The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-12-22
CHAPTER XIV.


Jaw advanced, and his pig
w. Rish eyes contracted. He
threw off his too amiablc de-
meanor. His voice became harsh and
cruel as his natural brutality asserted
itself.
"A man like me, eh?" he rasped.
That's pretty hard language, Mrs.
Brooks"
"Please forgive me and let me talk"
"If you didn't come here to see me
sort Of socially, what did you come
for?"
about Joe-my husband"
what about him?"
II asked you the amount Of the def:
alcation."
"You said 1t was your business.
Well, it's more than $4,000"
Emma was astounded, and her heart
sank. She had not imagined that 1t
could be so large a sum.
"Is that the TRUTH" she asked.
II amt never been noted for lying"
Captain Williams, I've come here to
plead with you to save Joe and me
and my family from disgrace-to keep
him out Of Jail. You knew my father.
You were in business with him. You
always liked him and knew he was an
honest man."
HE was square in his business desl-
ings with me, Mrs. Brooks, but that's
not less than every man has got to be
who deals with me-"
81 know that" she said, her manner
becoming supplicating; II know that,
but you must have some respect for
his memory, you must have had some
affection for him at the time-eyery-
body had-and some pity for me In
this trouble. l thought all these things
might soften you, might open way
to some arrangement that would save
us from the exposure that seems now
bound to come tomorrow morning.
Isn't there some way out Of it?"
But he was all business now. He
had satisfied himself that he had vast
ed his time with her.
"Have you got the money! he suap-
ped.
"No."
"Then what's your proposition?'
Il have none," she confessed hope
lessly, hanging her head.
"Humph!' he grunted, settling him
self in his chair.
II thought thought you might be
a little more charitable and suggest
some way" she murmured.
your husband sent you here, didn't
he?
"Yes."
"What did he say to your"
"Told me I might have some infiu'
ence with you"
"Put the blame on you for stealing
the money, didn't he?"
"How did you know that?"
She raised her head and looked al
him in surprise.
81 know the man. Didn't hep
Eyes"
"Told you, didn't he, that you could
fix it up with me to call everything
offT
"Yes, that's what he said" she ad
mitted wonderingly.
"And 1 suppose he said that If you
didn't come you'd have to take the
blame for him going to the peniten
tiary?"
"It-it was something like that"
"Didn't happen to mention, did he
that he thought l liked you pretty
well?"
"Y-yes," she stammered, now utterl.
bewildered IL think that was par
of what he said"
"Didn't forget that, eh? Well" III
continued, looking once more straigh
into her eyes and putting the issu'
b. AoA -.
here. That part seems all right. Wha
have you got to sayT
She sustained his gaze bravely anC
answered, though with no hope in he
heart:
"Is there any honorable way II
which can help him?"
"What do you mean by 'honorable|
Emma lost all patience. Her nerves
that had been under such sever
strain, were getting beyond contro
She rose, flushing angrily.
"You know what mean by honor
able? You know what any good won
an means when she says honorable
You're beating about the bush, Car
tain Williams. If you want to com
to the point, come to 1t and come t
1t quickly. 1 am going home"
''Now you're talking, my lass" h
said grimly, getting up also, "and T.
talk right back to you. If took you
opinion Of me and that Of your thieN
ing husband wouldn't have to tall
I'd tell you in plain words that II 20
wanted to go to San Francisco wit
me I'd take a chance on the oVerea
ing and wouldn't put you on a diC
like 1 put the rest. What would 20
do then2 What II did make the proI
osition that's in your mind and we
In the mind Of that Sneaking huSban
Of yours when he tried to put you Q
the bargain counter and send you ov'
to me to see II I'd put the price up
sixteen thousand2 What II I locke
Won over and was pieasad and thouRI