Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-02-11
The Fighting
~ ...By...
Chance. essSsG ::
Copyright, 1905, by the Curtis Publishing Company.
Copyright, 1906, by Robert W. Chambers.

{ had grown CHASTITY and Ills uncertaic
ewes were fastened on hers in the mir.
ror.
What do you mean-exactly?" she
| asked, turning from the dresser to con-
front him.
He made no effort to answer An ex-
| preston of dull fright was growing
" his visage. as though for he first
| time he had begun to realize what had
happened.
She saw it and her heart %quickened,
but she spoke disdainfully: We'll.
am ready to listen-as usual. How
much do you ~WantY'
He made no sign. His lower lip
hung loose. His eyes blinked at her.
What is it?" she repeated. What
have you been doing? How much
have you lost? You can't have lost
| very much. We hadn't much to lose.
If you have given your note to any OF
| Leroy, look ut me! You promised me.
on your honor. never to do that again.
| Have you lied. after all the times l
have helped you out, stripped myself,
| denied myself, put of tradesmen,
faced down creditors? After all
have done, do you dare come here and
ask for more-ask for what have not
| got--with not one bill settled. not one
servant paid since December
Leila, live. got-to tell you
"Nyhat?" she demanded. appalled, by
the change in his face. If he was
| OVERRIDING. it, he was OVERRIDING it real
istically enough.
live used Plank's check" he
mu1nbled and moistened his lips with
his tongue.
She stared back at him. striving t
comprehend. ''Plank's." she repeated
slowly. "Plank's check? What check!
| What do you mean?'
1.-The one he gave you last night to
pay his bridge losses and forgot to fill
In"
''1'he one he But you couldn't!
| How could you. 1t was not filed in
II filled It,"
Her dawning horror was reacting
on him. as it always did, like a fierce
tonic, and his own courage came back
in q sort Of sullen desperation.
"You-you are trying to brighten me,
Leroy" she stammered. You are try
ing to make me do something-give
you what you want-force me to give
you what you want! You can't fright
en- me. The check was made out to
me-to my order. How could you
have used 1t, If l had not Endorsed it?'
81 indorsed 1t. Do you understand
that?' he said savagely.
mo. l don't. Because If you did
it's forgery"
81 don't give a - what you think
it is"' he broke in fiercely. "All I'm
worried over Is what Plank will think.
l didn't mean to do 1t. l didn't dream
Of doing 1t. When l saw that check
in my hands 1 thought I'd use it tenn
porarily-merely as moral collateral to
flash at Notwithstanding to back
my l o US. So l filled it In"
For how much?" she asked. not dar-
ing to believe him, but he ignored the
QueSllOu duu WcuL Ou, L uAAC0 ~ d4O
indorsed it and
GLOW could you indorse 1T" she in
| terlupted coolly, now unconvinced
again and suspicious.
9TH tell you If you'll stop that fool
tongue a moment. The check was
made to L. Mortimer wasn't it? So
wrote Il. Mortimer on the back.
Now do you know? If you are L. Nor
timer, SO am 1. Leila begins with L;
so does Leroy, doesn't it? l didn't i'm
itate your two-words-to-a-page auto
graph. l put my own fist to a check
made out to one l.. Mortimer, and
don't care what you think about it as
lorg as Plank can stand 1t. Now put
up your nose and howl. If you like"
But under her sudden pallor he was
taking fright again. and he began to
bolster up his courage with bluster
and noise as usual.
Howl all you like" he jeered. 'It
won't alter matters or square &C
! counts with Plank. What are you
staring at? Do you suppose I'm not
sorry? Do you fancy l don't know
what a fool I've been? What are YOU
turning white for? What
"How much have you She chok-
ed. then, resolutely, "How much have
you-takenY"
"Taken!" he broke out with an oath
"Vvhat do you mean? I've borrowed
about $4,000. Now yelp! Eth? What.
No yelps? Probably some weeps then
! Turn 'em on and dry. I'll wait
And he managed to cross n bulky
leg over the other and lean back, af
fecting resignation. while Leila. boil
upright in her low chair, every curved
outline rigid under the flowing silker
wrap, stared at him as though stun
ned.
"Well, we're good for it. aren't weT
he said threateningly. IF he's going
to turn ugly about it, here's the
house,"
l-..--