Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-10-15

ne SAW Oh LIS llIdCl > AdSCs anu Sulu.
"You act as if it were a cool million.
I'm no worse than a lot who have bet
ter luck han l.. Suppose l did draw
the five thousand. You were going to
give me ten for a wedding present. 1
had to have the money then, and you
wouldn't have given it to me. You
know that as we'll as l do. Besides, 1
was going to take it up myself, and
you would never have beer the wiser.
He promised to hold it. It's a low
trick for him to round on me like this.
I'll pay him off for it some time. I
don't see that it's anybody else's bust
ness but ours anyway" he continued,
with a surly glance at Harry.
Harry had been staring at him, but
with a vision turned c%uriously back
ward-a vision that seemed to see
Hugh standing at a %carpeted dais in a
flower hung room, while his own voice
said out of a lurid shadow, "Wilt thou
have this man to be thy welded hus-
band"-
"Stay, Sanderson," said the old man.;
then turning to Hugh, "Who advanced
you non on this and promised to
hold it?'"
"Dr. Moreau."
"He profited by it,"
"He got his margin,' said Hugh sui
lenly.
"How much margin did he get?"
"a thousand"
"Where is the rest?" David Stires'
voice was like a whip of steel.
Hugh hesitated a moment. lie had
still a few hundreds in pocket. but he
did not mention them.
81 used most of it. had q few
debts"
Debts of honor, l presume"
Hugh's s%ensibility quivered at the
fierce, grating irony of the inquiry.
eff you'd been more decent with
spending money!" he said with a fare
of the old e%ffrontery, "Id have been
all right! Ever since | came home
you've kept me strapped. l was
ashamed to stick up my more of my
friends. And of course l couldn't Dor
row from Jessica?"
"Ashamed!' exclaimed the old man
with harsh s%ternness. You are with
out the decency of shame! If you were
capable of feeling it you would not
mention her name now.
Hugh thought he saw a glimmer
through the storm cloud. Jessica was
his anchor to windward. What hurt
him would hurt her. He would pull
through!
well" he said, "it's done, and
there's no good making such Il row
abost it. She's my wife and she'll
stand by me. if nobody else does!"
No one had ever seen such a look on
David Stires' face as came to it now
a sudden blaze of fury and righteous
scorn that burned it like a brand.
"You impudent backyard! You
drag my name in the gutter and then
try to trade on my self respect and
Jessica's affection. You thought you
would take it up yourself and l would
be none the wiser! .And if | did find
it out you counted on my love for the
poor, deluded girl you have married
to make me condone your criminality,
to perjure myself, to admit the Sig
nature and shield you from the conse-
quences. You imagine because you
are my son that you can do this thing
and all still go on as before. Do you
suppose | don't consider Jessica? Do
you think because you have fooled and
cheated her and me and married her
that will give her now to a caught
thlef, a common jailbird?"
In the thoughts that were darting
through Hugh's mind there was none
now of regret or of pity for Jessica.
His fear was the fear Of the trapped
spoller who discerns capture and it's
consequent penalties in the patrolllng
bullseye flashed upon him. He studied
his father with hunted, calculating
eyes as the old nan turned to Harry
Sanderson.
"Sanderson," said David Stires once
more in his even, deadly voice, "Jessi-
ca is waiting in the room above this.
She will not. understand the delay.
Will you go to her? Make some ex-
cuse-any you can think of-till l
come"
Harry nodded and left the room,
shutting the door carefully behind
him, carrying with him the covering.
helpless look with which Hugh saw
himself left alone with his implacable
Judge. What to say to her? How to
say 1T. He mounted the stair as IL a
pack swung from his shoulders. He
paused n momen ut the door, then
knocked. turned the knob and entered.
There In the middle Of the blue hung
room In hnr vyaH1tnn drocy with kn,.
oandaged eyes, and her bridal bouquet
on the table, stood Jessica. Twilight
was near. but even 80 all the shutters