The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-07-12
(Continued)

II WILL" the big man replied
briefly. "And the others don't
know anything"
mo, there is only you. You 1t
would not help If the truth were
made public; it would only excite
more attention. You yourself do
not want your former record con-
nected with your stay here. If
you escape, you will be free and
comparatively rich; leave me my
secret, Desmond; I shall have moth
ing else"
"You needn't worry about me-"
Desmond treasured, his eyes on the
ribbon of path that was visible.
ut might be better, I'm thinking,
to do the worrying about how you'll
come out of this"
"Fiat justicia," Allard returned,
with cool endurance quite free
from bitterness. "Or, more intel
lightly. l must pay for my cakes
and ale. Only carry your part
through, and do not talk"
"You needn't worry. There's a
man around that big boulder down
there! Will I have to shoot bird
seed at his legs, I wonder?"
Not if you can avoid"
WOh, I'm not playing at it; rest
easy. And don't fear they'll be
believing it's you. When they find
me gone and you not able to stand,
they'll guess who was shooting.
I'll put all the guns beyond your
reaching them, to help, before l go
tonight"
"No!"
The swift monosyllable fell with
an energy that brought Desmond's
glance at once to the speaker.
II shall want my revolver" Al
lard added more quietly. II might
need it."
Just So" assented the other, re-
garding him odly, and presently re-
turned to his guard of the door.
There was long silence. Grad
ually the fluffily piled clouds in
the west became tinged with ruddy
gold, clouds which bore fanciful
resemblance to Elysian mountain
peaks. as if heaped so in sport by
some initiative baby Titan who had
patterned them from the hills be-
low. Sunset was at hand, and from
its brightness Allard YEARLY aver
ted his face. Suffering, mental and
physical. keyed his nerves to ex-
quisite constituencies; passionate
desire for darkness and silence pos
sessed him.
Suddenly the roaring crash of the
huge shotgun set the cottage vi
brating, and echoed heavily back
and forth among the cliffs.
Its only to scare them,' explain
ed Desmond, as his companion
started up. But l doubt they will
wait past dusk. And we needed
Just one week more!"
"You mean they will rush the
place by daylight? You will go
now?"
II need the dusk more than they
do. Still. won't wait long. YOU
shall l get you WATERPROOF moved
too quick!"
1T is nothing" Allard painted.
But he drank gratefully from the
tin diper, nevertheless, and in re-
turning it searched with gentler
eyes the hard, intelligent oounte-
nance of the giver. ut is nothing
cannot face. all this, If can be
certain you will keep silence"
II will" he said, and walked
back to the door in cautious vigil
lance.
Allard lay still. Evening. Theo-
dora would be on the veranda In
her pretty dinner gown, perhaps
with flower tucked over her lit
tie ear in the Spanish fashion she
mimicked. if this were home. Aunt
Rose would be reading in her favo-
rite chair, Robert loungng near
them and pouring out his usual
flood of gaiety and nonsense. AL
lard smiled tenderly and with a
touch of defiance; after all, he had
won the battle fought for them, had
carried out the task set, before to-
days ruin overlook him. More
over, he had his own way of es-
cape, resolved upon since the first.
He almost could be content.
Its growing dark" broke in
Desmond's voice after a time. "Tm
thinking they'll be making that
rush mighty soor I'd give some
thing to take you along, instead of
having to climb like a cat up the
bluff"
Allard reused himself.
"Not possible! You should have