The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1910-01-20

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He'd dcscrtbe that heel a. OF IS caltber.T
pravity and that he had cast what he
had taken to be longing eyes on Emma.
he now had no doubt whatever that II
would be. The captain was not the
man to give anything for nothing. to
part with money without receiving full
value. With his great physical strength
and his will that overbore and wore
down all opposition. how would the
gentle. submissive nature Of Emma Re
able to hold out against him1 Re
duced TO helplessness BY his all domi.
mating power, with the alternative Of
compliance or their ruin held out to
her, she would have to submit.
Brooks pictured the scene as though
It we're being enacted before him. and
he went hot and cold, and sweat Of
agony broke out all over him
"No. no. no"
He uttered aloud the protest wrung
from his writhIng soul by his half re-
suscitated manhood He clutched his
throat. struck himself In the mouth
with such violence that his teeth cut
his underlip and the blood dyed his
chin. seized bis hat and dashed wildly
for the door. Fear met him there and
held up a restraining finger. Down
stairs were the three central ONCE de-
tectives. On the morrow, In q few
hours. ut the ONCE where he had
worked for ave years. these men, at the
behest OF his employer. would place
their hands on his arms. and he would
be under arrest He saw himself be-
ing led out. handcufed, under the
mocking eyes Of his fellow clerks and
the customers.
He closed the door again and turned
from II, cowardice at his heels. whis.
pering sophistic prudence. counseling
che poltroon's discretion. throwing spc-
cious sops to his conscience. some-
thing had to be done. No other course
than that be had taken had been pos
sible under the circumstances Be
tween him and state prison stood
Emma. She alone on earth could save
him. II salvation were possible. Pun
ishment and immunity at that moment
perhaps held the balance even The
giving or Withholding Of kiss would
turn the scales either way. The giving
Of II would brand him with that par
ticular stamp Of infamy which when
recognized by men caused them to
draw away with rising gorge and
spurn the bearer. But none would
know Of the sacrince-no one save the
victim. Williams and himself. Other
women had done ~ much In pressing
emergencies to save their husbands
from public dishonor. Some had bar
gained their favors to insure ONCE OF
Advancement for husbands or sons.
some for dress and jewels their hus-
hands could not give them. He him
self would never seek to know just
what had passed between his wife and
the captain. He was free to assume
that be had worried unnecessarily
that nothing Of what be felt certain
was happening had occurred, to sur
mise that II had not been necessary
for Emma to resort to complete sur
render. What be did not know could
not trouble him. Anyhow. It was too
late now. The die had been cast The
caief thine-nay, the one thing-he had
10 fear was that her mission might
Be unsuccessful; that abe could moi
purchase his freedom at any price
Whatsoever.
The possibility Of this twisted his
selfish heart with anguish again. On.
why had he got himself into this trou.
Bile!
When goaded to desperation and
recklessness he had taken the nrsi
$40 from the money he had collected
he had no idea Of not returning II
somehow. II had brought q good deal
OF pleasure to Emma and himself,
lightened their hard penury with Z
CLEAN Of brightness. But SO then
had been 4 lot Of money. II had not
been possible TO replace Il at once.
Il was far easier to AZ bis accounts
20 that the sum would not be missed
He had yielded to the temptation and
had 20 fixed them.
Jenkins. his fellow employees In the
once. was q follower Of horse racing
In bis small way. Now and then he
risksd q dollar or two In . nearby
pool room. and sometimes he won. A
few days after Brooks had flashed
the books to cover up his de6cit Of
so jenkins had confdcd to his once
cronies that he had q tip Of which be
felt 20 sure that he was prepared to
pawn his last shcestring to back II
Many others had decided to take Z
chance. and, having no money q his
own, Brooks bad taken an advance
on bis salary out Of his collections and
followed their. example. The odd.