Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1909-08-05

!
seen you for a whole week; and !
can't talk and play, too" smiling.
Forward, them" cried Darlington,
b%eckoning to his caddy.
He played a nervous, fdgety game
that afternoon. Every time he teed
his bali the document spoke from his
pocket with an ominous crackle. There
was not one brilliant stroke to his
credit. This puzzled the girl, for only
the previous week he had been run
ner-up in the annual tournament for
crack amateurs. He made the ninth
hole i~ndifferently, then turned to the
girl, smiling whimsically.
you are not playing up to your
form to-day, John" she observed.
Il admit it," he replied, tossing his
club to the eaddy, who, well versed
in worldly affairs, serenely shouldered
the bag and made off toward the club
house. my heart isn't in the game,
Kate. The fact is, I'm in a peck of
trouble" He determined to tell her
at once. There might not be another
opportunity like this.
why, John!" reproachfully.
ooh, it came only yesterday. |
haven't been hiding it. I'm in a kind
of pocket, and can't exactly e my
way out. | want your advice; and you
must be the jury and Judge rolled into
one"
They were standing on a hill, and
far away they could see the pale line
where the shimmering summer sea
met the turquoise bowl of heaven.
Tell me what your difficulty is,
John, and l will judge it the best |
know how"
He never knew what a simple,
beautiful name John was till 1t fell
from the lips of this girl. Many called
him Jack; but only his mother and
this girl called him John. He mo-
toned toward the sandbox, and they
sat down. The other players were
well scattered about, out of hearing.
He made out his Ease skillfully
enough, giving his plaintiff and de-
PENDANT fictitious names. The thing
grew so real to him, as he went on,
that toward the end he rose tc the
dramatics. The girl listened, but with
never a glance at him Rather her
gaze roved over the dancing gray wa
tiers and followed the lonely white sail
that stood out to sea. And when he
reached the climax, silence of some
duration fell upon them.
SHOULD this man be ~punished?" he
asked at length.
HE is guilty; he has broken two
laws, the civic and human. oh, the
poor people!" pathetically. "They are
never at peace; the wolf harries them,
and the jackal; they are robbed, beat
en- and spurned. They are like sheep,
not knowing how to fight. They ar
rest a man for his poverty; they ap-
plaud him for his greed. 1t is all
very wrong"
The sail fell under the shadow of
a cloud, and they both watched it
till it flashed into the sunlight again.
"a woman's intuition is sometimes
abnormally keen. You are strong
enough to fight such things without
the advice of a woman. Is there not
something vital to me in all this? Is
it not-is 1t not my father, John?"
CHAPTER II.
Darlington faced her swiftly. He
had not expected this. There was
something in her handsome eyes that
barred the way to subterfuge. The
lie died unspoken, and he dropped his
gaze and began to dig up the turf with
the toe of his shoe.
"Is 1t my father, John?"
Eyes. Oh, Kate with a despairine
gesture, I'm the most miserable fel
low alive! To think that this should
fall into my hands, Of all hands in the
world"
Perhaps it is better So" quietly
Nothing Is without purpose. II
might have come to test your honesty
But you are sure, John; it is moi
guesswork?"
"All the evidence is in my pocket
Say the word, and the wind shall car
ry it down to the sea. Say the word
heart O mine!p
He made a quick movement towart
his pocket, but she caught his arm.
"Do nothing foolish or hasty, John
Tearing up the evidence would no
undo what Is done. Sooner or latel
murder will out. If my father is culp
able, If in his thoughtless greed foI
money he has robbed the poor, h,
must be made to restore what he hal
taken. I know my father; what he hal
done appears perfectly legitimate tt
him. Can he be put in PRISON."
1T all depends upon how well HI
defends himself" evasively.
She went on. II have been dreadint
something like this; SO 1t is no grea
surprise to me. He is money-mad
money-mad; and he hears, sees, think
nothing but money. But it hurts
John; / am a proud woman. M.
grandfather" Her lips shut sudden
ly. Money!" with a passionate wav,
of the hand. "How | hate the nam'
of 1t, the sound Of it, the thought of 1t
I love my father" with a defian
pride: 'he has always been tende
and kind to me; and / should not b.
of his flesh and blood had I not tn,
desire to shield and protect him."
"The remedy Is simple and close a
hand" suggested Darlington, gently.
Simple, but worthy Of neither Q
us. l abhor anything that is not whol
ly honest. tits n Of those strang,
freaks Of nature (who holds hersel
accountable to no one) to give to m,
honesty that is the sum total of wha
should have been evenly distributes