The Baltimore County union, the Towson news., 1909-12-11

| ~1oeAeA PAuOACO AOA JOuf otAOA w AOA
with the last clutch of your hand and
the last twinkle of your brain. The
face of God goes away in black
cloud if you don't, and leaves you an
empty tin cup in a desert. That's
about all from me, Jim. I'm getting
maudlin, but I've won again.
The woman leaning out of the win
dow knew that his mind was filled
with suicidal horrors when he talked
that way. She felt his heart calling
for her, and there was something i'm
perious, something that fought with
her destroying memories.
Though the activities of the faro
outfit went onfor hours, Reeder talked
no more. Words seemed dead within
him-save those which concerned the
blacks and reds of the layout.
The woman couldn't think of sleep.
She was taking her bread from the
law to bring him in. The man to
make the arrest awaited her call, but
did not know the face of his prey.
She felt that Reeder's bigness was
still unfettered, though his evil was
abroad that his fneness was still
proof against the poison of his baser
actions. And he wanted her so 1t
came to her that there is a wolf in
every man, but that some of The
wolves are more daring. His desper-
ate need was forher, and for her alone.
And SO she listened on, forgetting the
big pains of her body.
When the dawn had not yet come,
but the gray of it was creeping up the
mountains, the game stopped across
the street, and Reeder and others
emerged. She did not find him at
first in the little crowd. The men
moved out and about The street un-
steadily to the brief, awful sleep of the
drink burned, who must face the hor-
rid suffering of the coming day. In a
parting of the group at length, Reeder
appeared to her eyes in the light of
the doorway-gambler, forger. hus-
band of her early visions. He was
all that woman could ask, just as
she had seen him first-slender as a
cadet, steady as man. Smallidge
was with him.
Jim" he said, in quiet, humor-
Gus tone, which she knew as well as
she knew the house of their honey
moon. I'm giving you back your
pile. Well forget the gambler end
tonight. Besides, I've got too much
money-half as much again as when
I left home. It's between you and
me. The other boys would have lost
theirs to some one else, if not to me.
Another thing-I want you to do a
favor for me. There's spring lock
on the door of my room across the
street. Here's the key. have du-
plicate. There'll be some stuff on the
table and full directions what to do
with it. / want you to follow these
directions to the letter. Come back
in an hour, but won't be there.
Where you goin'?" Jim asked,
with interest. :,
Just you do as say, pal. twill
be all right for both you and me-"
"You always were strange feller,
but s'pose it's all right, Nat. I'll
be there in an hour"
Reeder ascended the steps of the
hotel under her eyes. She was fasci-
mated, but frightened. Could he have
heard from the packers that she had
come, and was going to get away 7
She thought of signaling to the man
who was to arrest him, but her heart
was signalling to him who had made
her love and hate. The spare,
groomed figure put the thrills OF a
maiden into her heart. She rebelled,
but did not call Reeder's enemy.
The gambler walked up the stairs
in steady, weary way and his every
step added to her intensity. He
passed her own locked door, and en-.
tered, with key, the next room. She
could have heard the scratch OF his
match through the thin partition, but
it did not come. He sank into chail
with sigh.
| Utterly tired he was. She knew
that from the last sound and, more
that he was besieged with terrors ol
loneliness, self-hate, and passion to-
her.
She recalled the delights OF th'
man in his even days, as we'll as those
periods of animal emancipation
which led him into the depths where
the scorpions are remembered th'
tales his friends had told OF his colo
and absolute physical courage. AL
| in moment, the understanding came
that he had something of that femi
nine element of artists which need
the courage of another to tide hin
over his depressions of spirit. Reed
er. up here in the heart of the Cordil
leras needed the hand and broker
heart of her. She was listening ant
thinking in that vague but furiou
manner which seems almost to b
above physical consciousness.
At last a match was struck in tn
next room; the chimney OF the LAM
lifted and put back. With an almos
psychometric faculty, she sensed tn
travelling of his pen for many me
ments.
He crossed the floor, and opene
his door for draught Of air. Th
heat was intense in her own room
The desire came for one look at he
husband in the lamplight. Wha
had the months done to his face whic
only a wife can read?
The boards of the floor did nc
creak and the lock of her room move
without sound. She faced the dar
hall for an instant then saw th
faint bar on the floor from his lam
Lest her own door swing and creal
though there was little or no breeze
she held it for second then move
with consummate slowness to the RI
, of light. Her slippered feet In tt
hallway gave no sound.
t Reeder was sitting by the ope