Mexico weekly ledger., 1910-03-24

cared to acknowledge 10 himself for
the daughter Of the house 10 appear.
It sas the frst time that she bad ever
sent FOR him 70 90 10 her, and be was
conscious Of some degree Of anxiety
as 10 her motive. The sound 81 a
usht step on TIE threshold q the room
checked bis disturbing speculAfions,
and be looked up 70 sec Shirley Blood
good entering the nom
something very urgent made ne
Send Tor you, Mr., Mufgatroyds" she
began, though her hrs trembled. ]
want 10 talk with you."
An Instinct told Murgatroyd that Il
would be & grisvous mistake not 70
accept without a protesting word The
note OF aloofness that was In her tone
Rightly be told himself that the slight
est advance 90 bis part would result
In adding to her Distress tAat. how
ever much he would Ike 10 break
down the barrier that had arisen be
tween them, be must bide his time ana
/ trust to her emotional nature TO ac-
compIlsh that. And be was not mis-
I taken, for presently an impulse to
speak her mind at any cost took pos
session OF her, and she burst forth:
BILLY, why did you take this mon
eyf Whyr
Murgatroyd essayed TO speak, but
she interrupted him.
"Dont"-oyering her ears with her
h~ands-"don't tell me- / know you did
it-because I-I-oh, why did you lis
ten to met / thought l knew what
was talking about" she went on, while
be sought control Of himself by look
ing away from her. But ! knew
nothing Of c~onditions-of men !
thought that a man-that you could
accomplish anything you really want
ed to do. But you were right. There
are impossIbiiities. l understand now
now that it's too late. I have had
my lesson. Only a few months ago
you were honest, and DOW you are cor
rupt, and / alone am responsibleF'
you must not blame yourself'-he
was neither admitting nor denying the
impeachment-"for anything ! may
have done"
'But / do, / dor she cried bitterly.
-And you must blame meF'
Abruptly shlrley's mood changed.
Her voice rang with a scorn that be
fore she ceased seemed to include him
as well as herself
What do / care for success or fail
ure7 | could cut my tongue out fol
telling you that my father vas a fail
ure! A failure! Why. l know that
not only was be not a failure, but thai
be was really great-a mar in the
highest sense Of the word-and that's
all l want you to be. / don't care an
iota that you should be a senator-i
don't want you to be a senator.
have sent for you tonight "a tell you
soto stop for good and all the thing
set in motion" She was silent for an
instant. Il want you to come back
come backlr
In turn he murmured words thai
sounded TO her like TO you"
Shirley shook her head as though
that were a thing out Of the question.
NO, 10 your honest SELF" she saiG
earnestly. bat kindly; TO the Bill,
Murgatroyd that was
For a moment they looked steadily
into each others eyes. Unknown {,
himself, there was an air Of appeal
not wholly free from anxiety even
for her face was again showing sign
Of hardness as he spoke.
Il can hardly do that / cannot stop
And, If ] should, where Is the induce
ment7 You are beyond my reach"
And as IL to disproYe his own word
an impulse Of alteration too power
ful TO be checked seized him, and b.
caught her hand and pressed it.
A brief moment only Shirley Above,
it to rest IL his, then slowly Withdrew
IT, and her action told him palmer thai
words that there was to be nothing
further between them; she was througI
with him; she must despise him.
Shirley felt that there could be D
compromise. Murgatroyd must purgI
himself, even though 1t involved a If
Of shame. And. after be had yieldei
up his shameless gains. what then
Shirley did not know; she could no
tell.
"And If l am out Of your reach It.
your own fault II you had been bal
the man l thought, you would neve
have listened TO me. But you neve
cared for me, even though you sal
so,n Shirley said, casting her eye
down, not daring to look him In thI
face. what you did you did 70
yourself and not for me. You Ber
weak from the start. ANY maj VIII
would surrender his honesty even 70
a woman Is not a man" She thel
concluded with a little shake Of tit
head:
81 wouldn't marry you nov II yo'
were the last mar on earth"
Both rose to their feet. Habit pei
haps rather than any regret for he
words induced her to dismiss hiI
with a tender expression on her face
With his departure went out the las
glimmer Of hope that he would eve
return 10 his better self Nothin
could stop him now. As for Shirley
the moment the door closed on biz
she sank with a moan into a chair.
Thorne took an appeal from the vel
dict Of conviction. He had been care
ful 30 take exception to each bit Q
questionable evidence.
what do you think, chiefT' aske
McGrath Of Murgatroyd one day afte
the appeal had been argued.
Mursatroyd shrugged his shoulders
"That verdict viii stick" was hI
only comment
"By the way" said MeGrath, "Pen
mican keeps mum mp there In jail. bI
he's getting restless as thunder. q
wants 10 know how soon you're goln
to try him on this gambling charge"
RAILWAY MAIL CLERKS WANTE