Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-10-09
rHow done forr


done it again Pm a thief a Second
time. and again for woman"
Smith looked grave. but he said
nothing.
WHAT You don't get up and kick
me? Wei. Welt / suppose it's JUST
Ike you. but rather hoped you would
You're the only man who wouldn't
But wait till you hear. l can tell IL Co
you because you can't help me. No
body can I'm beyond helping"
Better try a sandwich first" sug-
gested Smith. There's no hurry"
Thanks; I think ! VIII That beef
tea did me good"
He ate three sandwiches ravenously.
washing them down with water
There isn't a whole lot 10 relate" be
said. You can Oil IN the details FOR
yourself. 7 tried backing the ponies
again: then / stole from the bank
There was an examination OF the books
at the hank fsur days ago. / didn't
turn UP there that day. and I haven
been there since; but OF course the
game is up. 7 wandered about. drink
ing to try 20 forget my troubles tin an
my money was gone. Then / sobered
up. and herr I am This time there's
no one 10 save me. The bank couldn't
be fixed. even IL I had the funds to
make my stealings good. They'd get
me wherever l hid myself that's sure
They must be looking for me now
And O God. I can't face itr'
Tears rained down his face-tears
that he made no effort 10 hide or wipe
away.
Il knew 7 was going headlong down
20 heil-knew what I was doing -sa
the certain punishment-yet couldn't
stop myself And now have reached
the mouth of .the pit"
He shuddcred and writhed en- acont
Of torment turning his pitiful. stream
ing eyes upon Smith.
ooh. Jimsy. II YOU would only Bin
me and end 90 aI." he moaned ooh
II I only had the courage TO kin my
selfr'
Smith. greatly agitated. looked at th,
| miserable man in perplexity.
81 wish ! could help you. joe" h
/ said "But this time I don't see how
you can be helped"
'It isn't possible. There's nothiur
you could Go. I'm done for. It's my
own fault he sobbed Il brought g.
all on myself I have been weaE-oh
weak-and q fool And now it's come
10 this. No; uobody's Co blame but my
| sclf-unless lfs Emma"
He rose to go.
"Shabe hands with me, Jimsy.- Dc
begged. "ICs the hand OF a thief. @
criminals hand. but YOU were glad e.
take 80 I'm friendship once. when Il was
honest. aud irs the last time I'll ever
ask you Co DO anything FOR me. You'll
never see uc again"
Smith graspcd the hand held out &C.
him. and his pressure was more clio
quent OF his feelings than mere words
could have been. lie could End DO
phrases adequate 90 express them. Sc
remained silent but ne slipped intC
the wretchcd mans pocket as Brooks
passed out of the door a bundle OF
banknotes Lhat he had taken withou
/ counting from "a drawer.
Snow had begun 90 fan. A hir
wind. blowing apparently IRON al
/ quarters, hardened the flakes and Pre-
PEELED them with singing force int
| the faces % the people in the street,
| Brooks had no umbrella. nor hid o.
| gloves. and the wind cut 90 the bon.
| Yet he paid scant heed 20 his di soon
rort and ambled away from Smith
abode. lie turned up his ca cola
and pulled his hat over bls eyes. Nor
than once when he thought he W.
being followed he went sick with fca
/ Every minute he expected 20 feel
hand on his shoulder
Why should he lack the pluck 20 ',f
himself? A fugitive from Justice
friendless and pennness. everything
that was worth while I'm life gone for
ever, what had he 10 hope from living
The prison door from which he had
shrunk with such dread before now
| was wide open 20 receive him, would
receive him as inevitably as day would
I follow the night He remembered hav
! ing read that man shot through the
/ brain never felt the messenger which
snuffed out his life IN the drawer OF
/ HIS bureau was loaded revolver tina
he had long kept there for self prote,
1 ton In case OF need. A movement o.
his finger would end Aill. feellnf
( almost Of relief came with this thought
/ and he quickened his steps. There wa.
/ only one thing to fear now-that ht
/. would be caught before he could reach
his room. AS he trudged along he
found himself at the corner OF the
street in which the Harrlses lived.
Emma, How different she had been
! from the otherl She had not taken.
she had -iven. Love had not been
Z dependent upon the bringing OF gifts
( It had been lavished upon him. Whep
he had been respondent she had com
/ forted him; when things were going
wrong she had encouraged him: when
his head ached she had rested IL on
. her bosom. And il had come to this
that he bad lost her and, with her.
all; that he was an outcast at her
I door
An insane desire 20 see her took pos
session OF him. IL greg, became over
I towering. swept aside all the objec
lions OF reason. He was a dying man
and nothing was denied to the dying
7 10. IA