The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1909-11-11

steps leading to his arrest ana tncar
ceration."
"Ah." said I. now y, understand
each other"
He nodded.
:" would hardly have expected this
Of you, Ankony."
"You admit the theft, don't you!"
do you admit the motive that
prompts you in the prosecution?"
That's got nothing to do with IL.
But naturally-quite naturally, I'm
sure-it is to interest to. stop this
business and make an example of the
thief. We've stood 1t too long al
ready. This is the fifth time this has
happened to the company IN twice
that many years. I tell you 1t won't
do to let it go on"
/ looked at him and smiled. It may
not have been a very pleasant. smile:
l certainly didn't intend it to be, and
he flushed beneath it.
What do you mean7" he clustered.
THAT what you are telling me is all
nonsense" I retorted.
"Now that you've gone this fl . per.
haps you will 60 a little farther and
make yourself plain" he cried an
grily.
Certainly. You were refused last
night by Miss Hemingway"
"She told you that?"
IF you knew her better you would
not ask such q question. She told me
Aothing. You made your proposal so
public that the refusal was bound to
be more or less SO. and you have your
self to thank for the fact that I, with
others, know of it. Now, to make her
suffer, you throw her brother into
prison."
He got up holly and took a step or
two toward me.
BE careful what you sag. You
know better than that"
"Your habit has not been to run
down Offenders" I remarked.
We've had to let several Of them
go because of their relation to mem.
bers of the company. But there must
be a stop somewhere, and I am in
earnest when l say that it must be
here. I'm sorry for the boy and for
his sister, though 1 don't expect you
to believe it. But"
mo, DON'T" said L.
I took up my hat.
wait! Where are you going?"
Back to my ofice."'
What for?"
Because our interview is at an
end"
Its only begun. We must talk Of
how we are to proceed"
/ walked toward the door.
Am to understand you refuse to
have anything to do with the prose-
cution?" he cried.
"You certainly are, Ankony."
II must remind you of your obliga-
ton to the company"
There's IN obligation before it." I
said, my hand on the knob.
"That sounds very fine," he sneered.
Naturally, I can understand that you
wish the Hemingway name kept clean.
since"
Don't go any further, If you please.
l shall send in my resignation at
once"
ooh, better think twice of that. NJ.
Twining."
1 went out and shut the door. Blu,
halfway down the hall I turned de-
liberately, hesitated only a moment.
and went back. What pride I had for
myself and for Dan and Barbara was
gone. Matters must be arn.cably ad-
justed if possible.
"Ankony," I said, going III to him,
"for Gods sake think of Miss Heming-
ray, if you won't think of the boy,
If she had accepted you last night.
you would not have followed this
course. You wouldn't have consid-
cred it. You would have been full of
other plans this morning. Surely we
can't hold women to blame for not
caring for us when we ask them to.
It's not fair. Love isn't to be COM
PEELED; you know that az well as I
do. Think better of this. Won't you?
You know what an honored place
theirs has always been in the com
munity. You know what luck they've
had ever since their fathers death,
and how they've met it. You have
been a guest in their house, a friend
Of them both. You must have ad.
mired their courage, their smiles, and
the incompatible way in which they
have both set themselves to make
things come right. The boy has been
weak"