fiery
! beard were far enough apart. But 1t
i had not been so during every minute
Of his absence. And n pretty f1asco
awaited him In the ballroom.
Led up to Erickson, the overseer
shook his head.
"No," said he. 1.-THE bushranger was
inches taller. can't swear to him
after ALL"
Not swear to hlmT roared Mr.. Nat.
"Why, you took your oath he was the
man.
Not swear to himf" said Daintree.
stepping forward. Happily, my good
fellow
But Toms eye was ON him, and the
police were in the room.
TRY the girl" said one constable.
"Ginger is right" said Peggy prompt
ly. ITS taller man he was entirely"
But you're looking ut his feet"'
Peggy raised her eyes, and calmly
and cOldly they met Toms for the last
time.
NO" said she. This is not the man
| ct ALL"
THE - liars" Nat Sullivan scream
| ed. They've made up their minds to
lie. and you two fools stand there and
listen" He stormed and wept, grew
violently abusive and was put out by
the constables before they left them
selves. In the scuffle and confusion
Ginger found an opportunity both to
grip Toms hand and to whisper that
one good turn deserved another. But
Peggy O'Brien turned her back with
out word or look. Warm heart and
nimble brain had done Tom Erickson
their last service, had undOne their
first and only injury. and this was the
end between these two.
When the three men had the great
room once more to themselves Tom
turned quietly to Daintree, who was
now perfectly livid with rage and cha
grin. and inquired whether he still de-
MED his own crime.
Deny I'll" cried Daintree. 1T Is too
prepOsterOus to be worth denying.
Show me what you have stolen. Let
us see this precious proof"
Il have q live witness, too, II you
force me to call him in"
Tom went to a window and had
thrown up sash before the other two
Joined him. Outside was the curricle
and Wyeth seated at Fawcett's side.
"Stop! Stop! Don't call to himw
whispered Daintree In a choking voice.
"I-killed him."
Good God" cried Nicholas Harding.
Tom shut down the sash.
Eyes. I killed him." cried Daintree,
recovering his spirits. "and I'd do 1t
again this minute. Why? You shall
hear-and then Claire shall hear-for
mean to see her. 1t will take all sgd
ney to keep us apart That night she
refused me. God alone knows why.
She loves me now and will stick to me
In spite Of you all. but she refused me
then. l stayed for IN hour where she
left me. Then l got out by the back
way and wandered through the fields
Just as l was-thinking Of her At
last-I hardly knew where I was or
what I was doing-I heard voices. His
was one. Yours was the other, Erich
sen--I didn't know 1t then-and you
were just leaving. l heard him say
he was thinking Of being married.
Joined him when you had gone and
asked who the happy lady might be.
What do you think he said? What do
you think? What do you thinkY'
''Claire" said Nicholas Harding.
Eyes, Claire!' screamed Daintrec.
'"That incarnate devil-and my angeli
BE said he loved her-that smooth
Homeland she had limited she did
care for somebody. God knows what
more he said! You would consent.
he had you in his power Either he
said that or saw It. At any rate he
taunted me-maddened me-and when
l looked about for something to strike
! him with there was the very thing at
my feet. killed him. I meant to
, kill him. I have never for one mo-
ment regretted killing him. What do
you suppose was the first thing found
In his pocket? No. Harding, I'm not
thinking Of you, my honest friend. 1t
was letter that showed the kind Of
cur he had been. I let Claire see It.
l thought Of way. showed her that
dead devil in his true colors, I cured
her Of her folly. and thanked God I'd
put him out Of her way and mine. Re-
greet 1t? Repent It? Never for an in
slant! Never to this hourr'
you let an innocent man suffer for
your crime" said Nicholas Harding,
with SILVER.
"Did I? And do you suppose I would
have let him hang? l was under the
impression that I saved his neck.
would have saved 1t with my own had
that been necessary. Only yesterday l
risked my life to save his. Who took
him away from the iron gang? I had
to commit forgery and risk my liber-
| ~ to do 1t. Who would have treated
him like brother from that day? It
| was his own doing mark Won. that