The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-01-04
CHAPTER III.

CHAPTER III.
| TN sort Of daze Challoner was
| stumbling toward the door wher
| the telephone bell rang. Instantly
= it reused all the deviltry and cum
ming that had oozed from him the mo-
ment before. Seixing the receiver, b
/ thrust 1t silently against his ear.
| Hello" began the voice at the other
end.
| Challoner did not answer.
| 'Ts that you, Letty?" the voice went
on.
Still Challoner did not answer
Then, as the woman stepped forward
he handed the receiver to her. at the
same time placing his left hand over
the mouthpiece, and said:
TITS Hargraves. Tell him to come
up, will your
She shook her head.
Again the voice at the other end of
the wire sounded, but she could not
answer, for the thickness Of Challo-
ners hand lay between her and com
| munication.
The suspense was becoming I'M
bearable- getting on her nerves. There
was nothing to do but to comply with
his wish, and upon her eyes suddenly
| yielding to his he released the mouth
piece. standing on guard the while she
| obeyed him.
Then Challoner drove her-literally
/ drove her-into a far corner of the
room.
Now let him come! Well See be
exclaimed, holding revolver 10 his
right hand. and as he stood there
/ watching her us tiger does a tigress
1 1t was with certain sense Of graft.
| ficatien that he noted written across
her face the altogether new sensation
Of fear. terror and therefore respect
for him..
And he rejoiced In the knowledge
| that the hand that could no longer
count out bankDotes to her or sign
! checks was hand that held life and
death within its grasp. Lefty Love
realized this. too. as she stood there
cowed. trembling. listening. watching
the door Suddenly there flashed
through her mind a way out of the
situation. and. smiling. she said lightly.
"Oh. pshaw. Lawrence. the heavy is
1 not your line. Come. Suppose We
have something TO drink"
And, hthout waiting for him to an.
swer. size crossed the room and press
/ ed the button there Somewhat sheep
! ishly ChalIoner slipped the revolver
back into his pocket and dropped into
chair. while she ordered the maid
to fetch some Bengal--a cordial. dis
| titled delight that had come down to
| her from a period so remote that the
memory of man runneth not to the
contrary.
| In his merry lifetime Hiram Ed
gar Love had possessed gallons of 1t.
| 1t had come TO him in the night from
the mysterious east In the teeth OF
the revenue guns. Lefty took her place
beside a small table. and presently a
silver topped. cut glass decanter was
In her hand
Challoner drank-drank He forgot
Hargraves, forgot everything but the
face of Lefty Love. a kiss that he
wanted. but that somehow he could
not get, an utterance In thick voice.
a momentary hand TO hand struggle
| not with Hargraves. but with her;
| then somehow she eludcd him. and he
was left alone-alone In the darkness
| that the Bengal had cast upon him.
But In all this there was no Har.
graves.
A few hours later when he awoke hp
was still sitting NJ the table. but hp
was alone. He rose hastily. even stead.
| lily. and secured the other rooms. There
4 was no one there He looked for the
Bengal. but that. TOO. Ind disappeared
All OF sudden the jewels that Were
on her dressing fable-jeweIs that hf
had given her-caugh' his attention
and for the moment the temptation
was strong 10 take Them for the mon
y that was In them. But even his du
wits soon recognized the folly of sucf
A proceeding. since 1t was for her that
he needed the money. and somewhat
reluctantly he put them back In theil
case. muttcring TO himself Ms he ler
the house:
4 'Letty must believe In me. Thing,
arc bound soon 10 come my way
Soon he was back nj Cradiebaugh's
wandering about looking for pemml
ean. Finally he saw him coming on
Of one Of the rooms and hailed hin
with:
"Hargraves showed up yetY'
The unwho.esorne looking fnctotun
shook his head. At the same time h,
noted that challoner was In differ
ext I2aed TIN whan he had talket