Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-04-09

make atOnemeQC. NCr the wrong ne
had done Jack was ready to offer his
life. He had endured the full measure
of his sufferings. The hour of his de-
livery was at hand. Hard as it was to
die in the mid-glory of manhood, it
was easier to end it all here and now
than to live unloved by Echo, hated by
Dick, despised by himself.
"She sent me to find you. Bring him
back to me- That's what she said"
Jack cried in his agony.
"Your wife-she said that?" faltered
Dick.
Fiercely in his torture Jack answer
ed: Yes, my wife-my wife said it.
Bring him back to me-"
"Back?" Dick paused. Back to
what?" he asked himself. "She's your
wife, isn't she?" he demanded
"That's what the law says" an
swered Jack
| With the thought of the evening in
the garden when he heard Jack and
Echo pronounced man and wife surg
Ing over him Dick murmured, "What
God hath Joined together let no man
put asunder."
"That's what the book says" an
swered Jack. But when hands alone
are Joined and hearts are asunder it
can't go on record as the work of Cod"
/ Dick bowed his head In his hands.
II don't understand"
| Stubbornly Jack pursued his mes
sage to Dick. "She doesn't love me. I
thought had won her, but she mar
ried me with your image in her heart.
She married me, yet all the while you
were the man she loved-you-you-
and in the end found 1t out"
| Jacks voice sank almost into whis-
per as he finished his revelation to
Dick, who raised his head and cried,
"And yet she broke her faith with
me-
Jack arose in his misery. His TASK
was harder than he expected. Dick
was forcing him to tell all without
concealing even the smallest trife of
his shame.
"She thought-you were dead. new
er told her otherwise. lied to her-I
lied to her."
"She never knew?" asked Dick Joy
fully. '"The letter.
II never gave it to her." answered
Jack simply.
Dick leaped to his feet, pulling his
revolver from his holster "And l
thought her false to her trust!' He
aimed his gun at Payson's heart. 81
ought to kill you for thisp'
Jack spread out his arms and calmly
replied, "I'm ready"
Dick dropped his gun and slipped it
into the holster, with gesture of de-
spair. But It's too late now-too late!"
In his eagerness to tell Dick the way
he had solved the problem Jack spoke
nervously and quickly. mo, it isn't
too late. There's one way out of this
one way in which can atone for the
wrong I've done you both, and stand
,eady to make that atonement 1t, is
your right to kill me, but 1t is better
that you go back to her without my
blood on your hands,"
-back-to herr" questioned Dick
as the meaning of the phrase slowly
dawned upon him.
Yes" said Jack, holding out his
hands. go back with clean hands to
Echo Allen. 1t is you she loves.
There's my horse up yonder. Beyond
there's the pack mule loaded with wa.
ter and grub-plenty of water Wen
just change places, that's all. You
take them and go back to her, and I'll
stay here"
4 Dick walked toward the spring, but
spell Of weakness came over him
and he almost sank to the ground
Jack caught him and held him up.
ut would be Justice" muttered Dick
as If apologizing for his acceptance OF
Jacks remuneration.
Leaning over his shoulder, Jack said
"Sure, that's it, justice. Just tell her ]
tried to work 1t out according to my
lights. Ask her to-forgive-to forgive
that's all"
Jack took off his canteen and threw
the strap about Dicks neck AS Lane
weakly staggered toward the mouth Of
the canyon where the horse had beer
staked out Jack halted him with re
quest:
There's another thing. left home
under cloud Buck Mckee charged
me with holding up and killing .Ole
Man Terrill for $4,000. Tell slim
Hoover how you paid me Just that
sum of money!
81 will, and I'll fix the murder
where 1t belongs and then fix the rea
murderer
\ lack stepped to Lanes side and